Question

Has anyone integrated Absorb LMS as a data source?

  • 26 October 2015
  • 3 replies
  • 99 views

Userlevel 7
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Has anyone successfully integrated Absorb (a Learning Management System) as a data source for Gainsight?



We know when we run analytics that users who complete the Certification programs we have built are more engaged and better adopters of our platform. The request is arriving for me to integrate Absorb as a Gainsight data source. Thus, we could spot Opportunities (we're seeing a high number of certified users, so our Sales team should be prepping to sell more seats) or Risks (a customer completely stops enrolling its users in Certification, often a sign of a competitor).



Thus far, I've successfully integrated with SegmentIO, but this Absorb request is another beast entirely. Any ideas from the crowd?

3 replies

Userlevel 6
Hi Matt, Thanks for posting on the community!!  I checked with a few folks on our services team & they were not aware of any cases where we have brought in data from Absorb, but if the product can produce a CSV file as output then you should be able to send the data to us.  You'd need to set up a new subject area in the MDA to receive it (which you're probably already aware). Just let me know if & when you'd like to set up a brief discovery conversation with a member of our technical services team & I'd be happy to help get the right folks on the phone to talk about options.  
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You have two options for where to load data 1) you could build a custom SFDC object tied to Account or Contact, load the data there, and use rules to trend or create CTAs on this data or 2) load into MDA which will handle higher volumes and not take up SFDC storage.



Our general purpose API document can be found here to load data into our MDA.  https://support.gainsight.com/hc/en-us/articles/206297927-Gainsight-s-Load-API-for-Matrix-Data-Store

Currently (will change soon as will be giving you the power soon!), you will need to work with Support to set up a new Subject Area(s) for you to load the data into.  So writing directly to a custom object in SFDC, writing to the MDA using our REST API or posting to our sFTP are the technical options.



The key question though is this - what does the data look like and how will it tie into your customers in Gainsight (ID-wise to your SFDC Account ID):

1) Generally for LMS, you are tracking to an actual user and what they have viewed/completed.  So you would need to identity of that user to be able to be tied to a Contact or directly to a SFDC Account ID in SFDC.  

2) What metrics and what level of detail do you want to track?  You can use a similar thoughts process to the "events" you thought through for segment.  What are the meaningful metrics for your CSMs for this data? (Like you mention, # of certifications)

3) Are there Copilot use cases you would also have to communicate directly with the "learners" from your LMS?  This would mean that you need user-level details, for example, rather than just Account level counts.
Userlevel 7
Badge +9
Brilliant, Denise, simply brilliant!



I've had many of the same questions about mapping users vs SFDC Accounts, etc. It's one thing to connect an API; it's another entirely to get the data to map well once it's connected. We're aware, and appreciate you confirming and pointing out the potential investments we need to execute here.



I also had pondered going to SFDC first with the data and then writing the custom Gainsight rules to trap it. While that requires more from my SFDC resources, it may ultimately be easier overall.



We'll keep looking as will my colleagues. This one is down our priority list a bit, but we wanted to open up the discussion if anyone had solved this already. If/when we get it, we'll be sure to share the knowledge.

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