How does Data Cloud Access External Data?

SOLVD BLOG

How does Data Cloud Access External Data?

Businesses collect a lot of data from different places—websites, apps, customer lists, and more. But getting all that data into one system can be hard. That’s where Salesforce Data Cloud helps.

Data Cloud pulls in data from other sources, like company databases or cloud storage, so businesses can use it in Salesforce. Let’s look at how this works.

How Data Cloud Brings in External Data

To collect data, Data Cloud uses connectors. These are tools that link Data Cloud to other systems like:

✔ Other Salesforce products (like Sales Cloud or Service Cloud)

✔ Cloud storage (like Amazon S3)

✔ Apps used for marketing or customer service

“Data Cloud is like a bridge that connects all your business data so it’s easy to use.”
– Joseph Espiritu, SOLVD Consultant

A common example is when companies store customer records in Amazon S3. Let’s go through how Data Cloud connects to it.

How to Connect Data Cloud to Amazon S3

1️⃣ Store Your Data

A company saves customer information in an Amazon S3 bucket.
This could include names, emails, and past purchases.

2️⃣ Give Data Cloud Access

Data Cloud needs permission to read files from Amazon S3.
This is done by creating a security rule that allows access.

3️⃣ Turn On the Connection

Inside Salesforce, teams enable the Amazon S3 connector in Data Cloud settings.
They enter access keys to link the system.

4️⃣ Import the Data

Data Cloud reads the files in the S3 bucket and brings them into Salesforce.
The system cleans and organizes the data so it’s easy to use.

“With just a few steps, Data Cloud can bring in data from cloud storage automatically.” – Joseph Espiritu, SOLVD Consultant

Why Businesses Use Data Cloud for External Data

By pulling in outside data, businesses can:

✔ Keep customer records up to date – No need to move data by hand.

✔ Use AI and reports better – All data is in one system, not spread across many.

✔ Save time and avoid mistakes – Automatic updates mean less manual work.

“When all your data is in one place, it’s easier to help customers and make smart decisions.”
– Joseph Espiritu, SOLVD Consultant

Want to Set Up Data Cloud for Your Business?

At SOLVD, we help businesses connect their data sources to Data Cloud so they can work faster and smarter.

📞 Call us today to get started!

Testimonials

Our clients say

From my initial call with Spencer through project implementation with John and Evan, my experience with the SOLVD team was excellent. They were quick to understand our business needs, clear when explaining the reasoning behind proposed solutions, transparent when reporting on progress and timeline, and all around enjoyable to work with. Would highly recommend and looking forward to continue working with them in the future!

Veronica Wong Director of Operations at Pathstream

SOLVD was very straight forward with everything needed to complete the project. No surprises, no issues, and cost was aligned with the estimate. They made implementation easy and quick.

Matt Benzaquen Sr Manager, Sales Strategy at Instabug

As a rule, I'm pretty stingy with my recommendations. So it's a pleasure for me to recommend Solvd as a top-flight Salesforce consultancy. Solvd recently led our company's conversion to the Lightning interface and did it on time, on budget and made it easy for me and my team. I know I'll use their services again, and am confident they can do the same for you.

Tim Tuttle CFO at Relevate Health Group