The Consolidation Plan
A Strategic Move for Fiscal Responsibility and Optimization
The University of Arizona is taking steps to streamline the use of Marketing Cloud, ensuring that institutional resources are used efficiently and effectively. By consolidating Marketing Cloud business units, we aim to reduce costs, simplify operations, and better align with our current organizational needs.
In the new year, we will begin implementing a structured consolidation plan to reduce the university’s Marketing Cloud business units from 40 to 10 by FY26.
Why Are We Consolidating?
Cost-Saving and Strategic Realignment
- Cost Savings
- The most immediate benefit of this consolidation will be a significant reduction in licensing costs. Fewer business units mean less expense, allowing us to reallocate those resources to other areas of need.
- Simplified User Experience
- This consolidation will enable a more unified approach across units. By aligning our marketing efforts in fewer business units, we create a streamlined, cohesive framework for collaboration.
What This Means Moving Forward
- Focused Resources
- Consolidating business units allows us to focus on eliminating redundancies and creating a stronger, more targeted approach to reaching university audiences.
- Simplicity and Efficiency
- Fewer business units simplify our infrastructure, making the Marketing Cloud platform easier to use.
- Continued Assessment and Improvement
- As we move through this transition, we will continue evaluating the university's needs to ensure we are using Marketing Cloud resources as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Timeline and Next Steps
Step-by-Step Migration to a Unified Structure
Business unit consolidation will occur in phases, with monthly milestones guiding the gradual transition to 10 business units by July 1, 2025. Impacted units will be informed and supported throughout the process, with training and regular communication to ensure a smooth transition.
Each active business unit (with a few exceptions) will transition through a cohort-based schedule, moving to a standardized business unit over time.
Cohort Timeline for Transition
- Cohort 1: Graduate Center, Arizona Athletics, A Center, Arizona Arts, Shared Governance
- Cohort 2: Business Affairs, College of Medicine Tucson, College of Pharmacy, College of Public Health, University of Arizona Health Sciences
- Cohort 3: College of Applied Sciences, College of Information Sciences, College of Humanities, College of Law
- Cohort 4: Arizona International, College of Veterinary Sciences, Campus Services, Eller College of Business, RII
- Cohort 5: College of Engineering, College of Science, College of Optical Sciences, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Education
- Cohort 6: ALVSCE, Arizona Online, Distance and Continuing Education, Student Services, Undergraduate Student Services, UCATT, Honors College
- Cohort 7: CAPLA, UA Libraries, Central Marketing and Communications, CIO Division
*Cohorts are subject to change
A member of the Trellis team will contact you a few weeks before your scheduled transition date to discuss details and answer any questions you may have. This phased approach ensures a balanced and organized shift to a more efficient, unified Marketing Cloud system by FY26 (July 2025).
For more information or to discuss how this change may impact your department, please attend an information session, meet 1:1 with Kim Winchell, or contact the Marketing Cloud Team at trellis@list.arizona.edu.
This consolidation plan marks a significant step toward a more efficient, cost-effective digital marketing strategy for the University of Arizona. By FY26, we will have a streamlined, optimized system that meets the university's needs without unnecessary complexity.
FAQ's
- This transition will begin Jan. 2025 and go through Jul. 2025.
- Each unit has been assigned to a cohort. For more information, refer to the Timeline and Next Steps section above.
- To prepare for Business Unit consolidation;
- check your assigned cohort in the Timeline and Next Steps section above
- attend an information session
- If you have additional questions, contact trellis@list.arizona.edu.
- List Campaigns will be updated in Trellis for the new business unit and can be used as normal. This will maintain your subscription preferences.
- Relationship Campaigns are not available in the standard business unit, however, users will receive training to create similar lists using Trellis Reports.
- During the transition, each unit will be assigned a folder for their content and data extensions. By default, users will be able to view other units' content and data extensions. Additionally, all users are required to complete Expected Use and Data Privacy EDGE trainings before provisioning, which outlines appropriate behavior in Trellis and Marketing Cloud. Those who do not adhere to this policy are subject to having their access revoked.
- Reports are still available inside of Trellis for all previous sends using Individual Email Reports (IERs).
- For reports inside of Marketing Cloud inside of the new business unit, you will need to sort by email subject.
- Sender profiles must be recreated in the new business unit
- A standard sender profile will be set as the default when a user does not choose a custom profile.
- All footers will be updated to the main University of Arizona address.
- Yes, business units with federal privacy regulations, such as the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid and the Division of Human Resources, will maintain their business units due to the type of communications they send.
- If you believe you have a federal exception, please schedule a meeting with Kim Winchell to discuss.
- Each BU (business unit) will have a Content Builder folder into which existing emails, assets, and other content can be moved and shared with the new BU for use. This topic will be discussed further in cohort planning meetings.
- Yes. Any content that users move to the "transfer folder" will be preserved.
- Parent Campaigns used for Event Campaigns will be reassigned to the Standard BU.
- Standard access is for all Marketing Cloud users who send mass emails, create campaign data extensions, upload lists, and access campaign reports.
- Advanced access is for Marketing Cloud users who create shared Salesforce data extensions for complex automation and relationship campaign management.