Exploring SAP CX Integrations and Connectors

SAP Commerce Cloud integration (CC) with SAP Emarsys enables smooth data exchange between systems. This integration automatically syncs customers, events, and products. The integration offers real-time customer and event synchronization.

Key features include:

• Simple system connection.

• Customer synchronization.

• Optional consent synchronization.

• Real-time event handling.

• Native support for various Tactics.

• Product synchronization.

Considerations and supported releases:

Integration with the latest version of SAP Commerce Cloud guarantees smooth operation. Older, unsupported releases present compatibility issues.

Prerequisites:

• For security reasons, run the webpage with a secured HTTPS connection.

• When integrating with SAP Customer Data Cloud or SAP Customer Data Platform, match contacts by email to avoid duplication before connector activation. After creation, use the customer ID or UID for all further identification, updates, and deletions.

• Enable specific fixed IPs to allow plug-in access if IP filtering is set up:

  • 34.89.173.3/32

  • 35.246.249.205/32

  • 34.89.137.140/32

  • 185.4.123.111/32

• Activate needed extensions:

  • integrationbackoffice extension

  • integrationservices extension

  • odata2webservices extension

  • outboundservices extension

  • outboundsync extension

  • outboundsyncbackoffice extension

  • webhookbackoffice extension

  • webhookservices extension

• Access extensions through a back-office URL.

• Turn on Web Extend on SAP Emarsys (Predict Data Sources) before syncing products with SAP Commerce Cloud.

• When using SAP Commerce Cloud version 2211.20 or later, the system automatically turns off the feature that prevents webhook notifications from being sent to inactive destinations.

Connect the systems:

Create a user with administrative rights in SAP Commerce Cloud and connect the systems effectively.

Before starting:

Have ready the following information and identify where to store the Public Endpoints in SAP Commerce Cloud:

• API URL

• Backoffice URL

Let’s discover the steps to integrate SAP Commerce Cloud with SAP Emarsys.

Let’s check other considerations for syncing data for contacts, real-time events, and products.

1. Contacts:

   Switching 'Enable contact sync' in contacts includes these settings:

   • Show mapping:

     View mapped fields between SAP Emarsys and SAP Commerce Cloud. Mapping changes aren't possible.

   • Try matching contacts by email:

     Synchronize contacts by email, supplementing Customer IDs. If no ID or email exists, use emails for initial creation. Rely on Customer IDs for updates and deletions. To avoid duplicate skips, keep data quality.

   • Sync registered customers only:

     Synchronize registered customers for marketing purposes and exclude guests unless needed for transactional messages with SAP Emarsys.

   • Sync consents:

     Enable consent management within SAP Emarsys, offering Base Site, Consent Template, and Version details. If handling consents in SAP Commerce Cloud, turn off ‘Sync consents.’

   

2. Real-time events:

   Complete the initial contact synchronization to prevent the system from being busy during further data synchronization.

   The system covers the following events for real-time sync:

   • Cart

   • Customer review

   • Order update

   • Customer registration (needs contact sync).

   • Opt-in status (needs consent sync).

   

3. Data loads and real-time synchronization:

   Activating real-time synchronization during imports can slow the performance of the SAP Commerce Cloud. Pause it during large imports and resume it after completion.

4. Products:

   • If local product data already exists in SAP Emarsys, synchronization will erase the existing product data. SAP Emarsys automatically syncs products, allowing Predict and Web Extend to use the data. The product CSV sample in the SAP Commerce Cloud/Sync SAP Data to Emarsys/Products tab is a structural guide for mapping products as part of the Smart Insight setup.

   • ​Activate Web Extend before starting product synchronization.

This integration brings data from SAP Customer Data Cloud (CDC) into SAP Emarsys. It allows importing of merged contact data. This enables marketers to run campaigns based on master data.

Master data updates in SAP CDC trigger automatic transfers to SAP Emarsys. This makes it possible for near-real-time processing. The integration manages up to 1000 requests per minute, but high data volumes can lead to temporary slowdowns in SAP Emarsys.

Restrictions:

Integration restrictions apply to the following items:

• Real-time:

  Data updates trigger in real-time, but traffic density can affect speed. Synchronization usually happens in seconds but can sometimes take longer.

