Create a Custom Dynamics Sync Filter

Don’t want to sync everything in your Dynamics CRM into Marketo Engage? Don’t worry! Marketo allows you to set up a sync filter and sync only part of your records.

Overview

To set up a Dynamics sync filter:

1. Create a custom Two Options (boolean) field named new_synctomkto in your Dynamics CRM for any object (lead, contact, account, opportunity and other custom entities).
2. Assign this field a Yes/No value.

You must make these changes in Dynamics CRM, not your database or Marketo.

Marketo looks for this field during the automatic background sync and determines which records to sync over based on this logic:

Create SyncToMkto Field

1. Log into your Dynamics CRM. Click Settings, then click Customizations.

   

2. Click Customize the System.

   

3. Click next to Entities.

   

4. Click next to Lead and select Fields. Then click New.

   

5. Enter SyncToMkto in the Display Name field and select Two options as the Data Type. Then click Save and Close.

   

   NOTE

   Choose any display name for this field, but the Name field must be exactly new_synctomkto. You must use new as the default prefix. If you’ve changed the default, go here to reset the default prefix for the custom field names. You can change it back after you’ve created the new fields.

   NOTE

   If you have asynchronous workflow set up, the record gets the default SyncToMkto value you set up in the field, and gets the correct value a few seconds later when the workflow finishes running. If the default value is set to Yes, those records will be created in Marketo and then become stale. Use No as the default value to avoid this.

6. Repeat this process and create the SyncToMkto field for any other entities you wish to limit the sync on, such as contact, account, opportunity and custom entities.

Select the Filter in Marketo

Even if you’ve already done your initial sync, go in and select the fields to be synced with Marketo.

1. Go to Admin and select Microsoft Dynamics.

   

2. Click Edit on Field Sync Details.

   

3. Scroll down to the field and check it. The actual name must be new_synctomkto but the Display Name can be anything. Click Save.

   

Great, Now you’ve enabled the sync filter for Marketo.

Create a Dynamics Workflow to Assign Sync Filter Values Automatically

You can always manually assign a value to the SyncToMkto fields for your records. But why not take advantage of the power of a Dynamics Workflow and auto-assign a value to the SyncToMkto field when a record is created or updated?

1. Go to your Dynamics CRM. Click Settings, then Processes.

   

2. Click New.

   

3. Enter a name for the workflow, and select Workflow as the category and Lead as the Entity. Then click OK.

   

4. Create rules to assign a true or false value to the SyncToMkto field based on your organization’s preference. Click Save and Close.

   

   NOTE

   Define a Default Action after you click Add Step to add a Check Condition. This sets the records that you don’t want to sync to No. Otherwise, they will sync.

5. Select the workflow and click Activate.

   

   TIP

   See Custom Sync Filter Rules for an Email Address to set up rules to sync only records for people with email addresses.

Sync Filter Details

Here are some implementation details we thought you should know:

• Start a Sync Operation

  When the SyncToMkto value changes from No to Yes, Dynamics notifies Marketo immediately to start syncing this record. If the record already exists, Marketo updates it. Otherwise, Marketo creates the record.

  TIP

  A Create [StartSync] operation is added to the Marketo Log when this happens.

• Stop a Sync Operation

  When a record changes its SyncToMkto value from Yes to No, Marketo is notified to stop syncing this record. However the record is not deleted, instead, it stops getting updates and becomes stale.