In today’s digital landscape, businesses are often using many different digital tools and platforms to ensure they have successful operations. The ability to integrate these tools is something that has become an important part of your business is operating smoothly and efficiently and it’s not always easy to do. Sitecore Connect is the solution to that problem. Sitecore Connect not only simplifies your existing integrations but also gives businesses the opportunity to further enhance their digital ecosystem. In the following article we will dive into Sitecore Connect; what it is, how it works, and how you and your business can use it to your advantage.
What is Sitecore Connect?
Sitecore Connect is a tool that allows businesses to seamlessly integrate with tools in their Sitecore ecosystem and a number of other digital tools and platforms. Built off a white-labelled version of Workato, it operates as an Integrated Platform as a System (iPaaS).
💡 An iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) is a cloud-based service that connects and integrates different software applications and data from various systems, making them work together without the need for custom connectors.
Sitecore Connect features pre-built integrations for automation and connects with popular business applications and services. Its user-friendly, low code/no code drag and drop system allows even non-technical users to easily map data flow. This accelerates setup, reduces error potential from manual coding, and encourages experimentation. Businesses can prototype and implement integration scenarios, harnessing their digital ecosystem's full potential with ease.
How to Use Sitecore Connect
Using Sitecore Connect is a simple and low-effort process.
Identify the Systems That Need Integration
First you will want to identify which systems and platforms you need to integrate together. This could include CRM systems, databases, communication tools, or many other types of connections that we will dive into later in the article.
Find the Needed Connectors
Once you’ve identified what you need to integrate you can browse through the pre-built connectors Sitecore Connect offers. They offer over 5000 connectors, meaning that no matter your needs you will likely find an easy way to integrate it with your other systems.
Start Building Your Recipe
Utilize the low code / no code recipe builder to start laying out how your systems will integrate. Recipes are how Sitecore Connect refers to your integration scenarios you can build within the system. This is where you can determine which platforms will integrate with each other. You do this by defining triggers, actions, and data-points or “Datapills” as they are referred to in Sitecore Connect.
- Triggers refer to what event will cause the automation to run. Trigger events can be set off in apps when a certain event happens such as when a new contact is created, an existing ticket is updated, when a new line is added in a file, or according to a schedule. Depending on the available API, Workato can receive trigger events in real-time, or check for the occurrence of an event periodically by polling the app.
- Actions refer to what the automation will do once the trigger is hit. Every connector makes available a set of actions, some examples include creating, updating, searching, and deleting.
- Datapills are the output data that comes from a trigger or action step. They are variables that you can use to put business logic into the recipe steps you’ve defined. Some examples of the data they can be are things such as first name, last name, email, and phone number.
Test Your Recipe
After setting up a recipe and including relevant triggers, actions, and datapills you can test your integration to ensure that data is flowing correctly between the different systems and your logic is executed properly. Sitecore Connect includes testing features that allow you to do this easily within the recipe builder.
Check Your Analytics
From here you now have a recipe which you can monitor and track through the provided dashboard in Sitecore Connect. The built-in tools allow you to track the health and performance of your integrations. You can also get more detailed data based on each one of your built out recipes and customize the data in said reports. Use this data to identify any issues or bottlenecks and make necessary adjustments.
With only 5 main steps to get Sitecore Connect up and running it is a very simple process. Sitecore put out a video demo and overview that I’d recommend watching for a great visual representation of what I talked about above and some more in-depth explanation.
The Sitecore Ecosystem
Businesses can leverage Sitecore Connect to enhance and streamline their digital experience management across various platforms. It also connects with existing Sitecore products such as:
- Sitecore CDP (Customer Data Platform) & Personalize
- Send
- XM Cloud
- Content Hub ONE
- Content Hub
- Search
- OrderCloud
- xConnect
What This Means for You
By integrating these tools, organizations can centralize their content management, customer data analysis, personalization strategies, and e-commerce capabilities into one system. This integration allows for a deeper understanding of customer behaviors and preferences, enabling businesses to deliver highly personalized content and marketing campaigns. The adoption of Sitecore Connect alongside the aforementioned Sitecore products, offers significant benefits, including improved operational efficiency, a seamless customer experience across channels, and enhanced marketing effectiveness.
