Integration is essential to driving operational efficiency, generating new insights, and delivering better customer experiences. A staggering 81% of IT leaders identify data silos as a major obstacle to their digital transformation endeavors, and skill gaps are a top contributing factor. Adding to the complexity are the distinct priorities and standards unique to each industry driving the need for integration.
At MuleSoft, we recognize these challenges and are addressing them head-on. That’s why we’re developing industry-specific solutions tailored to expedite the integration of data across external systems to create a comprehensive Customer 360 view in Salesforce. And we’re doing that with our newest Salesforce integration solution: MuleSoft Direct. We’ll introduce the solution, discuss the latest innovation, and share how to get started.
What is MuleSoft Direct?
MuleSoft Direct is a joint MuleSoft and Salesforce integration solution that makes connecting critical data to Salesforce easier than ever before. With MuleSoft Direct, users can discover and implement pre-built integration use cases curated based on top industry initiatives, such as core banking modernization and trade promotion management, directly from their Salesforce Industry Cloud setup. Once enabled, customers can continuously synchronize data between their backend systems and their Salesforce Industry Cloud in real time.
On the back end, MuleSoft has developed the technical infrastructure necessary to power this simplified integration experience. We’ve pre-built the API specs, implementation templates, and other technical assets required to unlock data from backend systems, structure the data using the leading industry standards, and then ultimately unify the data in Salesforce.
By leveraging MuleSoft Direct, users are empowered to access critical data required to make better-informed decisions and improve customer experiences. Developers save on development time and effort required to deliver integrations to the business. Instead of starting from scratch, they can leverage the pre-built integrations available through MuleSoft Direct to significantly reduce the number of steps required to unlock data, instead spending time making adjustments as needed (e.g. mapping additional custom fields and managing deployed integrations). With MuleSoft Direct, both business and IT teams are empowered to move faster together while unlocking the full potential of their data and applications.
3 steps to get started with MuleSoft Direct
Here are the steps you need to know to help you with using MuleSoft Direct:
- Setup
- Discover
- Connect and deploy
We’ll explore each in depth to get you on your way with MuleSoft Direct.
1. Setup
Users can login to their Salesforce Industry Cloud and access MuleSoft Direct directly from the setup menu. With a few clicks, they can connect to MuleSoft using the credentials provided by their organization’s MuleSoft developer.
2. Discover
Once connected to MuleSoft, users can browse a set of pre-built integration use cases specific to their industry, and view relevant information about the integrations in the overview. If needed, MuleSoft developers can customize default fields and implementations for any unique needs and requirements.
3. Connect and deploy
Users can then configure and deploy the integration using clicks and form fills. MuleSoft developers can support the deployment and monitor the integration in Anypoint Platform.
In just a few steps, we were able to connect to MuleSoft, browse pre-built industry use cases, & deploy an integration to connect industry-critical data to Salesforce – reducing development time from months to days.
Where is MuleSoft Direct Currently available?
MuleSoft Direct is available for Financial Services, Health, Communications, Energy & Utilities, Consumer Goods, Loyalty Management, and Media Cloud, and most recently for Automotive and Manufacturing Cloud which became available in February 2023.
We are continually evolving and launching new use cases to provide a portfolio of integrations to power top industry initiatives. Below are the key integrations our customers can access today:
- Financial Services Cloud: Power digital-first experiences and drive personalized customer engagement with core banking integrations
- Health Cloud: Power key healthcare initiatives to improve patient care, reduce costs, and enhance health outcome with EHR, claims data, and QHIN integrations
- Communications Cloud: Streamline service and order operations with order management, sales management, and service qualification systems integrations
- Energy & Utilities Cloud: Expedite key service processes with packaged billing and pricing integrations
- Consumer Goods Cloud: Run more intelligent, data-driven promotions and optimize account plans with ERP, CRM Analytics, and Hyperforce integrations
- Media Cloud: Enhance key media and entertainment operations with Ad-Tech Server integrations
- Loyalty Management: Enable seamless loyalty member experiences across B2B and B2C channels with POS integrations
- Automotive Cloud: Drive connected car initiatives with vehicle and dealer management integrations
- Manufacturing Cloud: Streamline account forecasts and sales rebate management with ERP integrations
Additional integration use cases as well as onboarding of additional industries is planned for the future.
Want to learn more about MuleSoft Direct?
Watch our spotlight video to see MuleSoft Direct in action, and tune in to our on-demand webinar Simplify & Accelerate Salesforce Connectivity with MuleSoft for a solution overview, MuleSoft Direct demonstration, and stories of how our customers are leveraging MuleSoft’s Salesforce integration solutions!