Perform an API callout when a prospect is created in Pardot

Question

I started with Pardot recently, now we are trying to perform an API callout as soon as Prospect get created, so whenever a new prospect get entered through any source (via API, forms etc.) we need to perform an API callout to a third party API and get the data and then feed that data into prospect record like update operation.

I tried several ways to perform this but so far I didn't get any way by which it can be real-time. I tried Automation rules, but there is no such action available which you can do. As an alternative we can create some operation like Task Creation in salesforce and then write down a trigger or platform event to do the callout and perform that operation. But automation rules are proactive and it runs on a regular interval not very real time second the salesforce task can't be created until the prospect is assigned, so in short it is not real-time.

Anybody have any suggestion for using salesforce ecosystem or Pardot to achieve this.

Answer 1

The best option you currently have is to have a 3rd party custom app/script effectively poll the Pardot API looking for Prospects created/updated in the last X seconds. API heavy but it does work (we do it for many clients). It isn't real-time, but near-real-time based on your interval. As long as you don't have completion actions that assign contacts (which causes an immediate SF sync for new prospects) you should be ok.

Answer 2

It depends on what you are looking to do with that API call. In general, Pardot API is read only so you can't trigger a custom API call from Pardot, except for the built-in functionalities which leverage the API.

Unless you are upserting with APIs, you can probably achieve what you are looking for with a series of Completion Actions - one completion action for each source that creates prospects.

The only other tool in your toolbox is Automation Rules , as you already know. The problem is maintenance and consistency.

So, a solution design can consist of adding a Pardot tag to any process you have to create New prospects, catch that tag in another Automation Rule, do what you need to do, then untag (add Action = Remove Tag) within the same automation rule.

Et voilà !