Salesforce Connect versus importing a data copy
Key Takeaway
Use Salesforce Connect when you have a large amount of data you don't want to copy, you need only small amounts at any one time, and you want real-time access. Copy the data into standard or custom objects when you need to automate business logic or need transactionality across multiple records.
When an app needs data that lives in an external system, an app builder can copy that data into Salesforce or leave it where it is and reach it live. Importing stores a copy in standard or custom objects, while Salesforce Connect fetches records from the external system on demand, in real time. The right choice depends on how much data there is and how fresh it must be. It also depends on how much users need at once and which Salesforce features must work on the data.
Importing a copy versus Salesforce Connect
| Importing a copy | Salesforce Connect | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the data is | A copy is stored in standard or custom objects in the org. | The data stays in the external system. |
| How it works | This is the traditional approach, often with extract, transform, and load (ETL) tools. | It reads external data on demand and in real time through web service callouts. |
| Stale data | A copy can quickly become stale. | The data is never stale. |
| Data you don't need | A copy can bring in data you don't need. | It accesses only what users need. |
Because Salesforce Connect skips the copy, it doesn't consume data storage in Salesforce. Nobody has to keep a copy synchronized either.