If you’re running sales or marketing and you actually want your gifting data to show up in Salesforce (without babysitting CSVs or nagging your team), this guide’s for you. Integrating Alyce—the corporate gifting platform—with Salesforce isn’t exactly plug-and-play, but it’s not rocket science either. I’ll walk you through the setup, flag what actually matters, and call out some gotchas that can trip you up.
Let’s get your Alyce gifts syncing to Salesforce, so you can stop double-entering data and finally have reporting that doesn’t make you wince.
Why bother integrating Alyce with Salesforce?
If you’re reading this, you probably already know the pitch: Alyce sends gifts, Salesforce tracks your pipeline. But here’s the honest truth—if your Alyce data just floats in its own silo, you’re missing the bigger picture. Integrating the two means:
- Gift activity shows up with your contacts and opportunities. No more guessing who got what, when.
- You can actually report on ROI. Did those $50 coffee cards move the needle or not?
- Less manual work. No more “Who sent that?” Slack messages or copy-pasting notes.
But don’t expect magic. Even with the integration, your data’s only as good as your setup and your team’s discipline.
Step 1: Prep your Salesforce (Don’t skip this)
Before you start clicking “Connect,” make sure your Salesforce org is ready. Otherwise, you’ll be chasing error messages later.
What you actually need:
- Admin access to Salesforce. If you’re not the admin, get them on board now.
- Permission to install packages and create custom fields/objects.
- A clear idea of where you want Alyce data to land. (Leads, Contacts, Opportunities, or custom objects?)
Pro tip:
If your Salesforce is locked down tighter than Fort Knox, get your IT or RevOps folks involved early. Integration breaks down fast if you’re stuck waiting on permissions.
Step 2: Set up your Alyce account for integration
Not all Alyce plans include Salesforce integration. Check your contract or ask Alyce support before you waste time hunting for a missing button.
- Log in to Alyce as an admin.
- Go to “Integrations” in the Alyce dashboard.
- Look for Salesforce (sometimes called “CRM Integration”).
- If it’s missing, reach out to Alyce support. They’re usually quick, but don’t expect miracles on a Friday afternoon.
Step 3: Install the Alyce Salesforce App (Managed Package)
Alyce provides a managed package for Salesforce. This is their official way to get the two systems talking.
- Get the install link from Alyce’s integration page or support.
- Make sure you get the right version (Classic vs. Lightning—don’t assume they’re the same).
- Install the package in Salesforce.
- Choose “Install for Admins Only” first. You can open it up to users later.
- Approve third-party access when prompted. Alyce needs this to sync data.
Heads up:
Salesforce will throw warnings about new objects and fields. Read them (at least skim)—this stuff will show up in your org. If you’re running a heavily customized Salesforce, check with your admin before you hit “Install.”
Step 4: Connect Alyce to Salesforce
Now it’s time to actually link the two.
- In Alyce, go back to “Integrations” and follow the prompt to connect to Salesforce.
- You’ll be redirected to Salesforce to log in and grant permissions. Use a dedicated integration user if you have one—don’t use your CEO’s account (seriously).
- Approve all requested permissions. Alyce will ask for broad access, but it’s necessary for the sync to work.
What Alyce syncs:
- Gift invitations (who sent, who received, what gift)
- Gift statuses (sent, accepted, declined, etc.)
- Some user activity
You can usually choose what records Alyce creates or updates in Salesforce (e.g., Leads, Contacts). Think about your reporting before you pick—changing later is painful.
Step 5: Map Alyce fields to Salesforce objects
This is the step most people gloss over, but it’s where integrations succeed or fail.
- Alyce will drop some default fields onto your records (like “Last Alyce Gift Sent”).
- You can customize which fields get mapped to which objects. Do this thoughtfully.
- If you track gifting at the Opportunity level, map there.
- If you just want to see gifting history on Contacts, focus there.
Pitfalls to avoid: - Mapping Alyce data to the wrong object (e.g., putting gift data on Leads when your reps mostly work Opportunities). - Overloading your Salesforce with every possible Alyce field—keep it simple. - Forgetting to update page layouts so your team can actually see the new fields.
Pro tip:
Run a test by sending yourself a gift and make sure it lands where you expect in Salesforce. Nothing’s worse than realizing the data’s buried somewhere nobody looks.
Step 6: Test the integration… for real
Don’t trust the “Connection Successful!” banner. Test the actual workflow.
Here’s what to check:
- Send a gift from Alyce to a test contact.
- Watch Salesforce: Does the new gift record show up? Are the fields correct? Is the status updating as the gift is accepted or declined?
- Try a few use cases: Gifts to Contacts vs. Leads, gifts tied to an Opportunity, etc.
What breaks: - Permissions. If the integration user can’t write to certain objects, nothing syncs. - Record types. If you have custom record types, Alyce might not know where to put data. - Field visibility. If your team can’t see Alyce fields, they’ll ignore the whole integration.
Step 7: Roll it out to your team (without a revolt)
Once it works, you need people to actually use it. Keep it simple.
- Update your Salesforce page layouts. Show Alyce fields where your team lives.
- Explain (briefly) what’s new. “Now you’ll see Alyce gift activity right here.”
- Set expectations. Alyce syncs pretty quickly (within a few minutes), but it’s not instant.
- Who to bug if it breaks? Make sure your team knows who owns the integration—ideally, not you forever.
Step 8: Monitor and maintain (don’t set and forget)
Integrations need babysitting, especially early on.
- Check sync logs in Alyce and Salesforce regularly. Look for failed syncs or errors.
- Spot-check records every week or two. Make sure data’s flowing where it should.
- Document your setup. If someone else takes over, they’ll thank you.
Watch out for: - Salesforce schema changes. If someone changes a field or object, your integration might break. - Alyce updates. They don’t break stuff often, but when they do, you want to know.
What actually works (and what doesn’t)
What’s solid: - Alyce’s packaged integration is pretty reliable once set up. - You’ll get the basics: gift activity, statuses, sender/recipient info.
What’s not perfect: - Customization is limited. Don’t expect Alyce to handle every Salesforce quirk or custom workflow. - Reporting is on you. Alyce gives you data, but you need to build your own dashboards for real insights. - It’s not truly “real time.” Expect a few minutes of lag.
What you can ignore: - Overly complicated workflows. Start simple—add bells and whistles later if you really need them. - Trying to track every Alyce event. Focus on the fields that matter for your team.
Keep it simple, and iterate
Getting Alyce and Salesforce to talk isn’t magic, but it does take some care. Don’t overthink it—get the basics working, make sure your team can see (and use) the data, and improve from there. If something breaks, it’s usually permissions or field mapping, not black magic.
Good integrations don’t make more work—they just let you get back to selling (or marketing, or whatever you actually want to do). Start small, check your work, and keep things as simple as possible. That’s how you win.