Salesforce Data doesn't show on Date-Based Entry source in Journey Builder (Marketing Cloud)

Question

When selecting Event > Date Based as entry source, we can only see Einstein-related Attribute Groups, and can't see the Salesforce instance.

We need to trigger a journey one year before a Loan (date on SF Contact) is due.

Ideas as to why it doesn't show and/or how to achieve the goal?

Thanks

PS

MC Connect is well configured and appears in other sections in Journey Builder.

See screenshot below:

Answer 1

The reason we can't directly select Salesforce Contacts - from the Contact Model - is that these are not Sendable.

To bypass this we need to:

• create a Copy in a Sendable DE + Automation to update the new DE reglarly.

Notice that the only way to do this is with a SQL Query activity in Automation builder.

Best Practice: Avoid Select * for that SQL Query

If you try to use Filter Activity on Synced DEs, it will create another Synced DE, which is again not sendable so it doesn't solve the problem.

Update: It is now possible to filter a DE and then modify (edit) the resulting Filtered DE to be Sendable.

• Once we create the new DE, we have to connect it to the Contact model in Contact Builder, and voilà.

The new DE is now an option under a Date-Based Event.

Hopefully this helps someone in the future. (Upvote it to let me know!)

Answer 2

This is a good question. Since you need to filter based in a "static" attribute, you cannot use Salesforce Data as Entry Source (because you are not creating ou updating something). Instead, what you can do is:

1. Create a Standard Data Extension with the same fields that your Data Extension Synchronized has; (e.g. Standard_Contact_Salesforce)
2. Create a SQL Query to populate this Data Extension based on the Sync. DE;
3. Schedule an automation with this SQL Query Activity to run daily (or weekly);
4. If your journey depends of fields that are not present in the respective D.E do the same for those others D.E and create the relationship in Contact Builder;
5. You will select the respective Data Extension that you create in Step 1 as Entry Source

6. Create a filter criteria (as in the image below)

(e.g. Loan (Due Date) is equal Today minus 1 year)

Maybe this is not the smartest way, but eventually will solve your problem.

The other solution that cames in my mind is: create a field in Salesforce and a process builder to update this field when meet criteria, then you can use Salesforce Data as entry Source.

If you find a more beautiful solution please let me know.

Answer 3

I was also looking for an answer to the question "why my data extension is not shown as an option for the Date Based Event in Journey Builder?"

The answer is simple:

1. the DE should be sendable
2. the DE should be linked in a Contact Builder - Data Designer
3. the DE should have at least one column of type Date