• Custom fields:

  SAP Customer Data Cloud allows selection of 50 custom fields maximum.

Prerequisites:

• SAP Emarsys doesn't support connections to both SAP Customer Data Cloud and SAP Customer Data Platform. First, integrate SAP CDC with SAP CDP. Then, connect SAP CDP to SAP Emarsys to access data from the SAP Customer Data Cloud.

• Set up both systems and refer to the Help Portal documentation for more onboarding details.

• Fully configure SAP Emarsys API credentials for authentication.

For integration with SAP Commerce Cloud, complete these tasks:

• Make sure that email addresses are distinct across all databases.

• Request email identification from support in SAP Customer Data Cloud.

• Enable ‘Try to Match by Email’ in SAP Commerce Cloud integration.

• Activate customer profile synchronization.

• Skipping ‘Try to Match by Email’ causes duplication and system issues in SAP Emarsys.

Similarly to SAP Commerce Cloud and Customer Data Platform, email matching is only a supplementary step in Customer Data Cloud integration. Email isn't the primary contact identification method. The system uses customer IDs for ongoing identification, updates, and deletions.

1. Custom fields:

   Create data fields in SAP Customer Data Cloud, and they automatically sync with SAP Emarsys. Custom fields map from SAP CDC to SAP Emarsys.

   • Naming convention: New fields follow naming conventions:

     • CD_C_* for consent

     • CD_S_* for subscription

     • CD_T_* for communication topics

     • CD_P_* for profile

     • CD_D_* for data including shared fields

     • CD_* historically for shared fields

   • Define and modify custom fields:

     The field string ID is always distinct and in lowercase. The field name only accepts a change in case from upper to lower or conversely. The system doesn’t support other renaming.

   • Deleting custom fields:

     To keep integration intact, avoid deleting CD-ID.

     When disconnecting the SAP CDC and SAP Emarsys, or removing them with the schema editor, the system deletes all fields, along with their data, except those fields in use by SAP Emarsys and CD-ID.

   • Establish single- and multi-choice custom fields:

     SAP Emarsys API creates all fields as text and transfers values as plain text, such as 0-opt-in and 1-opt-out.

   • Data field type:

     Create data fields by selecting the data field type, which can be string, numeric, date, or boolean. Linking to systems such as SAP Emarsys enables this feature.

2. Creating consents:

   When creating custom consents:

   • Compile necessary consents for marketing and select only these consents for replication.

   • The system shows consents in SAP Emarsys as custom fields with the prefix CD_C_*.

   • Choose one consent in SAP CDC for two-way email synchronization, considering that SMS consent is optional. The system adapts the consents for use, such as marketing.email and marketing.sms in SAP Emarsys.

   • Map other consents, such as marketing.mobile, if they don't link to email or SMS. They have one-way synchronization.

3. Subscriptions:

   Opt-in and opt-out subscriptions from SAP Customer Data Cloud automatically sync with SAP Emarsys.

   For custom subscription fields:

   • Names in SAP Emarsys begin with CD_S_*.

   • Create subscription fields during schema updates by adding them to the mapping.

The SAP Customer Data Platform (CDP) integration imports data from SAP Customer Data Platform into SAP Emarsys. It enables the import of merged contact data. This process allows the execution of campaigns based on the imported master data. Updates to master data automatically transfer from the source system to SAP Emarsys, keeping the data up-to-date and actionable.

Restrictions:

Integration restrictions apply to the following items:

1. Real-time:

   The system triggers data updates in real-time, but traffic density can affect timing. Synchronization usually finishes in seconds or under a minute, but depending on the amount of data, it sometimes takes longer.

2. Custom fields:

   Limitations exist on custom fields from SAP Customer Data Platform:

   • Up to 40 string fields, each of them 255 characters max.

   • Up to 100 numeric, date, or boolean fields.

• Opened Email: This activity also includes all attributes from Sent Email, such as IP address, Time zone, and City name.

• Clicked Email: This activity includes all Sent Email and Opened Email attributes, such as the Email click date-time and Continent code (IP-based).

• Bounced Email: This activity also includes all attributes from Sent Email, such as Bounce type.

• Email Complaints: This activity also includes all attributes from Sent Email, such as Complaint date and time.

Let’s discover how to set up a real-time connector for SAP Customer Data Platform and SAP Emarsys.

