Introduction
Salesforce admins often face a tough problem when trying to capture the date of the last email from Einstein Activity Capture. Since the emails live outside the main database, flows cannot easily grab the data. This article explores the challenge, explains why it happens, and lays out clear steps to resolve it.
Real-world Experience
Consider a real-world example where an admin struggled with this very problem.
I've been asked by a company to help enhance our Sales and Marketing in Salesforce. We use Einstein Activity Capture to add emails from 365, but my flow cannot capture the last email date since the emails aren't stored in Salesforce. I wonder if a Sales Einstein license might allow access, and if only one license would do the trick.
This example shows a common pain point where valuable email data is unreachable because it's kept in an external AWS database.
Einstein Activity Capture Solution
The community confirms that flows cannot directly access Einstein Activity Capture emails because they live outside Salesforce. Some have suggested that a Sales Einstein license may let you tap into Activity Metrics for this data. However, there is no straightforward fix. Below are the steps needed to resolve this issue:
Validate Sales Einstein License
Check if your organization has the correct Sales Einstein license. This license is required to access additional Activity Metrics that may help in capturing email details.
Enable Einstein Activity Capture Settings
Review your Activity Capture setup. Make sure the connection with Office 365 is active and that all necessary email syncing options are enabled.
Configure Activity Metrics
Set up Activity Metrics to capture key email data. Create custom fields or reports that track the creation dates of emails. This allows your flow to reference external metrics indirectly.
Build and Test Your Flow
Design a flow that uses the data from Activity Metrics to update the relevant record with the last email date. Test thoroughly to ensure that the correct date populates under different scenarios.
Limitations to Consider
Even with the Sales Einstein license and Activity Metrics configured, the solution has its limits. Data may not update in real time, and some emails may still be missed due to external storage delays. Additionally, custom flows can become complex to maintain over time.
Alternative Solution
It can be really frustrating when Einstein Activity Capture makes it hard to capture the last email date in Salesforce, especially when the emails are stored outside of your main system. DryMerge offers an alternative that can help with this problem. DryMerge is an AI-native app that integrates with Salesforce and your email data sources, like Office 365, to keep your information current and reliable. It works by pulling email and calendar details directly into Salesforce, so you get the exact email dates you need without having to build complex flows. Its AI capabilities help pick out the relevant details so the right data shows up where you need it.
EAC vs. DryMerge Comparison
| Feature | Einstein Activity Capture | DryMerge |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Object Sync | Automatic sync to custom objects isn't supported | Emails, calendar events, and anything else can be synced to your custom objects in Salesforce |
| Email Attachments | Attachments are not captured or saved to Salesforce | Email attachments are captured and saved in Salesforce however you need |
| Multiple Email Accounts | Cannot connect to both Gmail and Outlook simultaneously | Connects to both Gmail and Outlook simultaneously |
| Unstructured Data Processing | Limited ability to extract and organize meaningful data from unstructured email content | AI processing of unstructured email content to extract key details and create structured records |
| Data Enrichment | Basic activity logging with minimal data enrichment capabilities | Intelligent enrichment that pulls contact details, action items, and key insights from communication data |
By addressing these key limitations of Einstein Activity Capture, DryMerge offers a comprehensive solution that empowers your team with superior data handling capabilities. From intelligent processing of unstructured data to advanced enrichment features, DryMerge transforms your communication data into actionable insights while providing the flexibility to work with custom objects and multiple email accounts.
Tired of Einstein Activity Capture issues?
We'd love to show you how DryMerge handles emails, calendar events, and unstructured data extraction more reliably and accurately than Einstein Activity Capture.