For example, with Sitecore CDP & Personalize, companies can leverage real-time data to tailor customer experiences on-the-fly, while OrderCloud provides a robust B2B, B2C, and B2X e-commerce platform for seamless order management. Together, these integrations ensure that every touchpoint along the customer journey is informed, relevant, and engaging, driving conversions and fostering loyalty in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
Available Connections and What They Can Do
Sitecore Connect allows for integration across a wide range of platforms, enhancing the capabilities of Sitecore in delivering personalized digital experiences. These integrations have a wide variety of categories they could fall into. Below is an overview of some of the connections available through Sitecore Connect, categorized by their primary function.
CRM and Sales
Integrations with CRM and sales platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot bring customer insights directly into the Sitecore ecosystem. This connection ensures marketing efforts are closely aligned with sales activities.
Infrastructure
Sitecore Connect integrates with cloud infrastructure services like Microsoft Azure, optimizing your digital architecture for scalability, reliability, and performance.
APIs & Data Management
Sitecore's integration capabilities extend to APIs and databases, leveraging REST API endpoints to facilitate real-time data exchange and synchronization across systems. This approach allows for the aggregation and utilization of data from various sources.
E-commerce and Payment Processing
E-commerce and payment processing integrations with platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce, and OrderCloud transform Sitecore into a comprehensive digital experience platform that supports seamless online shopping experiences.
Email and Communication
Email and communication integrations, including Gmail and Outlook, allow Sitecore to automate and personalize email marketing campaigns based on user interactions and content preferences.
Marketing and Advertising
Connecting marketing and advertising platforms such as Meta and LinkedIn with Sitecore allows businesses to extend their content strategy to social media and professional networks.
HR and Workforce Management
HR and workforce management integrations, like those with Bamboo HR and Workday, bring employee data and insights into Sitecore, enabling personalized internal communications and services.
These are just some of the broader categories that Sitecore Connect has integrations with. All of the digital tools listed above have pre-built connections but like I mentioned earlier there are over 5000 connectors so this list could go on forever. I encourage you to look at some of the more specific connections in the Workato help documents to find one that is relevant to your business needs!
An Example of How Sitecore Connect Can Improve Onboarding
Sitecore Connect can also be used to streamline operational efforts. For example automation of the onboarding process. See below for an example of the workflow you may see when using it for onboarding employees
- Once a candidate is marked as hired in an app like Greenhouse, the workflow gets triggered.
- Accounts for the new hire can auto-populate in HR, finance, and planning systems as well as in an access management software like Okta.
- The new hire automatically receives a welcome email containing further instructions about technical details, such as tax and banking information, benefit plans, and employment eligibility verification.
- The new hire’s progress in completing onboarding tasks is automatically tracked through an IT service management software or ticketing system like ServiceNow, ensuring that they don’t get gummed up in the process and instead see this initial workflow through to the end.
This is just one example of how it can be leveraged but considering the amount of connections your imagination is the limit to what Sitecore Connect can do to streamline any part of your business. For more great examples you can check out Workato’s blog:
Crossing the Bridge with Sitecore Connect
In the digital age, integration of various platforms and tools is a necessity, and Sitecore Connect is a must-have tool for connecting all of it together. Through the exploration of its functionalities, benefits, and the vast array of connections it supports, it's clear that Sitecore Connect stands as the solution for businesses aiming to streamline their operations and elevate their digital experiences. Whether it's enhancing customer engagement through CRM and sales platforms, managing data with precision, boosting e-commerce capabilities, or fostering effective communication and marketing strategies, Sitecore Connect provides the framework for a cohesive and dynamic digital ecosystem. Sitecore Connect is the tool that makes everything simplified.
For more resources a great place to start is the Sitecore Community. I encourage you to check out the community and some other great resources that are listed below:
If you have more questions about Sitecore Connect or would like to know if it is right for your business, please contact us and our award-winning team can help you sort through the best next steps for your organization.
