If you’re managing leads in Salesforce and tired of manual research or patchy data, you’ve probably looked at automating enrichment. That’s where Owler comes in—a business data provider that can fill in gaps about companies, competitors, and news. This guide is for anyone who wants to connect Owler to Salesforce without wasting a week on integration headaches, or worse, ending up with messy records that no one trusts.
You’ll get the no-nonsense steps to make the connection, practical advice about what works, and what to skip. Whether you’re a Salesforce admin, ops lead, or just the “tech person” on your sales team, this is for you.
Why bother integrating Owler with Salesforce?
Let’s be honest: Salesforce lead records are often half-baked. Sales reps don’t have time (or patience) to Google company details for every new contact. Owler promises up-to-date company info—think industry, headcount, funding, news—pushed straight into Salesforce. In theory, that means less busywork and more selling.
But only if you set things up right. Otherwise, you’ll just add another source of confusion or, worse, mess up your existing records. So, it’s worth doing this carefully.
Step 1: Get your ducks in a row
Before you even touch Salesforce or Owler, answer these questions:
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What data do you actually need?
Owler offers tons of fields—don’t import everything. Decide if you care about funding, revenue, competitor lists, or just the basics. -
Which Salesforce objects?
Most start with “Leads” and “Accounts.” Don’t try to enrich every custom object on day one. -
How will you handle existing data?
If your database is already a mess, enrichment could make it messier. Sketch out some rules (e.g., only fill blank fields, or always overwrite certain fields). -
Who owns this process?
Someone needs to monitor, tweak, and fix problems. Don’t pretend this will run itself.
Pro tip:
Start with a small pilot group—maybe just inbound leads or a single sales team. Roll out to everyone later, once you know what breaks.
Step 2: Choose your integration method
There’s no “official” Salesforce app from Owler (as of early 2024). You’ve got a few options, each with tradeoffs:
1. Third-party connectors
Platforms like Zapier, Tray.io, or Workato can bridge the gap. They’re easy to set up and don’t need much code.
- Pros:
- Fastest way to get started
- Lots of flexibility
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No need for deep Salesforce admin skills
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Cons:
- Can get expensive if you process lots of leads
- Sometimes limits on how much data you can sync
- You’re at the mercy of the connector’s uptime and support
Honest take:
If you don’t have dev resources, start here. Just watch your usage tiers and costs—they add up fast.
2. Custom API integration
Both Salesforce and Owler have APIs. You can build a script or middleware that pulls from Owler and pushes into Salesforce.
- Pros:
- Ultimate control
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Can handle any weird logic or mapping you want
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Cons:
- Needs serious developer time
- Maintenance is on you
- API changes can break things
Honest take:
Worth it for bigger teams, or if you need to map data in a very specific way. For most, it’s overkill at the start.
3. Manual CSV import/export
Yes, it’s old school. Download data from Owler, massage it in Excel, and upload to Salesforce.
- Pros:
- No integration needed
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Great for a one-time cleanup or pilot
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Cons:
- Not scalable
- Easy to make mistakes
- Out-of-date as soon as you upload
Honest take:
Fine for a one-off, but don’t rely on this for ongoing enrichment.
Step 3: Map your fields (and don’t go overboard)
The biggest mess comes from just syncing every field “because it’s there.” More data isn’t better if no one uses it.
Recommended fields to map:
- Company name (double-check for duplicates!)
- Industry
- Headcount range
- Revenue (if available and relevant)
- Website
- Key executives (if your team actually uses this)
- Recent news or funding events (but maybe just as a note or custom object)
Fields to think twice about:
- Competitor lists (these change constantly and can clutter records)
- Social media links (does anyone use them in Salesforce?)
- Vague tags or categories
Pro tip:
If your reps ignore a field now, they won’t start using it just because it came from Owler. Stick to what fits your workflow.
Step 4: Set up your sync rules
Decide how and when data flows. This matters more than you think.
- Frequency:
- Real-time (as leads are created)?
- Nightly batch?
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Only when a rep asks for it?
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Overwrite or fill blanks?
- Overwrite: Keeps data “fresh” but can destroy useful manual entries
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Fill blanks only: Less risky, but can leave out-of-date info intact
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Notify someone on errors?
- Set up email or Slack alerts for failed syncs. Otherwise, you’ll find out when a rep is annoyed.
Honest take:
Start with “fill blanks only” and batch syncs. Real-time is tempting, but unless you have perfect data, it causes more problems than it solves.
Step 5: Test, watch, and tweak
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Run a sample:
Try with 10-20 records first. Check for duplicate companies, weird mappings, or fields that get mangled. -
Ask users for feedback:
Sales reps will spot junk data or missing info faster than any admin. -
Monitor for issues:
Set up simple dashboards or reports to spot spikes in errors, duplicate records, or missing enrichment. -
Tweak field mappings and rules:
Don’t be afraid to drop fields that cause more hassle than value.
Pro tip:
Keep a changelog of what you tweak. You’ll thank yourself when something breaks six months from now.
What to ignore (for now)
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Full auto-enrichment on every object:
Resist the urge to enrich every custom object or old record. Start with new leads/accounts. -
Exotic custom field mapping:
Don’t build a Rube Goldberg machine. If a mapping is too complex, rethink if you need it. -
Every data source:
Owler’s great for company info, but don’t try to combine it with three other enrichment tools right away. Get one working first.
Real-world pitfalls to watch out for
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Duplicate records:
If your matching logic is weak, you’ll end up with “Acme Inc” and “Acme Incorporated” as two companies. Tweak your deduplication settings. -
Stale data:
Owler is good, but not perfect. Cross-check key fields (like revenue or headcount) if accuracy is critical. -
API limits and costs:
Salesforce and Owler both have limits. If you sync 10,000 records a day, you’ll hit them fast—watch usage. -
Data privacy:
Be aware of what info you’re importing, especially if your org has compliance requirements.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple and iterate
You don’t need a perfect system out of the gate. The best integrations are the ones people use, not the ones with every possible field mapped. Start small, watch for problems, and tweak as you go.
If you’re stuck, ask your sales team what info actually helps them sell. Skip the rest. That, and a little patience, will get you a lot further than any “seamless” integration pitch.