Dataloader.io vs. Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud

Dataloader is an incredible asset for a large organization or an organization that has a robust Salesforce environment. Specifically, Dataloader has allowed our sales team to focus on driving sales while our operations team can load the data they need in a manner that allows for robust reporting and tracking on our sales process. Organizations with less robust Salesforce environments or Salesforce environments in which many people are expected to maintain their own information likely do not need Dataloader.

Incentivized

Informatica Cloud is an excellent tool for freeing up trapped data in your internal systems and exporting it into a cloud data warehouse or SQL container. Especially if you have any internal SQL query generators that allow you to copy and paste into the Source setup. For example, we use Business Objects internally, and you can build out the query you need inside the firewall with that, then paste it into the query within Informatica Cloud while establishing the Source connection. This way you are not writing all your source parameters by hand, cutting new jobs setup time by 50%. Where Cloud will not suit you well is if you need significant visibility to the health of the system from a tracking, monitoring or error handling standpoint. Cloud will tell you it failed, maybe give you an example error, but has no further troubleshooting or diagnostic assistance to offer.

Incentivized

• The selection of objects is much better and more extensive than the Salesforce built in data loader.
• Cross referencing of fields for record IDs is easy to use. I can work through this so much more quickly than using the built in Salesforce data loader.
• Success and error files are easy to identify what needs to be fixed (errors) and identification of records created (successes), so you can quickly do spot checks in your Salesforce org after doing a data load.
• The number of rows per month for a basic package, 100,000, is great for our business.

Incentivized

• Informatica Cloud is a great tool for automating data imports. Raw data files can be scheduled to run at designated times, and using pre-built mappings ensures that the data goes into the system accurately each time.
• It is also a great tool for converting raw data into specific formatting. For example, configuring the mapping so that the first letter of a first, middle or last name is always capitalized.
• Additionally, Informatica Cloud has a built-in field-matching tool so that records that already exist are updated rather than having duplicates created.

Incentivized

• At the moment, I can't find a way to rename jobs. This would be useful to organize what was previously created hastily by techs in a rush.
• A preview of the job, especially upserts, would take a great deal of stress away from some of us (especially those who are not so confident in their ETL practice).
• A native vlookup equivalent may be a welcome addition.

• The User Interface can be a bit difficult to get in initial stages.
• Error messages are hard to understand which sometimes takes a lot of time for the resolution
• Cannot Implement complex SQL queries which should be fixed in future release.

Incentivized

It is easy to use and doesn't require a security token, so I enjoy using it. It also doesn't require any download or installation, which is sometimes a blocker to gettingthings done if the company has limits. also, the dataloader.io is easy for other people to pick up, so others can have visibility into the data jobs that have occurred

It is an intuitive application to use. Within a few clicks, you can be signed in to your org and ready to perform tasks. Data imports/exports/updates are streamlined so you can quickly start and configure your jobs. These can run in the background while you set up new tasks. Job history and tasks currently running on are on your home screen.

Incentivized

Dataloader is made for updating, inserting, and deleting of contacts. For these operations this tool is excellent.

Incentivized

Customer support might be where Dataloader.io saves money. Most of the competitors offer 24/7 live support but Dataloader.io only offers support via email and the community. Those types of support work fine until you need an answer right away. Some questions can't wait until the next business day or business hours for a reply.

Incentivized

I've never had trouble getting into contact with Informatica's support for technical help. I give it a nine because it does pretty well for mid to enterprise-scale workflows.

Incentivized

The UI of Dataloader.IO is far more advanced, user-friendly, and current, than any of the options above. The ability to several tasks (Imports/Exports) at one time. Cloud-based with very easy access to current Imports or Exports, as well previous versions that had previously been run. You can see Imports or Exports across all time, even if you change filter criteria.

Incentivized

Having used SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) in the past, Informatica Cloud was a huge-step up in functionality, usability and performance. Hands-down, Informatica Cloud is a much more robust product overall. While SSIS is well-suited for specific instances (i.e. SQL Server-specific implementations), Informatica Cloud is a much better product as an overall integration/transformation tool.

Incentivized

• HUGE time saving. When we need to clean or review data, we used to have to do it line by line. This can do the work within excel and make cleanup/management an afternoons work as opposed to a week.
• Rollback what you did/change/deleted is relatively simple if you remember to back up the data you are manipulating.

Incentivized

• A positive impact is bringing more projects.
• Getting data out of various systems such as Salesforce.com or FTP and consolidating it into tables in one central database.
• Having the ability to run data transformation tasks (the equivalent of batch jobs in SF or stored procedures in SQL) on a schedule without consuming those resources on the target or source systems.

Incentivized