This enhancement lets organizations use corporate account and relationship data alongside contact data. It replicates information within the SAP Emarsys corporate account model, offering B2B data, which is useful for marketing engagement activities.

Extra data replicated between SAP CDP and SAP Emarsys includes:

• Corporate accounts

• Relationships

• Changes to corporate accounts and relationships.

• Structural changes in the data schema.

Use cases for corporate account data:

• LinkedIn campaigns

• Personalizations

Prerequisite:

• Activate SKU 8013363: SAP Emarsys, Account Engagement option, and the basic license.

• Set up master data with profiles (contacts), relationships, and accounts, and define processing purposes for each.

Limitations:

Consider these limitations for corporate accounts in B2B scenarios:

• The platform doesn't currently support extensibility and custom fields, but plans to support them in the future.

• After deleting a profile in SAP Customer Data Platform, the system can't remove the corresponding relationships. Instead, remove relationships before deleting the contact profile.

The SAP Emarsys Account Engagement (SAP Account Engagement) add-on improves the sap Emarsys platform's B2B functionality, integrating with SAP Sales Cloud and SAP Commerce Cloud to support comprehensive processes. It uses B2B data from these systems, offering the following options:

• Tactics for quick market entry.

• Sales collaboration for marketing-led and sales aligned campaigns with key context from sales accounts.

• Dashboards and Reporting for comparing campaign results and understanding drivers of engagement and sales.

Limitations for the setup with SAP Sales Cloud version 2:

The setup of SAP Account Engagement with SAP Sales Cloud Version 2 imposes the following restrictions:

• The system excludes replicating or importing extension fields and code lists created in SAP Sales Cloud.

• The system doesn't support the replication or import of marketing permissions.

• The system doesn't support lead engagement processes, including proposed activities and lead Webhook node presets, or Tactics using Webhook presets.

• The setup ignores creating and reviewing sales campaigns in sales collaboration. Turn off permissions in SAP Emarsys to hide the Sales Campaign screen.

• The system doesn't filter contact data for replication and import into SAP Emarsys.

• The system doesn't support selecting a method to match imported contact data with existing contacts in SAP Emarsys.

This list shows the details available for corporate accounts. These details can support certain B2B scenarios such as 'on-behalf emails' or 'sales collaboration.'

Navigate to Contacts > Corporate Accounts.

The available columns of the overview list are:

1. Name

2. External ID (Account ID)

3. Country/Region

4. ABC Classification

5. Industry

6. Contacts

• Search or filter by specific columns by country/region, ABC classification, and industry through ‘Contacts’ to show import counts.

• Select the accounts using checkboxes, click 'Create Account List,' enter a name and description in the dialog box, and click 'Create.’

• Manage the corporate account lists on the ‘Corporate Account Lists’ screen.

1. Corporate account factsheet:

   Use this factsheet for detailed views of corporate accounts, covering attributes such as industry and location. The sections in the corporate account factsheet include:

   Company information lists:

   • ID: The unique account identifier for the SAP Emarsys account.

   • Industry: The industry related to the account.

   • ABC Classification: The account's ABC rating.

   • Country/Region: Location of the account.

   • Main Contact: Name of the primary contact for the account.

   • On Behalf: A salesperson from the company who emails related contacts.

   • Website: The account's official website.

   • City: The account's location city.

   

2. Corporate account lists:

   Access corporate account lists to view the contents and manage accounts. Select Contacts > Corporate Account Lists from the menu. Lists show if created on the corporate accounts page, including name, description, creation date, and account count.

   

   Use the 'Rename' icon to edit list names or descriptions. Select the ‘View List’ icon for details, including:

   • Name

   • External ID (Account ID)

   • Country/Region

   • ABC Classification

   • Industry

   • Contacts

   

3. Segment contacts with corporate account data:

   Create contact segments based on corporate account data. Use the Account-based segment type to segment contacts linked to accounts with specific attributes, such as ABC classification.

4. Creating an Account-based segment:

Access Contacts > Segments in SAP Emarsys to view existing segments. Follow these steps to create an Account-based segment:

1. Click ‘Create Segment’ in the upper right corner.

2. Select ‘Standard Segment,’ then choose the ‘Account-Based Segment’ in the dialog.

   

3. Name the segment and optionally add a description for easy identification.

4. Set segmentation conditions using the corporate accounts template.

5. Click ‘Save & Apply’ to segment the contact database correctly.

SAP Account Engagement supports various use cases with Tactics:

• Win new customers.

