Definition
Event Relays is a Setup page where administrators configure the forwarding of Salesforce platform events and change data capture events to external event buses like Amazon EventBridge. Event relays enable real-time data streaming from Salesforce to external systems without building custom polling integrations.
Real-World Example
The integration team at NexGen Logistics configures an Event Relay to forward all Change Data Capture events on the Shipment object to Amazon EventBridge. When a shipment status changes in Salesforce, the event is instantly relayed to AWS, where it triggers a Lambda function that updates the customer-facing tracking portal in real time.
Why Event Relays Matters
Event Relays is a Setup feature that configures the automatic forwarding of Salesforce Platform Events and Change Data Capture (CDC) events to external event buses like Amazon EventBridge. This eliminates the need for external systems to poll Salesforce for changes, replacing inefficient request-response patterns with real-time event streaming. Event Relays solve the fundamental integration challenge of keeping external systems synchronized with Salesforce data changes in near real-time without building and maintaining custom middleware.
As organizations connect more external systems to Salesforce, Event Relays become essential for reducing integration complexity and latency. Without relays, each external system that needs real-time Salesforce data must maintain its own polling mechanism, consuming API calls, creating synchronization delays, and requiring custom error handling. Event Relays shift the burden to a managed, declarative configuration that scales automatically. However, teams must monitor relay health and understand event delivery guarantees to ensure no events are lost during transmission to external systems.
How Organizations Use Event Relays
- NexGen Logistics — NexGen Logistics configures an Event Relay to forward all Change Data Capture events on the Shipment object to Amazon EventBridge. When a shipment status changes in Salesforce, the event is instantly relayed to AWS, where a Lambda function updates the customer-facing tracking portal in real time, replacing a 15-minute polling delay.
- Pinnacle E-Commerce — Pinnacle E-Commerce uses an Event Relay to forward Order_Placed__e Platform Events to their warehouse management system via EventBridge. The warehouse receives order details within seconds of placement, starts picking immediately, and sends back fulfillment updates through a reverse integration, cutting order-to-ship time by 30 minutes.
- Skybridge IoT — Skybridge IoT relays Device_Alert__e events from Salesforce to an AWS event bus where multiple downstream services consume them: a real-time monitoring dashboard, an automated maintenance scheduler, and a customer notification service. One event relay replaces what was previously three separate integrations.