Business Units In SFMC(Engagement)

Business Units in SFMC(Engagement) are separate work spaces within an organization’s Marketing Cloud account, that allow different team members or departments within the same organization to manage their data and marketing functions independently while enabling sharing of common assets (such as branded templates) with ease.

Business units let you control access to and the sharing of information. Use the hierarchical structure of business units to control your brand while enabling access to messaging technologies to your users. Manage user roles for the business unit, view users who have access to the business unit, and define filter criteria for subscribers.

Business units are available in Enterprise and Enterprise 2.0 accounts.

Users who are members of a business unit can access all items created in that business unit. Share items with users in other business units by placing the items in a shared items folder in the Content and Subscribers sections of the applications.

Organize the structure of business units to match your business needs. Business units can mirror workflow processes, demographic and behavioral data about your subscribers, or your organization’s operational structure. Business Units are created in Marketing Cloud in the form of a hierarchy. The top Business Unit is called the Parent Business Unit, and Sub Business Units are called child Business Units.

Key Aspects On Business Units:

• Account name: This is the initial name set at the time of account provisioning and is usually the company name. 

• MID: This is a unique identification number assigned to each Business Unit and child Business unit. So your account might have multiple MIDs representing each Business Unit. 

  
  

The Parent Business Unit and Child Business Unit hierarchy is illustrated in the below image:

While there are no strict business rules governing the establishment of Business Unit hierarchies in the Marketing cloud, there are some key considerations based on organizational structure and data needs to determine the Business Unit models within an Account. These considerations include:

• Do separate brands, divisions, or regions necessitate distinct Business Units to cater to specific data requirements for their marketing teams?

• Is it necessary to mirror the exact organizational structure of the marketing cloud through Business Units?

• Is there a need for individual branding for each division of marketing teams?

• Are there common assets that need to be shared among different marketing teams?

• Is there a requirement for a dedicated area for testing and UAT activities?

  
  

Business Units in Salesforce Marketing Cloud allow organizations to:

• Segment Marketing Strategies: Separate data, assets, and campaigns by geography, product line, or audience type.

• Manage Permissions: Assign roles and access levels to users for specific BUs, ensuring security and compliance.

• Maintain Brand Identity: Customize content and workflows unique to each unit while adhering to overarching brand guidelines.

• Streamline Collaboration: Enable teams to work independently while sharing resources and data when necessary.

  
  

Key Considerations Before Setup

Before diving into the setup process, keep the following factors in mind:

1. Organizational Structure

   Define how BUs will align with your business structure—geographical regions, product lines, or departments.

2. Data Management

   Plan for data segmentation by leveraging BU-specific data extensions or shared data extensions for cross-unit access.

3. User Permissions

   Identify administrators and assign roles carefully to maintain security without restricting functionality.

4. Parent-Child Hierarchy

   Understand the relationship between the parent account and child BUs, as parent account settings will influence child units.

5. Integration Requirements

   If integrating with external systems like CRMs or ERPs, map out how these systems interact with different BUs.

   
   

Conclusion

Business Units in Salesforce Marketing Cloud empower organizations to scale marketing operations while maintaining precision and control. Properly configuring and managing BUs ensures that teams can focus on creating impactful campaigns tailored to their audiences.