Understanding Custom Activities

Custom activities in Marketing Cloud are used to extend the functionality of the platform, allowing marketers to create tailored experiences for their customers. With the introduction of Marketing Cloud Next, the way custom activities are handled has changed.

A community member asked about using custom activities within Marketing Cloud Next, and the approach involves using Flow to send the payload from Salesforce to the MCE Journey and then having the activity inside the Journey rather than firing it directly from Flow.

Technical Approach

Teams running Journey Builder hit this challenge when trying to integrate custom activities with Marketing Cloud Next. The key is to use Flow to send the payload to the MCE Journey and then have the activity inside the Journey.

This approach allows marketers to still use their custom activities within the new platform, while also taking advantage of the new features and capabilities of Marketing Cloud Next.

The root cause of the challenge is the change in how custom activities are handled in Marketing Cloud Next. The new platform requires a different approach to integrating custom activities, which can be achieved by using Flow to send the payload to the MCE Journey.

Step-by-Step Solution

To use custom activities in Marketing Cloud Next, follow these steps:

Example Code

// Example code to send payload from SF to MCE Journey using Flow

Checklist

• Review custom activities and identify those that need to be integrated with Marketing Cloud Next
• Use Flow to send the payload from Salesforce to the MCE Journey
• Have the activity inside the Journey rather than firing it directly from Flow
• Test and validate the integration
• Monitor and optimize the custom activities for better performance

What are custom activities in Marketing Cloud?

Custom activities are used to extend the functionality of the platform, allowing marketers to create tailored experiences for their customers.

Can custom activities be used in Marketing Cloud Next?

Yes, custom activities can be used in Marketing Cloud Next, but it requires some adjustments to the approach.

How do I integrate custom activities with Marketing Cloud Next?

Use Flow to send the payload from Salesforce to the MCE Journey and then have the activity inside the Journey.

What are the benefits of using custom activities in Marketing Cloud Next?

The benefits include extended functionality, tailored customer experiences, and improved performance.