Transitioning to Vault CRM Align for Veeva CRM Align Users

Customers transitioning to Vault CRM Align from Veeva CRM Align should understand key differences in the data model, navigation, and functionality. Understanding these differences will help ensure a smoother transition.

Understanding Data Model Changes

To get started with data model differences between Vault CRM Align and Veeva CRM Align, familiarize yourself with the following:

API Names

Align object and field API names are updated to follow Vault naming conventions. The __aln suffix is replaced with the __v suffix.

Certain Vault CRM objects can contain Align-specific fields. These fields are denoted by the aln_ prefix. Align-specific objects are also prefixed with aln_, but fields within those Align-specific objects are not. For example:

Vault CRM Align

Veeva Align

external_id__v

external_id__aln

aln_field_force__v

field_force__aln

Differentiating Align and CRM Objects

To help differentiate certain objects from similar CRM objects, the labels of the following Align objects are updated:

Vault CRM Align

Veeva Align

Align Territory

Territory

Align Account Territory

Account Territory

Align Geography Territory

Geography Territory

Ensure you select the Align objects when loading data into Align. See Loading Data for more information.

Navigating Vault CRM Align

Differences exist between Vault CRM Align and Veeva Align for commonly used steps, for example, accessing Align administration pages and monitoring jobs. These differences are described below.

Using the Align Tab Collection

Vault CRM Align utilizes a tab collection of the following tabs and pages:

 

 

Tab

Pages

CRM Data
  • Accounts
  • Products

Roster Management
  • Roster Members
  • Functional Profiles
  • Content Groups

Territory Management
  • Territories
  • Field Forces
  • Geographies
  • Footprints
  • Rules

Align Admin
  • Align Settings (Production)
  • Align Settings (Modeling)
  • Custom Rollup Rules
  • Integrations
  • VCountries

Managing Align Settings

Align Settings (found under Align > Align Admin) now include the settings previously stored on the Veeva CRM Org record.

Managing Integrations

Process Monitors and Countries are moved to the Integrations page. The Countries section allows you to restrict the integration to only specified countries. Leave this section blank to include all countries.

Only the Align integration user is required.

The following actions are available for the Align connection on the Integrations page:

  • Edit
  • Validate Credentials
  • View Field Map
  • Push to CRM
  • Import from CRM
  • Full Import from CRM

Monitoring Rule Previews

The My Tasks tray no longer exists. To monitor the status of Align Rule Previews:

  1. Navigate to the Align Home page.
  2. Review the status of the appropriate job in the Recent Process Tasks section.
  3. Select the job record.
  4. Select the View Results link in the Task Results field.

You can also select the notification bell to see the status of recently-completed jobs.

Understanding Functional Differences

Integrating CRM and Align Data

Data flows between the following Vault CRM and Align objects within the same instance:

Align Object

Direction

Vault CRM Object

aln_territory__v

Align to CRM

territory__v

aln_account_territory__v

Bidirectional

account_territory__v

aln_roster_member__v

Bidirectional

user__sys

aln_roster_member_territory__v

Align to CRM

user_territory__v

aln_functional_profile_application_role__v

aln_roster_member_application_role__v

Align to CRM

user_role__sys

aln_functional_profile_group__v

Align to CRM

group__sys.members__v

aln_territory_product__v

Align to CRM

my_setup_products__v

aln_content_group_membership__v

Align to CRM

content_group_user__v

aln_account_exclusion__v

CRM to Align

data_change_request__v

Managing Deleted Accounts

For accounts deleted in Vault CRM, the following applies to the corresponding Align Account Territory records:

  • The Account lookup field is updated to be blank
  • The Account ID field retains the {Vault ID}_{Account ID} value

Historical Align Account Territory records related to deleted accounts are migrated, but the Account and Account ID fields are not populated. Records without the Account or Account Id fields populated cause rules to abort. These records are deleted in the target instance.

Referencing CRM Territories

The Master Align ID (MAID) field no longer exists on the Vault CRM Territory object (territory__v). It is replaced with an Object type field (crm_territory__v) on the aln_territory__v object.

Using Field Maps

The inbound field map contains mappings for Roster Member only. Mappings for Account, Address, and other objects are no longer required.

The outbound field map contains mappings for the following objects:

  • Territory
  • Roster Member – Supports CRM Managed fields

MCCP objects are shared between Vault CRM and Align and are not mapped. See Using Modeling and Targeting for more information.

Managing Roster Member Territories

For Align-managed territories, it is expected that all User Territory assignments be sourced from Align.

Existing User Territory assignments are deleted if no active aln_roster_member_territory__v record exists for that Roster Member and Territory combination. This includes users with Mastered By Align set to No.

Using Modeling and Targeting

MCCP objects are now shared with CRM. This provides the following benefits:

  • Removes data model complexity
  • Streamlines mid-cycle MCCP changes, since changes made apply to both Align and CRM

There is no longer a lifecycle on MCCP objects. This does not result in any functional difference.

Selecting Account Specialty Fields

The following Account specialty fields are available in rules:

  • All Specialties
  • Group Specialty 1 & 2
  • Primary Specialty
  • Primary Specialty Group
  • Specialty
  • Specialty 2

The Specialty (Any) and Specialty (Primary) fields are deprecated. Ensure migrated rules use the correct specialty fields.

Generating Geographies

You can generate Geography records of type Postal Code for selected countries using the Generate Postal Codes action on the Geographies page. It is recommended to run this action on a regular schedule, for example, monthly or quarterly.

When the action runs, the following occurs:

  • New Veeva-provided Geography records are inserted, if they do not already exist
  • Existing Geography records remain and are not modified
  • Existing Geography Territory records remain and are not modified

Additional Geography records can still be loaded using Vault Loader.

Loading Data

The Align Loader is deprecated in Vault CRM. Only Vault Loader and the Data Grid Loader are available.

Due to the following objects having similar names to Vault CRM counterparts, customers should ensure they use the correct objects when loading data:

Object

API Name

Align Account Territory

aln_account_territory__v

Align Geography Territory

aln_geography_territory__v

Align Territory

aln_territory__v

Configuring Account Sharing Rules

Align operational users do not have visibility to accounts if they are set up as a non-Vault Owner. A sharing rule is recommended on the Account object to ensure visibility.

  • In a single country Vault, the sharing rule criteria should include all accounts
  • In a multi-country Vault, a sharing rule is required for each country or country group

Recommended sharing rule configuration:

  1. Create a User Group for each country.
  2. Assign the appropriate users to the group.
  3. Select the Enable Custom Sharing Rules checkbox in the Dynamic Access Control section of the Account object.

  4. Create a sharing rule on the Account object and assign the group as Editor.

    • Use the appropriate Account > Country field in the rule criteria
    • Leave the rule criteria blank to include all accounts

Adding a user to the top node of the territory hierarchy does not grant sufficient access. A sharing rule is required to ensure that access is granted to all accounts, not only those assigned to subordinate territories.

Related Topics

Transitioning to Vault CRM for Veeva CRM Users

Understanding Field Names, Labels, and Types

Security in Vault CRM