I’m working on syncing data between Salesforce and an external database. Here’s my setup:
I have a custom SF object with an External ID field and an Account lookup. The Account field only gets updated in Salesforce. My external database has a matching table with a “SF_Account_ID” column that stores the 18-digit Account ID when the lookup is filled.
I need these two systems to stay in sync. Real-time isn’t critical - batch updates would work fine.
I started with Outbound Messages triggered by a flow when the Account field changes. This seemed simple but it’s unreliable at scale. Manual tests work perfectly but production runs miss updates frequently. There’s no good logging for troubleshooting either.
Now I’m looking at other options like Platform Events and Change Data Capture. I’ve also used iPaaS tools like MuleSoft before. As someone who isn’t an integration specialist, these all look pretty similar to me.
Can someone break down the main differences between these approaches? What are the trade-offs I should consider for my use case?
Had a similar project last year syncing order data between Salesforce and our warehouse system. Started with Outbound Messages and hit the same reliability issues you’re dealing with.
Here’s what actually works for batch scenarios:
CDC gives you a complete audit trail - what changed and when. Build a simple polling mechanism that checks every few minutes or hours. You’ll never miss anything since CDC captures everything automatically.
Platform Events work when you need custom sync logic. We used them for complex scenarios where we had to aggregate multiple record changes before sending. More flexible than CDC but requires more coding.
For iPaaS, the real value isn’t the platform - it’s the operational stuff. Error queues, automatic retries, built-in monitoring. When your sync breaks at 2am, you’ll know about it without building your own alerting.
One thing nobody’s mentioned - consider your data volume. Syncing thousands of records daily? CDC or Platform Events make sense. Just hundreds per day? A simple scheduled batch job might be easier to maintain.
What’s your typical daily record volume? That usually drives the decision more than technical features.
yeah, outbound msgs are total trash for real critical stuff - trust me, i learned that too. CDC is def your best bet since it’s built into Salesforce and won’t drop updates like those pesky outbound msgs. the logging is a big win too. iPaaS tools are nice but too much for your case unless you’ve got cash to spare.
I’ve dealt with these sync headaches before. Here’s what I’ve learned about maintenance overhead for each option. Outbound Messages are a nightmare at scale - no retry logic and you can’t see what’s failing. Don’t use them for production. Platform Events give you more control, but you’re building all the retry and error handling yourself. CDC hits a sweet spot since it automatically detects changes for you. You still need to build the consumption side right though. Here’s what most people miss: monitoring matters. iPaaS solutions come with decent dashboards and alerts right out of the box, which saves your butt when things break. Just watch the costs - iPaaS can get expensive fast with high-volume scenarios where you’re paying per transaction.
Based on my experience with data synchronization, Change Data Capture (CDC) would be the most reliable choice for your scenario. It automatically captures changes to records and provides robust logging, ensuring you do not miss updates like with Outbound Messages. Platform Events can offer more customization for your use case but require additional development effort to set up event publishing. If real-time syncing isn’t necessary, iPaaS solutions like MuleSoft can be beneficial, especially for batch processing and fault tolerance, albeit usually at a higher cost. Given the reliability challenges you’re facing, I recommend focusing on CDC or an iPaaS solution, depending on your budget.