Marketing Cloud Connect implementation
Installation and configuration of Marketing Cloud Connect between Salesforce CRM and Marketing Cloud Engagement, designed around contact counts and keys.
Marketing Cloud Connect is the managed package that links Salesforce CRM with Marketing Cloud Engagement. It looks like a simple install, but early choices about subscriber keys, users and synchronised objects affect contact counts, data quality and reporting for years. Our Marketing Cloud Connect implementation gets those choices right before data starts flowing.
For the wider architecture of CRM-to-marketing data, see the CRM to Marketing Cloud synchronisation blueprint. For problems in an existing setup, read Marketing Cloud Connect sync patterns and pitfalls.
What Marketing Cloud Connect does
| Capability | What it does | What we configure |
|---|---|---|
| Sending from CRM | Sends to CRM reports and campaigns | Permissions, campaign use and audience rules |
| Tracking write-back | Writes email tracking data back to CRM | Which tracking to keep and how to report on it |
| Synchronised data extensions | Copies chosen CRM objects and fields into Marketing Cloud on a polling interval | Object and field selection, and the interval |
| Journey Builder in CRM | Adds Journey Builder activities for CRM records; the Connect API user also handles entry events and triggered sends | Activities, entry sources and error handling |
Prerequisites and licences
According to Salesforce's Marketing Cloud Connect module:
- CRM edition: Enterprise, Unlimited or Performance, or a Developer sandbox. Salesforce introduced Core, Advanced and Max editions on 3 September 2026, so confirm how your edition maps to this requirement with Salesforce.
- Marketing Cloud account type: Core, Advanced, Agency, Enterprise 1.0 Lock & Publish, Enterprise 2.0 or Reseller.
- Licences: most features need both a Marketing Cloud licence and a Sales Cloud or Service Cloud licence.
- Subscriber key: the Contact or Lead ID. If your subscribers are keyed on email address today, this is the biggest decision in the project.
- Users: two system users, the Marketing Cloud Connect API user and a dedicated CRM API user.
- Package: the managed package installed in CRM. Some features are documented in the Classic UI.
How we work
- 01
Discovery
Review your editions, account type, business units, current subscriber keys and the CRM data marketing needs.
- 02
Design
Decide the subscriber key approach, objects and fields to sync, polling intervals and user setup.
- 03
Build
Install the package, create the system users, connect the accounts and configure synchronised data sources.
- 04
Test
Check sync results, tracking write-back, sends to reports and campaigns, and journey activities in a sandbox first.
- 05
Launch
Enable in production in stages and watch sync logs and contact counts.
- 06
Support
Monitor syncs, adjust fields as needs change, and review integration users at each Salesforce release.
Behaviour to design around
- Every contact or lead you synchronise counts as a contact in Contact Builder, so sync only the records marketing needs.
- A synchronised data source can be paused but not deleted.
- Synchronised data extensions sit at the Enterprise (top) level, which matters if you use several business units.
Who it suits
- Teams installing Marketing Cloud Engagement alongside Sales Cloud or Service Cloud.
- Existing users with contact counts or sync errors they can't explain.
Common mistakes
- Syncing every object and field "just in case".
- Changing the subscriber key strategy after go-live.
- Using a named person's login as the API user.
- Ignoring business unit visibility for synchronised data.
Related services
Salesforce integration services
Wider integration design and API work
→Contact Builder and data modelling
Data extension and contact model design
→CRM and marketing data synchronisation
How the data should flow
→Questions we hear
Do we have to change our subscriber keys?
Does it work with Marketing Cloud Next?
Why did our contact count jump?
Can we remove a synchronised object later?
Sources
Connect CRM and Marketing Cloud
Tell us your CRM edition, Marketing Cloud account type and how subscribers are keyed today. We'll outline the setup.
