Use Salesforce custom object fields for forms, emails and smart campaigns

[EvaYu]

We are planning on creating a custom object in salesforce and sync over to Marketo to host our demo session data. There are multiple types of demos we host, and the CO will have "Demo Type" and "Demo Date" associated with leads and contacts. I mapped out the field usage and need some help on certain points.

So the "Demo Date" field needs to be available for

1. Dynamic content in email: velocity script
2. field on the web form from user input: can we use API name to push data like standard fields?
3. filter for smart campagin/lists: is this possible? I read different answers on the forum
4. Sync to SFDC for campaign reporting: custom report with campaign members and CO

Is this a feasible solution for the use case? Love to hear if there are any other ways instead of creating a lot of custom fields.

[SanfordWhiteman]

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So the "Demo Date" field needs to be available for

1. Dynamic content in email: velocity script

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Yes, it will be available in Velocity.

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2. field on the web form from user input: can we use API name to push data like standard fields?

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No, this won't work, for two different reasons.

One, SFDC Custom Objects are never writable in Marketo. They are read-only "mirrors" of SFDC COs. 

Two, even Marketo COs can't be updated by (Marketo) forms, at least not directly (you can send form data to a webhook and have it loop back and create/update a CO, which is cool but isn't really "the form updating the CO").

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3. filter for smart campagin/lists: is this possible? I read different answers on the forum

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Yes, a 1st-level SFDC Custom Object is available in Smart List filters.

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4. Sync to SFDC for campaign reporting: custom report with campaign members and CO

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I don't really understand this one, since the CO will live in SFDC to begin with (as do SFDC campaign members).

[EvaYu]

Thank you, Sanford.

A follow-up question: "send form data to a webhook and have it loop back and create/update a CO" is only for MKTO CO, or it's it also possible for SFDC CO?

Overall I cannot think of any other solutions to store multiple demo date in one person's profile and have them available in both MKTO and SFDC. Would custom fields be a better fit here?

[SanfordWhiteman]

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A follow-up question: "send form data to a webhook and have it loop back and create/update a CO" is only for MKTO CO, or it's it also possible for SFDC CO?

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It is possible, as long as the person exists in SFDC first.  You don't want the  webhook to create an SFDC contact (which it would need to in order to attach the CO) and then have Marketo create a dupe at the same time. So it would take some timing, like triggering the webhook upon the SFDC sync if the person doesn't yet have an SFDC record type, but yes, it could be done.