---
schema_version: "1"
id: 3f55f1ee0e0301ef155dc6386b795a66fb502b1b9daa066a743da3378c9067ae
title: People Records in Marketing Cloud Next
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mktg_audiences_people_records.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_audiences_people_records.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 7b7af0c723c0d49e86e8fbb3cc247e2a0036fa9bd5cf6cb8323a949268ac4027
description: Marketing Cloud Next includes records that can store data about people who interact with your business at different stages of your marketing, sales, or service lifecycles.
products:
  - Marketing
release: "264"
---
# People Records in Marketing Cloud Next

Marketing Cloud Next includes records that can store data about people who interact with your business at different stages of your marketing, sales, or service lifecycles.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <span>Salesforce <strong class="uicontrol">Enterprise</strong> and <strong class="uicontrol">Unlimited</strong> Editions with Marketing Cloud Next <strong class="uicontrol">Growth</strong> or <strong class="uicontrol">Advanced</strong> Edition</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

This diagram shows how each stage of the customer journey is mapped to Data Model Objects (DMOs) in Data 360. Identity Resolution consolidates records from multiple sources into a unified customer profile.

![Mapping customer stages to DMOs in Data 360 with Identity Resolution unifying records.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mktg_all-264-0-0-production-enus/e92be4e1-4bef-47a5-a11d-95f4ea1f7d7a/mktg_all/images/mktg_audiences_people_records.png)

Some supported actions are common among the Salesforce objects that store people data. Here’s a sample list of these common tasks.

- Create, edit, share, and delete a record
- Import records in bulk with a CSV file
- Automate record creation in a marketing flow using the Create Records element
- Customize page layouts with related lists, buttons, and other Lightning components

## Differences Between Prospect and Lead

Understand the key distinctions between prospects and leads to organize and prioritize your potential customers more effectively.

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:33.33333333333333%">
          <col style="width:33.33333333333333%">
          <col style="width:33.33333333333333%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d87468e120">&nbsp;</th>
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d87468e122">Prospect</th>
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d87468e125">Lead</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e120 ">Definition</td>

            <td data-label="Prospect" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e122 ">An individual who has shared their contact information, but hasn’t been
              qualified yet.</td>

            <td data-label="Lead" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e125 ">A qualified individual who fits your target audience and shows buying
              intent.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e120 ">Funnel Stage</td>

            <td data-label="Prospect" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e122 ">Top of the funnel</td>

            <td data-label="Lead" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e125 ">Middle of the funnel</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e120 ">Source</td>

            <td data-label="Prospect" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e122 ">Marketing campaigns, events, sign-up forms, and referrals</td>

            <td data-label="Lead" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e125 ">Sales qualification, lead scoring, and direct outreach</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e120 ">Qualification Level</td>

            <td data-label="Prospect" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e122 ">Unqualified</td>

            <td data-label="Lead" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e125 ">Qualified based on budget, authority, need, and timeline</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e120 ">Engagement</td>

            <td data-label="Prospect" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e122 ">May have only interacted one time</td>

            <td data-label="Lead" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e125 ">Actively engaging with sales or marketing content</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e120 ">Objective</td>

            <td data-label="Prospect" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e122 ">Nurture and qualify for sales or business representatives to act.</td>

            <td data-label="Lead" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e125 ">Convert to opportunity or contact.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e120 ">Ownership</td>

            <td data-label="Prospect" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e122 ">Handled by the marketing team, and doesn’t have an assigned owner.</td>

            <td data-label="Lead" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e125 ">Handled by the sales team, and has an assigned owner.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e120 ">Conversion Potential</td>

            <td data-label="Prospect" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e122 ">Low to medium</td>

            <td data-label="Lead" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e125 ">Medium to high</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e120 ">Example Actions</td>

            <td data-label="Prospect" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d87468e122 d87468e125 "><a name="mktg_audiences_people_records__ul_xpc_cvw_lfc"><!-- --></a>
              <ul id="mktg_audiences_people_records__ul_xpc_cvw_lfc">
                <li>Add or automate consent data for multiple prospects or leads with the Create
                  Records element in a flow.</li>

                <li>Score and grade prospects and leads on engagement activity.</li>

                <li>Convert a prospect to a lead, prospect to contact, lead to contact, or lead to
                  opportunity.</li>

                <li>Use the Prospect or Lead object with a form to automatically capture data in
                  Salesforce records.</li>

              </ul>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

When you use Sales Cloud or Service Cloud together with Marketing Cloud Next, you can also log sales activity or add a lead to a case.

## Contacts

A contact represents someone who has a business connection with you as part of an open deal, an ongoing relationship, or a closed work effort.Contacts can be imported in bulk, created individually, or created by converting a qualified lead.

Example Contact Actions

- Add or automate consent status for a contact
- Score and grade contacts on engagement activity
- Convert a lead to a contact

When you use Sales Cloud or Service Cloud together with Marketing Cloud Next, you can also log sales activity or add a contact to an opportunity using Opportunity Contact Roles.

![Example](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mktg_all-264-0-0-production-enus/e92be4e1-4bef-47a5-a11d-95f4ea1f7d7a/images/icon_example.png)

Example

In addition to selling directly to consumers, Ursa Major Solar fills wholesale orders for panel installation and replacement parts.

When sales rep Lance Park picks up a retail lead from Coastal Improvements, he can get an idea of the lead’s interests by checking the campaigns they engaged with. Things go well, and when he closes the deal, he converts the lead record into a contact record.

The relationships among these records provide a fuller picture of someone’s experience with your brand.

## Individuals and Unified Individuals

Each time you import or create a new prospect, lead or contact, an individual record is created in Data 360 during the next sync. When your identity resolution rulesets run, any individuals with matching information are consolidated into a unified individual record.

A unified individual record isn’t a static "golden record" but a collection of specialized IDs that relate to relevant pieces of data from various source records. Those pieces of data are then flagged as contact points, such as a phone number or email address, and used when you create a segment for a marketing campaign.

Prospects are treated as unified individuals, so you can create a unified individual segment, define rules for your prospects, and add them to campaigns.

You can’t create individual or unified individual records manually—they’re created only by syncing and harmonization processes.

## Related Records

Other record types, such as account and campaign member, contain adjacent data to clarify relationships or support specific use cases and actions.

The account object represents someone’s business and is required for creating a contact. You can track account details, such as company size, industry, and ID fields, for various regulatory bodies and associations.

A marketer can also create campaign member records, which relate a person to a marketing campaign for reporting and segmentation purposes. Use the campaign member status field to track their engagement with you, such as Responded or Attended.

- **[Considerations for Prospects](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_prospect_considerations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    When working with prospects in Marketing Cloud Next, keep these considerations in mind.
- **[Working with Prospects](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_prospects_leads_convert.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Focus on high-value prospects, while unqualified ones remain hidden until they reach the required engagement score. You can add prospects to Marketing Cloud Next manually or import them in bulk.
- **[Convert Prospects in Marketing Cloud Next](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_prospects_conversion.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    After a prospect meets the required engagement score, convert them to leads or contacts manually or set up an automated flow to convert them.
- **[Prospect Field Conversion Mapping](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_audience_prospect_field_mapping.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    To ensure accurate data transfer, see how the prospect’s fields map to the fields in the Lead, Contact, or Account on conversion.
- **[Set Up Lead Assignment Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_set_lead_assignment_rules.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    After a prospect is converted to a lead, lead assignment rules determine how the record owner is assigned. To assign a different record owner for leads, you can create a new rule.