Things to Know

ON24’s Salesforce Marketing Cloud integration interacts with data extensions to provide
Event, Registrant, and Attendee data.

• The integration will sync data to 1, 2, or 3 data extensions.
• Primary Keys for this integration are:
  • Event ID for the Event, Registrant, and Attendee data extension(s).
    • Field Format Type: Decimal (10,0) or greater (from Decimal (10,0) up
      to Decimal (18,0).
  • Event User ID for Registrant and Attendee data extension(s).
    • Field Format Type: Decimal (10,0) or greater (from Decimal (10,0) up
      to Decimal (18,0).
• Refer to our API Excel document to ensure the API Fields in the data extension match the listed field format type; click here for all available fields and format types.  Field types must match between the ON24 fields and the Marketing Cloud DE fields.
• Creating new Data Extensions via the integration is unavailable.  Data Extensions must already exist in SFMC with the API Fields for desired data mapping selections. 
• Once the integration is connected, net-new data will synchronize
• This integration does not support backfills. 

Create Package

The ON24 self-service integration allows clients to configure and enable synchronization between ON24 and Salesforce Marketing Cloud directly from the ON24 platform.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud uses Server-to-Server (Client Credentials) for authentication.  At a minimum, the following permissions must be enabled:

• Write data to data extensions
• Read data from data extensions
• Marketing User must be enabled on the user profile

Step 1: New Package Details

To get started, create a new package (needed for both Sandbox and Production instances) by clicking New, and give the package a name and description.

Save the package.

 

Step 2: Add Component

1. After you save the package, click it to view it.  Under Components, click Add Component, then select API Integration.

2. Select the Server-to-Server integration type.

3. Select the scopes it needs; in this case, both Data Extension scopes. 

4. Once you have set up the component, the package will look like the image below.
   • Note: Ensure that the integration type is Server-to-Server. 

Connect to Your Salesforce Marketing Cloud Instance

To begin creating your package, follow these steps:

1. Log out of Salesforce in all open browsers before establishing your Salesforce Marketing Cloud connection, or use incognito mode. 
2. Ensure the Data Extensions are created before the connection; the integration does not support creating Data Extension(s) through the Integration.
3. Ensure that all the applicable fields are added to the Data Extension(s).  These fields will capture ON24 Engagement Data.  Click on this link for the ON24 API Data Salesforce for Marketing workbook with all the available fields.  Please note that the field types must match between the ON24 fields and the Marketing Cloud DE fields.

Step 1: Provision ON24 API Token

In your ON24 account, open the Integrations dashboard from Platform Tools, click on API Tokens, and select Provision a New API Access Token. Note the Token Key and Token Secret

Step 2: New Authentication

After you provision a token, click the Integrations tab, scroll down to ON24 > Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and click Configure.

Note:  Ensure you are logged out of all Salesforce orgs (SFSC, SFMC, MCAE, etc.) on all open browsers before establishing your Salesforce Marketing Cloud connection, or use incognito mode. 

Click on New Authentication. Enter your authentication name and choose the Salesforce instance type (Production or Sandbox), then click Create. 

 

Note: Each environment (Production or Sandbox) will need its own Salesforce Marketing Cloud Package, please refer here for directions to install an additional Salesforce Marketing Cloud Package for your different environment.

 

Login to Salesforce Marketing Cloud. You can use the generic Salesforce login URL, or click Use Custom Domain to log in with your dedicated user credentials.

 

Note: This requires a dedicated admin user with the Marketing User role enabled on the profile. 

Step 3: Add ON24 API Token Information

Enter the ON24 API Key and Secret to connect. 

Click Next to Map your SFMC Integration.

Mapping ON24 Data to Your Salesforce Marketing Cloud Instance

Note: If the Primary Key of Event ID and/or Event User ID are not listed on your Data Extension(s) (Field Format Type: Decimal (10,0) or greater (from Decimal (10,0) up to Decimal (18,0)) the Data Extension(s) will not be visible for selection or mapping.

Step 1: Select Data Extension for Event

Determine if you want a Data Extension for the Event metadata.  An Event Data Extension is not a requirement for this integration.

• If you do not want the integration to create a Data Extension record for the Event metadata, click here for your next step.
• Choose the Event Data Extension, then click Next.

