In most Marketo–Salesforce integrations, sync issues fall into predictable categories—delays, permissions, or field mapping errors. But every once in a while, something stranger happens: Salesforce leads syncing into Marketo with the SFDC Type showing as “User.”
At first glance, this looks like a system glitch. After all, Marketo should only be dealing with Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Campaigns, and Activities—not Salesforce “Users.” But this anomaly usually points to a deeper configuration or mapping issue between Salesforce and Marketo.
Here are the most common root causes we’ve seen, and how to address them.
Common Root Causes
1. Sync User Visibility Issues
The Salesforce sync user may have been granted unnecessary visibility into User objects. Normally, Marketo should not see User records at all. But if permissions are too broad, Marketo may interpret these records incorrectly.
What to check: Review the sync user’s profile in Salesforce and confirm it only has access to Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Campaigns, and Opportunities—not User objects.
2. Lead Ownership Defaults
When new leads are created in Salesforce without a specified owner, Salesforce often assigns them to a default User record. Marketo may then misinterpret the record type, surfacing it as a User rather than a Lead.
What to check: Review Salesforce lead assignment rules and default ownership settings. Ensure that new leads are being routed properly and not flagged with a User as the primary owner at creation.
3. Field Mapping Errors
The SFDC Type field in Marketo is a system field, but if something went wrong during the initial field mapping or instance setup, Marketo can misinterpret Salesforce IDs.
What to check: Go to Marketo Admin → Field Management, search for SFDC Type, and confirm it is mapped correctly.
4. Automation Interference
Salesforce automations—Apex triggers, Process Builder rules, or Flows—may inadvertently re-flag or touch new records in a way that confuses the Marketo sync. For example, a Flow that references the User object at the time of lead creation could surface this unexpected behavior.
What to check: Audit Salesforce automation that touches the Lead object before Marketo has a chance to sync it.
Troubleshooting Steps
When you encounter leads in Marketo flagged as SFDC Type = User, here’s a step-by-step process we recommend:
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Check a specific record: Take the Salesforce ID from the “User” record in Marketo and verify whether it corresponds to a Lead, Contact, or User in Salesforce.
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Audit sync user profile: Ensure the sync user does not have access to User objects.
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Validate ownership rules: Confirm that new leads are not being assigned to Users as their default owner.
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Re-check field mapping: Verify that SFDC Type is mapped properly within Marketo.
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Review automation: Look for Salesforce triggers, Flows, or custom logic that might be reclassifying leads incorrectly.
The Likely Fix
In our experience, the most common culprit is either:
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A misconfigured sync user profile with too much access, or
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A lead ownership setting that defaults to a User record.
Correcting these typically resolves the issue without requiring deeper system changes.
Final Thoughts
When Marketo shows SFDC Type = User, it’s rarely a “ghost in the system.” Instead, it’s a sign that the Salesforce–Marketo handshake has a small misalignment in permissions, ownership, or field mapping.
By taking a structured approach—starting with record-level validation, reviewing permissions, and checking ownership defaults—you can get the sync back on track quickly.
At RightWave, we specialize in troubleshooting exactly these kinds of integration challenges. If you’re dealing with sync oddities, whether it’s mis-mapped fields or deeper CRM–MAP alignment issues, our team can help ensure your systems speak the same language and your marketing operations run without surprises.
