# Data Manager connections, data sync and direct data

*CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Study Guide · Data Layer · Last updated November 3, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/crm-analytics-and-einstein-discovery-consultant/data-layer/data-manager-connections-data-sync-and-direct-data*

How Data Manager brings data in: its tabs, SFDC_LOCAL and Edit Objects, external and remote connections with their per-object sync limits, direct data, enabling data sync in older orgs, dataflow digest and edgemart inputs, and Jobs Monitor logs.

- Certification: Salesforce CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant
- Exam section: Data Layer
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/crm-analytics-and-einstein-discovery-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Given data sources, use Data Manager to extract and load the data into the CRM Analytics application to create datasets.

## What the exam expects

- Send each task to the right Data Manager tab.
- Add local objects to SFDC_LOCAL and sync one object or the whole connection.
- Connect another org or a warehouse, and fix a sync over a connector limit.
- Choose between direct data and connected objects for a recipe input, and set the dataset grain with the base input.
- Enable data sync in an older org and predict its effect; pick digest or edgemart.
- Find old or failed jobs in Jobs Monitor and know who can read their logs.

Key terms: **connected object** (a synced copy of a source object that recipes read); **SFDC_LOCAL** (the default connection to the org's own Salesforce data); **direct data** (an unsynced object a recipe queries at run time); **data sync** (scheduled extraction that runs before recipes and dataflows); **grain** (what one row of a dataset represents).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Default local connection | SFDC_LOCAL; add objects with Edit Objects | [Add and Remove Local Objects](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_connectors_salesforce_local_add_remove_objects.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Run Now vs Run Data Sync | Connection syncs all its objects; object menu syncs one | [Extract Salesforce Data](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/wave_enable_data_integration_basics/wave_extract_salesforce_data) |
| Direct data | Stores nothing, not in SFDC_Local; under 200,000 rows; preview 2,000 rows | [Pull Data Directly into Recipes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_recipe_direct_data.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Snowflake Input, Amazon Redshift | Up to 100 million rows or 50 GB per object per sync job | [CRM Analytics Limits](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_limits.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| External Data API load | No metadata file: every column is Text | [External Data API](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_upload_csv_external_data_api.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Row storage | Plus 10 billion, Growth 100 million (licence overview still says 1 billion) | [CRM Analytics Limits](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_limits.htm&language=en_US&type=5), [Platform Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_help_setup_general.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Data sync default | On if CRM Analytics was turned on after Winter '20; enabling needs Customize Application | [Enable Data Sync and Connections](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_enable_replication.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Data sync objects | Up to 100; more than 100 extracted objects means contact Support first | [Data Sync Limits](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_replication_limits_limitations.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Job log access | Owner, or Edit CRM Analytics Dataflows, Edit Dataset Recipes, Manage CRM Analytics, View All Data | [Data Manager](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_data_manager.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- When should a recipe input be a connected object rather than direct data?
- Why can deleting a field that is selected for sync break the nightly job?
- What happens to a push-down filter on a direct data input when the object is added to data sync?
- When two scheduled dataflows give the same field different attributes, which wins on enabling sync?

## Sources

- [Data Manager for CRM Analytics](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_data_manager.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Extract Salesforce Data into CRM Analytics (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/wave_enable_data_integration_basics/wave_extract_salesforce_data)
- [Pull Data Directly into Recipes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_recipe_direct_data.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Why Should I Use Recipes Instead of Dataflows?](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_prepare.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Add and Remove Local Salesforce Objects and Fields from Data Sync](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_connectors_salesforce_local_add_remove_objects.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Enable Data Sync and Connections](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_enable_replication.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Understand What Happens When You Enable Data Sync and Connections](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_understand_enable_replication.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Data Sync Limits and Considerations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_replication_limits_limitations.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [CRM Analytics Limits](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_limits.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Learn about CRM Analytics Platform Licenses and Permission Sets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_help_setup_general.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Salesforce External Connections](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_connectors_salesforce_external_settings.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Schedule Data Sync to Run Automatically](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_schedule_replication.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Upload a CSV File to Create a Dataset](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_dataset_create.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Create Datasets from Uploaded CSV Files](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_upload_csv_ui.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Create Datasets Programmatically from CSV Files Using the External Data API](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_upload_csv_external_data_api.htm&type=5&language=en_US)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 11 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams