If you’re stuck managing contracts in ten different places, you’ve probably realized: Salesforce is great for sales, but it’s not built for contract management. Meanwhile, Agiloft can handle complex contracts, but it doesn’t know what’s happening in your sales pipeline unless you tell it. This guide is for admins, ops folks, and anyone who actually has to make these systems talk to each other—without losing their mind.
Let’s walk through the real-world steps to connect Agiloft and Salesforce, cleanly and reliably. I’ll flag what actually works, what’s a waste of time, and how to avoid a mess down the line.
Why Bother Integrating Agiloft and Salesforce?
Here’s the short version:
- No more double entry. Sales reps don’t have to copy-paste details from Salesforce into Agiloft.
- Contracts move faster. As soon as a deal hits “Closed-Won,” legal gets the info they need.
- Better reporting. You get one version of the truth—no more “Which system is right?”
But don’t expect magic. Integrations solve a lot, but they also add moving parts. If you set it up right, though, you’ll save hours every week and avoid a ton of headaches.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You Actually Need
Before you start fiddling with connectors or APIs, figure out what you want the integration to do. Start by answering these:
- What triggers a new contract? Is it when an Opportunity is Closed-Won in Salesforce? Or when a custom field is filled out?
- What data needs to flow? Just contact and deal info? Or details like pricing, products, custom terms?
- Is it one-way or two-way sync? Do you only need Salesforce to push info to Agiloft, or should contract status flow back into Salesforce?
- Who owns what? If there’s a conflict, which system is the source of truth?
Pro Tip: Don’t try to sync everything “just in case.” Start with the 2-3 fields you actually need. You can always add more later.
Step 2: Check What Tools You’re Working With
Both Agiloft and Salesforce have APIs, but that doesn’t mean you have to become a developer. Here are your main options:
- Agiloft’s Salesforce Integration Module: Agiloft offers a built-in Salesforce integration (if you’ve licensed it). It’s pretty slick for standard use cases, but can be limiting if you want to do anything fancy.
- Third-party iPaaS tools: Platforms like Zapier, Workato, or MuleSoft can bridge the gap if you want to avoid custom code. They’re great for prototyping but can get pricey at scale.
- Custom API Integration: If you’ve got a dev team, you can hook directly into Agiloft’s REST API and Salesforce’s API for maximum control. This is powerful, but can easily become a maintenance nightmare if you’re not careful.
What actually works? For most companies, Agiloft’s built-in module is the fastest route. Only reach for custom code if you’ve got unique requirements and the resources to support it.
Step 3: Set Up the Connection
Let’s assume you’re using Agiloft’s Salesforce Integration Module—because, honestly, that’s what most people do unless they have a big IT budget.
3.1 Prep Your Salesforce Environment
- Get a dedicated integration user. Don’t use someone’s personal login. Create a user just for Agiloft—this prevents surprises when someone leaves the company.
- Check API access. Your Salesforce edition needs API access (Enterprise or higher, usually). If you’re on Professional, you might be out of luck.
- Decide on permissions. The integration user only needs access to the objects and fields you’re syncing. Don’t give it the keys to the kingdom.
3.2 Prep Agiloft
- Enable the Salesforce Integration module. You’ll need admin rights in Agiloft and the Integration module licensed.
- Configure Salesforce credentials. Enter your Salesforce integration user’s credentials and security token in Agiloft.
- Map fields. Decide which Salesforce fields map to which Agiloft fields. Don’t get fancy until the basics work.
3.3 Test Basic Connectivity
- Run a test connection. Both systems should offer a “Test Connection” button. If it fails, double-check credentials, permissions, and network/firewall settings.
- Sync a single record. Start small. Push one Opportunity from Salesforce to Agiloft and see if it lands where you expect.
What to ignore: Don’t worry about syncing every custom field or automating every edge case on day one. If the basics don’t work, you’ll just tangle yourself up further.
Step 4: Decide When and How Data Moves
This is where most integrations go sideways. There are two main approaches:
- Real-time sync: Every time something changes in Salesforce, it updates Agiloft immediately.
- Scheduled sync: Data moves in batches, say every hour or night.
Honest take: Real-time sounds nice, but it’s overkill for most contract workflows. Scheduled syncs are more reliable and less likely to cause weird data issues. Go real-time only if you have a real business need (like contracts that need to go out the door in minutes).
Step 5: Map and Transform Your Data
Field mapping sounds simple, but it’s where most headaches happen.
- Keep it simple. Start with the must-haves—deal name, contact, value, and date.
- Watch out for picklists and custom fields. If Salesforce uses different values than Agiloft, you’ll need to set up translations or rules.
- Test edge cases. What happens if a field is blank? Or if someone enters weird characters?
Pro Tips:
- Document your mappings. Seriously, write them down. You’ll forget what you did in six months.
- Don’t sync attachments right away. They’re a pain to handle and rarely urgent. Add them later if you need to.
Step 6: Build and Test Your Workflows
Now for the real test: Does the integration actually do what you need?
- Mock a real deal. Move an Opportunity through your actual sales process and see if Agiloft gets the right info at the right time.
- Check for duplicates and overwrites. Make sure you’re not creating two contracts for one deal, or wiping out important info.
- Try error cases. What if someone closes a deal without a contact? Does the sync fail gracefully, or just break?
What doesn’t work: Relying on “happy path” testing. Real users will do weird things. Try to break your integration before your sales team does.
Step 7: Train Your Team—and Set Expectations
Even the best integration won’t fix bad processes. Tell your users:
- What fields must be filled out in Salesforce for contracts to generate.
- What will (and won’t) sync automatically.
- Who to contact if something gets stuck.
Short training videos or screenshots help, but keep it brief. Most people just want to know, “What do I need to do differently?”
Step 8: Monitor, Maintain, and Improve
You’re not done when it’s live. Integrations break—APIs change, fields get renamed, someone adds a new picklist value.
- Set up error alerts. Don’t wait for users to report issues. Make sure you get notified if the sync fails.
- Review logs weekly. Glance at integration logs for errors or skipped records.
- Iterate slowly. Only add new fields or workflows after the basics have run smoothly for a while.
Ignore the urge to automate everything. Most teams only need a handful of fields to sync. The more you automate, the more you have to maintain.
Realistic Pros and Cons
What works well: - Basic Opportunity-to-contract workflows - Keeping key fields in sync - Saving time (once it’s stable)
What’s a pain: - Handling attachments and custom objects - Heavy customization (unless you have dev resources) - Real-time syncs can be brittle
Not worth the hassle (for most): - Trying to mirror your entire Salesforce schema in Agiloft - Over-complicating approval steps with triggers in both systems
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Start with the basics, get a simple integration working, and watch how people actually use it. You can always add more bells and whistles later—but if you try to do everything at once, you’ll end up with a fragile mess.
Remember: Your goal isn’t to build the world’s fanciest integration. It’s to save your team time, reduce errors, and make contract management less painful. Simple, stable, and well-documented always beats “clever.” And if all else fails, don’t be afraid to call support—they’ve seen it all before.