Step 2: Select Data Extention(s) for Registrant/Attendee Data

• Use the drop-down to select your Data Extension, or start typing the name.
  • Option: Select the same Data Extension for Registrant and Attendee data, or select two different Data Extensions for each set of data.
  • Click Next 

Step 3: SFMC Data Extension mapping – Event Data Extension 

If you are not mapping Event Data to a separate Data Extension, click here to go to the next step. 

Set up mapping for Event analytics (e.g., Event Tags, Campaign Code) to the Event Data Extension fields. 

Fields are separated into Text Fields (including Picklists), Number Fields, Date/Time Fields, and Boolean Fields.

Note: If you are using Picklists, ensure that the options configured in dropdown fields on the Event Data Extension—such as Event Type—match the options or sections available on the Event itself (Event Overview tab) and are included in the corresponding Picklists. Mismatched values may cause errors or prevent data from syncing. 

ON24 strongly recommends using a Text Field to receive the source data as-is, then using internal flows to update the applicable Picklist. This approach helps prevent errors during data synchronization.

After mapping is completed, click Next.

Step 4: SFMC Data Extension mapping – Registrant Data Extension 

Set up mapping for ON24 registrant data (e.g., custom fields, UTMs, Opt-in Marketing) to the Registrant Data Extension fields (or the Registrant/Attendee Data Extension if you are using 1 Data Extension for the Registrant and Attendee data).

Fields are separated into Text Fields (including Picklists), Number Fields, Date/Time Fields, and Boolean Fields.  

Note: If you are using Picklists, ensure the values in your drop-down fields on the Registration Form are included in your Marketing Cloud Picklist fields to avoid errors. The integration does not support multiple picklist fields. 

ON24 strongly recommends using a Text Field to receive the source data as-is, then using internal flows to update the applicable Picklist. This approach helps prevent errors during data synchronization.

After mapping is completed, click Next.

Step 5: SFMC Data Extension Mapping – Attendee Data Extension 

Set up mapping for ON24 engagement data (e.g., polls, surveys, CTAs, content downloads) to the Attendee Data Extension fields (or the Registrant/Attendee Data Extension if you are using 1 Data Extension for the Registrant and Attendee data).

Fields are separated into Text Fields (including Picklists), Number Fields, Date/Time Fields, and Boolean Fields.  

Note: If you are using Picklists, ensure the values in your drop-down fields on the Event Console are included in your Marketing Cloud Picklist fields to avoid errors. The integration does not support multiple picklist fields.

ON24 strongly recommends using a Text Field to receive the source data as-is, then using internal flows to update the applicable Picklist. This approach helps prevent errors during data synchronization.

After mapping is completed, click Next.

Step 6: Enabling the Integration

Once enabled, the integration will display as active.  You can update authentication or mapping at any time using the Configure button. To deactivate, use the Disconnect button.

Timing

Scheduled Timing

Scheduled timing is when the data passes from ON24 to your end system. The integration is scheduled to run every hour, syncing the last 24 hours of activity.  

Note: Scheduled timing is different from Availability Timing.

Availability Timing

Availability Timing refers to when data is available in the data warehouse for the integration platforms to collect.

Timing may fluctuate on heavy traffic days.

• Registrant - 15 minutes
• Attended Live - 30 minutes to 2 hours after the event ended
• Attended On-demand - 4 to 12 hours

Data is processed and made available in a defined order based on business relevance.

• Registrant data is prioritized and becomes available first. Attendee data will be provided once event activity has been fully completed and reporting is finalized.
• Within attendee data, live event information is prioritized ahead of on-demand activity due to its immediate relevance. On-demand data is processed after live data and appears once all reporting is complete.

This prioritization ensures that the most relevant and time-sensitive information is available first, while maintaining consistent, reliable reporting across all datasets.

Note: Availability timing is different from Scheduled timing.

Backfills

A backfill is the process of obtaining historical records for your end system.  

Advanced Analytics customers – you can manually export the last 2 years of data from the ON24 platform and import it into Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

From the Analytics tab in your ON24 account, click on Power Leads to export the data.

You can use the REST API to export your data and manually import it into Salesforce Marketing Cloud. 

Note: There is no backfill option for this Integration and will require a manual export/import of any missing data.

FAQs

Registration

External registration is not supported. Use Unified Seamless Registration instead.