How to initiate a sync from Salesforce based on a formula field update

Issue symptoms

A known limitation of the Salesforce integration is that an update to a mapped formula field in either an account, a contact, or a lead will not trigger a synchronization to Zendesk. This is a problem if you use a formula field to sync the values of Salesforce lookup fields as described in this article: Salesforce: Syncing lookup field information to Zendesk Support. This sync issue is caused by a limitation in the Salesforce Streaming Events API, where changes to formula fields do not lead to the creation of a streaming event.

The solution to this problem is to create an automated process (aka "Flow") in Salesforce using a new hidden field that is automatically updated whenever one of your key Salesforce fields change.

Resolution steps

There are three parts to this solution. First, create a new checkbox field in Salesforce to be used as a hidden sync trigger. Then, create a corresponding checkbox field in Zendesk and add it to the sync mapping. Finally, create a flow using the Salesforce Flow Builder to automatically update the new checkbox field.

To create the new field in Salesforce

1. Go to the Object Manager and select the object type you want to sync.
2. Go to Fields & Relationships and add a new field.
3. Choose Checkbox for the data type and give it a name, for example, Formula Fields Updated?. Leave the default option unchecked.
4. Select the appropriate field-level security, making sure that system administrators have access to the field.
5. On the page layouts settings page, uncheck all options. This field is only used in a background process and shouldn't be on the page for users to update.

To create the corresponding field in Zendesk and update the mapping

1. Open the User fields page or the Organization fields page, depending on whether you sync to organizations or users.
2. Add a new checkbox field. Name the field something that indicates that it's only used for Salesforce sync purposes, for example, Salesforce internal use only.
3. Add the new field to the Salesforce mapping. Follow the instructions in this section: Configuring Salesforce Contacts or Leads to Zendesk users sync.
4. In the mapping section, add a new mapping for the new Salesforce checkbox to the new Zendesk checkbox and save the configuration.

To create a Flow in Salesforce

1. Go to Setup > Platform Tools > Process Automation > Flows and select New.
2. Choose the "Record-triggered flow":
   
3. Select an object whose field-changes will trigger this flow (Account/Contact/Lead) and specify that you want this flow to run when a record is updated:
   
4. Add new OR conditions for each relevant field
   This will not be the formula field itself, but rather the field on which the formula field is based.
   
   For instance, if you have a formula field called Account Manager Name that's mapped in Admin Center, the flow should respond to changes to the Account Manager field (the lookup field on which the formula is based):
   
   
   For each field you'll include the field on the left, the Operator "Is changed" and the value of "True"
5. When you are done adding conditions, choose to "Optimize the flow for Actions and Related Records":
   
   and click "Done"
6. Within the Flow Builder itself, click on the "+" to add a new element":
   
7. Choose "Update triggering record"
   
8. Create an action that checks the Checkbox field created earlier in this guide:
   
   
   
9. Repeat steps 7 & 8 but this time create an action that UN-checks that box:
   
10. Your finished flow should look like this:
    
11. Save and activate the flow.

Go ahead and update one of your lookup fields in Salesforce and see if the account or contact or lead syncs over to Zendesk as you expect.