Introduction
Today, many organizations need to deliver up-to-date, consolidated data to teams across sales, service, marketing, and more. The goal is to make sure everyone can make decisions based on the same, real-time information. This is where Salesforce Lightning Connect (or Salesforce Connect) comes in, especially when paired with an Operational Data Store (ODS).
Salesforce Lightning Connect lets you view and work with data that’s housed outside of Salesforce. It does this without copying or duplicating that data. Meanwhile, an ODS is a near real-time repository that consolidates operational data from various systems (like ERP, finance, or HR). When you put these two together, you give your Salesforce users a central, reliable “single source of truth,” all within Salesforce’s familiar interface.
What Is Salesforce Lightning Connect?
Think of Salesforce Lightning Connect as a bridge between Salesforce and any data source that lives outside of it. Instead of moving that data into Salesforce (which can be expensive and time-consuming), you create external objects that simply “point” to the data where it already is.
- Real-Time or Near Real-Time Access: There’s no waiting for regular sync jobs; the data appears as soon as changes happen in the external system.
- OData Protocol: This uses a standardized RESTful approach called OData (Open Data Protocol), so you don’t have to build complex custom integrations.
- Easy Setup: Most of the configuration happens through clicks (not code). As soon as you set up the connection, you can start using external objects in list views and reports.
What Is an Operational Data Store (ODS)?
An Operational Data Store (ODS) is a hub for the latest, lightly processed data from different transactional systems—think ERP, CRM, HR, and more. It sits somewhere between those operational systems and a more traditional data warehouse.
- Near Real-Time Updates: An ODS collects data frequently, so the records are kept fairly current.
- Consolidated View: It brings together data from multiple sources, making it easier to keep everything consistent.
- Operational Focus: It’s designed for day-to-day tasks, reporting, and decision-making, rather than historical trend analysis (which is usually the domain of a full data warehouse).
Why Combine Salesforce Lightning Connect and an ODS?
Imagine you have an ODS that’s already pulling data from your ERP, finance systems, and other critical apps. By connecting Salesforce directly to the ODS:
- Real-Time Data, Single Connection: Salesforce can display up-to-date data without syncing it everywhere.
- Reduced Complexity: Rather than building separate integrations for each system, you create one integration to the ODS, and Salesforce just reads from that.
- Consistent “Source of Truth”: Your ODS is already governed by data validation and cleansing rules, so Salesforce gets the clean version of the data every time.
What Problems Does This Solve?
- Siloed Systems
If your data is scattered across multiple apps, users often have to jump around to find what they need. Storing consolidated data in an ODS and then surfacing it through Lightning Connect lets everyone see the same information, all in one place—Salesforce. - Data Duplication and Storage Costs
Copying huge data sets into Salesforce eats up storage and can lead to multiple versions of the truth. With Lightning Connect, the data stays put in the ODS, saving you storage space and headaches. - Reporting Delays
Traditional data loading processes (like nightly batch jobs) can mean your reports are always a bit stale. When the ODS updates near real-time, and Salesforce queries it directly, everyone sees the freshest data right away. - Costly Point-to-Point Integrations
Building multiple integrations to each system is time-consuming and expensive to maintain. An ODS consolidates all that data, and Lightning Connect hooks into it once, drastically reducing integration overhead. - Data Quality and Governance
Disconnected systems often introduce duplicates or inconsistencies. Because the ODS has its own data governance and cleansing rules, data appearing in Salesforce is already vetted, improving overall quality.
Benefits of Using Lightning Connect with an ODS
- Real-Time Visibility
Users see the latest information in dashboards, reports, or detail pages. That means sales, service, and marketing teams can act on up-to-date insights. - Lower Maintenance and Storage Costs
No more duplicating data across environments. Upgrades and schema changes happen in the ODS. Salesforce just references whatever’s current. - Faster Implementation
Setting up OData connections can be done largely through point-and-click. There’s usually no need for elaborate custom code. That means quicker time to market. - Comprehensive Customer View
Sales reps, support agents, and managers can all see relevant order details, finance information, or any other data in one screen, making them more effective in their roles. - Scalable Architecture
Because the ODS and Salesforce remain loosely coupled, you can scale each system independently. Plus, OData is an open standard, so you’re not locked into one specific vendor.
Typical Use Cases
- Order and Inventory Tracking: Sales reps can view real-time order statuses and inventory levels drawn from the ODS, which centralizes data from your ERP or fulfillment software.
- Billing and Finance Info: Offer account managers instant access to invoice balances or payment histories, fed straight from the ODS without needing separate integrations.
- Service and Support: Customer service agents can see past support tickets, product usage, and other relevant data, all consolidated in the ODS, improving time-to-resolution.
- Partner Portals: Provide partners a quick snapshot of orders, forecasts, or shipment details in Salesforce Communities, without replicating big datasets.
Best Practices and Considerations
- Plan Carefully
Not every piece of data needs to be accessed in real time. Identify which records must be live and which can be synced on a schedule. - Optimize OData Endpoints
Make use of server-side filtering and pagination to avoid large data fetches that slow down performance. - Align Your Security Models
Ensure that authentication, permission sets, and field-level security in Salesforce reflect the security setup you have in your ODS (including encryption or masking if needed). - Monitor Usage
Keep tabs on Salesforce API usage, response times, and any errors. A well-monitored integration means fewer surprises. - Adopt Incrementally
Start with a small, read-only pilot. Once it’s stable and meets performance requirements, expand to additional objects or enable read/write scenarios.
Conclusion
Bringing Salesforce Lightning Connect and an Operational Data Store (ODS) together creates an elegant solution for real-time, consolidated data. You get the best of both worlds: a single, cleaned-up repository of information in the ODS, and a smooth, on-demand view in Salesforce without duplicating or manually syncing huge data sets. This setup prevents silos, streamlines user experiences, and keeps your data consistent and reliable.
For organizations that rely on Salesforce as their main customer engagement hub, this kind of integration is a game-changer. It simplifies data management, reduces costs, and offers every team member a clear window into the latest operational data—so they can focus on what matters: delivering great products, services, and support.