Absolutely! Testing data is crucial for a smooth Marketo and Salesforce QA migration. Here are some best practices for loading data into your Marketo sandbox and Salesforce QA environment:
Data selection and volume:
- Marketo:
- Leads:
- Create a set of test leads across different segments, lifecycle stages, and campaigns. Avoid overloading the sandbox with too many leads.
- Include test records with both positive and negative engagement histories for comprehensive testing.
- Salesforce QA:
- Contacts/Leads:
- Focus on contacts/leads mirroring the imported Marketo data, ensuring data integrity for integration testing. Include both active and inactive records.
- Opportunities/Cases:
- Select a sample of opportunities and cases in different stages to test sales workflows and reporting.
- Custom Objects and Fields:
- Ensure any custom objects and fields used in Marketo integrations are present and mapped correctly in Salesforce QA.
Data preparation and cleaning:
- Remove sensitive data:
- Anonymize or scrub any PII data in both Marketo and Salesforce QA before loading.
- Validate data integrity:
- Check for missing or invalid data values, formatting inconsistencies, and duplicate records before import.
Data loading methods:
- Marketo:
- Most users would use the Import People to a Static list method for loading people to the Marketo. However, there's also an option to import people via Marketo's sync lead/bulk import API.
- You can also select the Program while importing people to the list if you are testing the Marketo Program and synced Salesforce campaign.
- Salesforce QA:
- Utilize Data Loader or Salesforce API for large datasets.
- For Marketo integration testing, focus on syncing lead/contact data and ensuring field mapping accuracy.
Additional considerations:
- Monitor and troubleshoot:
- Consider creating monitoring smart lists/reports to verify the testing. This could help you to reduce the manual effort of verifying the testing manually by checking each test record.
- Document your process:
- Document the data selection, preparation, and loading steps for future reference and auditability.