• Succeed by supporting customers (the Tactics ‘Request to Be Contacted’, ‘Set Lead Qualification Stages’ and ‘Replicate New Marketing Contact’ are only available in SAP Sales Cloud Version 1).

• Grow existing customer base.

• Automate business processes (use case for SAP Sales Cloud version 1).

The Strategic Dashboard isn't available in SAP Account Engagement. The webhook node preset and lead engagement are only available for SAP Sales Cloud version 1.

Webhook node preset (for SAP Sales Cloud version 1):

• Use Webhook node presets in Tactics to establish communication links between SAP Emarsys and SAP Sales Cloud.

• These presets enable the system to send data to SAP Sales Cloud when contacts reach the webhook node in Interactions.

Lead engagement (for SAP Sales Cloud version 1):

Let’s check the topics of the lead qualification process:

1. Collect signals: Gather the interest shown by contacts as they engage to evaluate their buying intent.

2. Match: Match contacts using their email addresses. If the system finds no match, create a new contact (lead) in SAP Sales Cloud.

3. Profile: Use contact or account data to profile contacts or accounts into clusters.

4. Score: Assign values to the collected signals to adjust the Contact Engagement Score.

5. Decide: Use scores to determine the lead's current stage for nurturing or handing over to sales.

6. Execute new actions: Transfer contacts to other programs or pass to SAP Sales Cloud to create leads for sales people to follow up.

Let’s examine how marketing and sales collaborate to create customized email campaigns for sales representatives.

Prerequisites:

The marketer defines the target audience for the campaign.

Overview:

The marketer creates the campaign in SAP Account Engagement and chooses the collaboration level with sales. Options include:

• Email campaign: Create and send emails for default sales reps, using their specific details for personalization, without a sales review. SAP Sales Cloud defines the default sales rep.

• Email for sales campaigns (for SAP Sales Cloud version 1): Add sales rep data and request reviews. Sales reps can adjust the content and recipients using the send-on-behalf feature. Marketers adjust the email accordingly before sending it.

Preparation:

Design an email template for the campaign.

Setting up an on-behalf email campaign:

Marketers create campaigns that include details of the default sales representatives. The system sends these emails to the sales reps' contacts without review by the sales reps.

Setting up a sales campaign with review (for SAP Sales Cloud version 1):

• The marketer creates a campaign for review by sales representatives.

• The sales rep reviews the content and audience and offers feedback to the marketer.

• The marketer tracks changes and comments resulting from the sales rep's review.

• The marketer uses the ‘Collaboration’ icon in the ‘Sales Campaign’ overview to adjust or resolve problems before launching the campaign.

SAP Account Engagement offers standard SAP Emarsys reports tailored to B2B business cases. Measure engagement outcomes against KPIs for emails, trends, mobile, and registrations.

Start all reports from the tailored Home Dashboard, with adaptations available, adjusting them as needed. Some SAP Emarsys configuration options are unavailable.

The available reports include:

• Emails

• Mobile Reporting

• Registrations

For more information, visit the following resources:

• SAP Emarsys Blog​ for the latest releases and blog homepage.

• SAP Emarsys community page: SAP Emarsys CX.

• SAP Emarsys Global Training Calendar

Sessions are available in the following languages:​

• English ​

• German​

• French​

• Spanish

• Integration landscape overview: To centralize customer data, integrate SAP Emarsys with SAP Commerce Cloud, Customer Data Cloud, Customer Data Platform, and Sales Cloud.

• Commerce Cloud integration: Sync contacts, events, and products with real-time updates. Enable Web Extend before product sync and manage consent handling.

• Customer Data Cloud setup: Import contacts, consents, and subscriptions into SAP Emarsys using mapped custom fields and real-time sync with naming conventions.

• Customer Data Platform integration: Transfer merged customer profiles and engagement data for segmentation, reporting, and personalization with field and speed constraints.

• Account Engagement add-on: Improve B2B use cases by connecting with Sales and Commerce Cloud, managing corporate accounts, and enabling sales collaboration campaigns.