If you’ve ever tried to get a Brainshark presentation to show up cleanly inside Salesforce, you know it sounds easy—until you hit the quirks. This isn’t just “copy the link and you’re done.” There are security settings, user permissions, and a few gotchas that’ll trip you up if you’re not careful. This guide is for admins and ops folks who want to embed Brainshark content in Salesforce so users actually use it—and don’t call you every week because it’s broken.
Let’s get into what actually works, what’s not worth your time, and how to avoid the headaches.
Why embed Brainshark in Salesforce anyway?
- Fewer clicks = more usage. If reps have to leave Salesforce, most won’t bother with your presentation.
- Context matters. Embedded content next to leads or opportunities means the right info, right when they need it.
- Tracking and adoption. You’ll get better data on what’s being viewed (or ignored).
But embedding isn’t magic. If you just slap in an iframe, you’ll run into login prompts, broken layouts, and annoyed users. So let's do this right.
Step 1: Decide where you want the presentation to appear
Before you start copying embed codes, figure out the best spot in Salesforce:
- Classic or Lightning? Most companies are on Lightning now, but Classic is still lurking in some orgs. The instructions are different.
- Record pages or utility bars? Embedding on Account, Opportunity, or Lead pages keeps things contextual. Utility bars or homepages are more “one size fits all.”
- One presentation or a library? Is it a single piece of content, or do you want to swap presentations based on the record (e.g., different decks for different products)?
Pro tip: Start small. Test with one team or use case before rolling out everywhere.
Step 2: Make sure your Brainshark content is ready for embedding
Not every Brainshark presentation is set up for embedding by default. Check these before you start:
- Public or private? If your Brainshark content requires login, users will get hit with a login wall inside Salesforce. Decide if that’s okay.
- If you want frictionless viewing, set the presentation’s sharing to “public” or “anyone with the link.”
- Mobile compatibility. Many reps use Salesforce on their phones. Make sure your Brainshark presentation isn’t Flash-based or locked to desktop-only features.
- Get the right embed code. Don’t use the “Share” link for embedding; Brainshark has an “Embed” option. It’s usually an iframe snippet.
What to skip: Don’t try to embed entire Brainshark dashboards or admin tools. Stick to presentations and learning modules. The rest gets messy fast.
Step 3: Pick your embedding method in Salesforce
You’ve got options. Some are better than others, depending on your needs:
3.1. Use a Visualforce page (works in Classic and Lightning)
This is the most flexible and reliable way, especially if you want to control sizing or add dynamic logic.
- Create a new Visualforce page.
- Paste in your Brainshark iframe code.
- Add the Visualforce page to your desired layout (record page, home page, etc.).
Why this works: Visualforce lets you get around some iframe restrictions, and you can pass in variables if you want dynamic content. It’s also more future-proof if Salesforce updates their UI.
What can go wrong: If your Salesforce org has strict CSP (Content Security Policy) settings, the iframe might not display. You may need to whitelist Brainshark’s domain.
3.2. Use the “Rich Text” or “HTML” component (Lightning only)
For Lightning record pages or dashboards, you can use the out-of-the-box “Rich Text” or “HTML” component to drop in your iframe.
- Edit the Lightning Page layout.
- Drag the “Rich Text” or “Custom HTML” component.
- Paste the iframe code.
Simple, but... This is quick, but you have less control over sizing and dynamic logic. Also, not all Salesforce orgs allow iframes in these components—you might see “content can’t be displayed” errors.
3.3. Use a Custom Lightning Web Component (for advanced use)
If you want deep integration—like showing different presentations based on record data—building a custom Lightning Web Component is best. But unless you have a dev handy, this is overkill for most teams.
Step 4: Handle authentication and permissions
Here’s where most embedding projects go sideways.
- If your Brainshark presentation is public: No extra steps. Anyone can see it inside Salesforce.
- If it’s private: Users must log in to Brainshark. If they’re not already authenticated, they’ll see a login screen inside the iframe. That’s ugly and confusing.
Workarounds:
- If your company uses Single Sign-On (SSO) for both Salesforce and Brainshark, users might pass through automatically—but don’t count on it. Test this in incognito mode to see what your users will actually experience.
- For high-security content, skip embedding and just link out with a big, obvious button.
Bottom line: Public presentations are smooth. Anything else is a support ticket magnet.
Step 5: Tweak layout and sizing for real-world use
Iframes and embedded content can look cramped or weird in Salesforce. Don’t just accept the defaults—tweak them.
- Set a reasonable height and width in your iframe code. 600px wide by 400px tall is usually a good starting point.
- Test in different browsers and on mobile. Salesforce Lightning can be picky about how it displays iframe content.
- Hide scroll bars if the presentation fits nicely; allow scrolling if users need to interact with the content.
Pro tip: Some Brainshark embeds include a lot of chrome (menus, logos, etc.). If your account allows, use “minimal” or “presentation-only” view modes to keep things clean.
Step 6: Test with real users—don’t trust admin view
Admins see things regular users never will. Make sure to:
- Test with a standard user profile. Permissions can break the embed, especially if Visualforce pages aren’t assigned correctly.
- Check SSO behavior. Log in as a new user and see if they’re prompted for Brainshark credentials.
- Get feedback on usability. Is the content readable? Do users know what they’re looking at?
Don’t skip this. It saves you way more time than it costs.
Step 7: Track usage (if you care about adoption)
If you want to know if people are actually watching your presentations:
- Brainshark’s own reporting will tell you who viewed the presentation—but only if they’re authenticated. Public embeds mean anonymous stats.
- Salesforce tracking: You can add a “Watched Presentation” checkbox, but unless you build a custom integration, this is manual and not very accurate.
- Don’t overcomplicate: If you just want to nudge adoption, a simple “Did you find this useful?” poll or a quick follow-up is usually enough.
What not to worry about
- Pixel-perfect embeds: Salesforce layouts change often. Don’t burn hours making things look flawless—just make sure it’s usable.
- Full-featured Brainshark inside Salesforce: Embedding is best for viewing, not for editing, reporting, or admin work.
- Automating everything: Unless you’ve got a dev team, keep your setup simple. Manual updates are fine for most orgs.
Troubleshooting common issues
- “Content can’t be displayed” errors: Check your org’s Content Security Policy settings. You may need to whitelist Brainshark’s domain.
- Login prompts: Double-check your Brainshark sharing settings. If you need authentication, SSO is your best bet.
- Weird formatting or scroll bars: Adjust the iframe’s height/width, or try a different embed method.
If you’re stuck, try embedding the Brainshark presentation on a plain HTML page outside Salesforce. If it doesn’t work there, the problem’s on Brainshark’s side.
Keep it simple and iterate
Embedding Brainshark in Salesforce isn’t rocket science, but it’s not “set and forget” either. Start with one presentation, test it with real users, and don’t go overboard on custom code unless you absolutely need it. The simpler your setup, the fewer headaches you’ll have later. If something breaks, it’s almost always permissions or browser security—not user error.
And, honestly, if users aren’t watching the content, embedding won’t fix that. Good content matters more than fancy embedding.
Need a reason to keep it simple? Every extra step you add is another thing to break during the next Salesforce update. Stick to what works, keep your users in the loop, and fix only what matters.
That’s it. Good luck—now go make your sales team actually see those presentations.