SOAP: can't create a lead with a duplicate email address in a different workspace

Anonymous
Not applicable

SOAP: can't create a lead with a duplicate email address in a different workspace

I'm finding that the SOAP interface will match existing Leads by email address even when they shouldn't.

Example situation (based on what I tried to do):
My instance has a Default partition, and an ABC partition.

The Default partition contains a Lead with email "batman@gotham.com".  This Lead has no foreignSysPersonID.  Last Name = Keaton.

I want to create a new Lead with the following properties:
  • email: batman@gotham.com
  • foreignSysPersonID: 1000
  • Last Name = Kilmer
  • in partition ABC
Since Leads do not have to have unique email addresses, I think this should be possible.  You can certainly do it with the online portal.

What I tried:
I  used the following SOAP (some irrelevant details excluded)

<SOAP-ENV:Envelope blah blah>
  <SOAP-ENV:Header>
    <ns1:AuthenticationHeader>blah</ns1:AuthenticationHeader>
    <ns1:MktowsContextHeader>
      <targetWorkspace>ABC</targetWorkspace>
    </ns1:MktowsContextHeader>
  </SOAP-ENV:Header>
  <SOAP-ENV:Body>
     <tns:paramsSyncLead>

      <leadRecord>
        <foreignSysPersonId>1000</foreignSysPersonId>
        <Email>batman@gotham.com</Email>

        <leadAttributeList>
          <attribute>
            <attrName>LastName</attrName>
            <attrType>string</attrType>
            <attrValue>Kilmer</attrValue>
          </attribute>
        </leadAttributeList>
      </leadRecord>
      <returnLead>true</returnLead>
    </tns:paramsSyncLead>
  </SOAP-ENV:Body>
</SOAP-ENV:Envelope>

What happens:
Instead of creating a new Lead in the ABC parition, it modifies the existing lead, changing Keaton to Kilmer, and presumably assiging the foreignSysPersonID to it too.

Even though I specified a foreignSysPersonId, it matched by Email anyway.

I even tried moving the email address into the leadAttributeList.  Same result.

Conclusion:
What I'm trying to do is impossible via the SOAP interface.  Even though email addresses aren't unique, Marketo stubbornly wants to look stuff up by email addresses anyway.  (See also: your Munchkin library, which also subbornly uses email addresses as if they were unique).
Tags (1)
4 REPLIES 4
Kenny_Elkington
Marketo Employee

Re: SOAP: can't create a lead with a duplicate email address in a different workspace

Hi Grant,

We can help out with this, please log a support ticket.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: SOAP: can't create a lead with a duplicate email address in a different workspace

I do not have the rights to log a support ticket, as I am a consultant under the Marketo contract-holder.

My client has decided to change approach, so we may be somehow getting around this deficiency.
Josh_Hill13
Level 10 - Champion Alumni

Re: SOAP: can't create a lead with a duplicate email address in a different workspace

Grant,

the Workspace/Lead Partition still dedupes against email address, so you can't force a lead in one LP to move to another LP, even with SOAP.

You would need to move the lead to a LP that the WS can see.

As for support, please ask your Client to add your account to the approved list.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: SOAP: can't create a lead with a duplicate email address in a different workspace

So, to confirm:
  • Marketo allows me to create multiple leads that may use the same email address
  • There is no way to do this with SOAP
Is that the gist of it?