If you’re tired of bouncing between Cheapinboxes and your CRM, copying stuff by hand, or dealing with missing contacts, this one’s for you. Integrating these tools isn’t rocket science, but it’s not always as seamless as the sales pages claim, either. I’ll walk you through what actually works, what to watch out for, and how to keep things running without losing your mind (or your data).
This guide is for anyone who wants their CRM and Cheapinboxes to talk to each other—without a mess of duplicate contacts or endless manual cleanup. Whether you’re running sales, support, or just trying to keep your lists in sync, you’ll find something useful here.
What is Cheapinboxes—and Why Bother Integrating?
First things first: Cheapinboxes is a budget-friendly email and messaging platform. Maybe you use it for sending campaigns, managing replies, or just wrangling a bunch of inboxes. On its own, Cheapinboxes is fine, but if your sales or support team lives in a CRM, switching back and forth is a pain. Worse, leads and conversations can get lost in the shuffle.
Connecting Cheapinboxes to your CRM means:
- Contacts, emails, and notes stay updated in both places
- No more CSV imports (or at least, way fewer)
- Less double entry, fewer mistakes
But—here’s the catch—not all integrations are created equal. Some are plug-and-play, some need a little duct tape, and some aren’t worth the hassle. Let’s cut through it.
Step 1: Map Out What You Actually Need to Sync
Don’t just hook up everything because you can. Decide what really matters:
- Which direction? Do you want data to sync one way (Cheapinboxes → CRM), both ways, or just certain fields?
- What data? Just new contacts? Full conversation history? Custom fields?
- How often? Real-time? Hourly? Once a day?
Write this down. It’ll save you a ton of headaches when settings start to blur together.
Pro tip: If you only need new leads pushed into your CRM, skip anything that offers “full bi-directional sync”—it’s often slower and more error-prone.
Step 2: Check for a Native Integration First
Before you fire up Zapier or start coding, look for a built-in connector. Here’s how:
- CRM App Store/Marketplace: Search for “Cheapinboxes” in your CRM’s integrations section.
- Cheapinboxes Integrations Page: Check if your CRM is listed as a supported platform.
- Support Docs: Sometimes the only “integration” is a CSV export, but you won’t know until you check.
Reality check: As of mid-2024, Cheapinboxes has native integrations with some popular CRMs (like HubSpot and Zoho), but not all. If you’re using Salesforce, Pipedrive, or something more niche, you’ll probably need a workaround.
If You Find a Native Integration
- Click “Connect” and follow the prompts.
- You’ll usually have to log in to both accounts and approve permissions.
- Double-check what data will sync and if you can customize field mapping.
What’s good: Native integrations are usually the least buggy and easiest to support. What’s not: They might be limited—sometimes only contacts sync, not emails or notes.
Step 3: Use a Third-Party Automation Tool (Zapier, Make, etc.)
If there’s no native integration, automation tools like Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), or Pabbly can bridge the gap. Here’s how:
1. Sign Up or Log In
- Make sure you’ve got admin access to both Cheapinboxes and your CRM.
- Set up free trials if needed (just watch those task limits).
2. Set Up Your Trigger and Action
- Trigger: Usually “New Email Received” or “New Contact” in Cheapinboxes.
- Action: “Create/Update Contact” or “Add Note” in your CRM.
3. Map Your Fields
- Line up fields so data lands where it should (e.g., Cheapinboxes “Email” → CRM “Email”).
- Watch out for custom fields—these can break automations if not mapped right.
4. Test It
- Send yourself a test email or contact.
- Check both systems—did everything show up where it’s supposed to?
- Fix any weirdness before going live.
5. Turn On and Monitor
- Don’t just “set and forget.” Monitor for duplicates, missing data, or errors for the first week.
- Some CRMs have limits on API calls—too many syncs can lock you out.
What’s good: Tons of flexibility, usually works with most major CRMs. What’s not: Can get expensive fast if you have lots of contacts or emails. Also, if one tool changes its API, your Zap might break without warning.
Step 4: Consider a Custom Integration (When Nothing Else Works)
If you need something really custom—like syncing attachments, tracking reply status, or mapping weird custom fields—sometimes you have to build it yourself or hire a developer. Here’s what that looks like:
- APIs: Both Cheapinboxes and your CRM need to have solid APIs. Read their docs carefully—don’t assume every feature is exposed.
- Authentication: Use OAuth if possible, or API keys stored securely.
- Error Handling: Plan for what happens if a sync fails—will it retry? Alert you?
- Maintenance: APIs change all the time. Someone needs to keep an eye on this.
Honest take: Unless you have a real business case (think: unique workflows, high volume, compliance needs), avoid custom builds. They’re expensive, and you’ll end up on the hook for maintenance.
Step 5: Clean Up Your Data (Seriously)
Integrating two platforms is a great way to discover just how messy your data is. Before you turn on any sync:
- Deduplicate contacts in both Cheapinboxes and your CRM.
- Standardize field formats (e.g., phone numbers, names).
- Archive or delete old, inactive contacts if possible.
Pro tip: Run a small sync with a test group before you let it loose on your whole database. It’s way easier to fix a handful of records than thousands.
Step 6: Set Up Ongoing Monitoring and Error Alerts
Integration isn’t a “set it and forget it” job. Things break—APIs change, tokens expire, someone changes a field name. Protect yourself:
- Enable error alerts in Zapier/Make—get notified if a sync fails.
- Schedule regular checks (weekly or monthly) to spot duplicates or missing data.
- Document your setup so you remember how things work a month from now.
Reality check: Even the best integrations fail sometimes. Have a plan for when (not if) that happens.
What (and Who) to Ignore
- Ignore “one-click” integrations that don’t let you map fields or customize sync—these usually create more work than they save.
- Don’t trust sales demos that gloss over real-world edge cases (like duplicate contacts or unsupported custom fields).
- Skip tools that lock you into annual plans before you’ve tested them with your actual data.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate as You Go
You don’t need the fanciest, most “real-time” sync to get serious value from connecting Cheapinboxes and your CRM. Start with the basics—contacts, maybe email history. Get that running smoothly, then layer on more if you need it.
Simple beats perfect. The fewer moving parts, the less can break. And if something does go sideways (it will, eventually), you’ll be glad you kept things easy to fix.
If you’re stuck, try pushing just one type of data (like new contacts) before syncing everything. Iterate, see what works, and build from there. You’ll thank yourself later.