Slow Down Program-to-Salesforce Sync - Configurable Option

[Anonymous]

Usually, we all want it faster but would love to have an option to put in a global wait step for Program syncs.

USE CASE
When a lead is created, we run a global SF Sync campaign with a 2-3 minute wait step to allow various data  cleanup campaigns to run. Based on some of that cleanup, leads may get supressed from the sync or routed to a certain rep. Examples include
- Country cleanup
- Auto disqualify bogus leads
- Lead source population
- Scoring
- Other data normalization
The above assumes the lead is created via a Program. 

THE ISSUE
Usually, it takes 5 minutes but sometimes the Program-to-SF-Campaign sync occurs first. Leads then sync BEFORE the master SF sync campaign does its thing. The end result is some leads are missassigned and some leads sync that shouldn't. 

The Request
Yes, there are definately ways to tidy up the process but it would be so much easier to have a global sync option for the Program. Currenty, Marketo can slow down the SF sync as a whole by request---this feature request is for the Program only. 

Side note: It would be fine to have this as a support request (as opposed to a user configurable option).

?Also open to any workarounds.

[Anna_Bruning1]

This process would be incredibly useful for us. Would love for Marketo to implement this.

[Josh_Hill13]

Isn't this related to another Idea where we can choose the order of execution?

[Mark_Farnell]

We have a similar issue where new leads need to be enhanced/de duped via web hooks before syncing, but the program sync overrides any wait step we have built into that flow. All our leads come into program's. Delaying the sync at a program level wouldn't help us since the lead could still be created at a time within the wait step period and the next sync. We need to be able to pause the program sync for specific leads until the web hook has run. We do all lead processing from a single campaign so would be easy to manage, if it could be implemented.

[SydneyMulligan]

This was talked about in one of the Best Practices sessions at Summit this year. As a fix until this program sync delay can be created, you can sort of daisy chain your data normalization programs with "Request Campaign" flow steps and "Campaign is Requested" smart lists to get your data normalization programs running in the correct order. Hope this helps a little.

[Anonymous]

Sydney, are you talking about the session with Jeff Shearer​? If not, which one? We are starting to build some of these strategies into our architecture for clients under 1 million records.

To summarize the approach, you can still maintain the 1-to-1 Program sync to streamline management. However, the simple adjustment is to put in a wait step of a few minutes before adding someone to a program. This will let Marketo does its thing for scoring, cleansing, etc before a Program sync can even start.

New Lead Processing Queues – Jeff Shearer

Source: jeffshearer.com

[Josh_Hill13]

Agree. If this is that much of a concern, then DO NOT sync the Program and instead use Order of Operations lead lifecycle system to handle this. Then make sure your Add to SFDC Campaign can kick in at an appropriate time within the Program itself.

You could also have Apex code deal with some wait steps too.

[SydneyMulligan]

Yes, that's the one!