Sales ops folks, enablement managers, and anyone wrangling sales tools: you want your reps trained and productive without jumping between tabs all day. Integrating Lessonly with Salesforce promises to make that happen. In theory, your training lives right where your sales team works. In practice, the setup can be a little bumpy if you don’t know what to expect.
This guide will walk you through the entire integration: what you get, how to set it up, and where things can go sideways. I’ll also call out what’s genuinely useful—and what you can safely ignore.
Why connect Lessonly and Salesforce?
Here’s the pitch: by bringing training content into Salesforce, you make it easier for reps to access what they need, when they need it. No more “Where’s that deck?” or “How do I handle this objection?” moments. Instead, they get targeted lessons and certifications tied to their actual sales process.
What works: - Assigning onboarding or product refreshers based on pipeline stage. - Surfacing job aids and quick reference guides within Salesforce. - Tracking completion data in one place (for both managers and reps).
What doesn’t:
- This won’t magically make reps want to do training.
- Integration won’t fix bad content—if your lessons are dull, they’ll still be ignored.
- Expect some admin overhead: changes in Salesforce fields, users, or roles may need to be reflected in Lessonly.
If you’re clear-eyed about what you’re getting, it can be a big time saver.
Prerequisites and Setup Checklist
You’ll need a few things before you can start. Here’s the reality:
- Lessonly Pro or Enterprise plan (the Salesforce integration isn’t on basic tiers)
- Salesforce Enterprise Edition or higher (the API access is required)
- Salesforce admin access (you can’t delegate this; you need the keys)
- Lessonly admin access
- A clear idea of your training workflows — don’t just “turn it on.” Know what you want to assign, to whom, and when.
Pro Tip:
If you’re just exploring, use a Salesforce sandbox first. Don’t risk breaking your production org by experimenting.
Step 1: Enable the Lessonly Integration in Salesforce
Lessonly provides a managed package for Salesforce. Here’s how you get it set up:
- Download the Lessonly package
- Log into Lessonly as an admin.
- Go to your Admin > Integrations page.
-
Find the Salesforce Integration section and click the link to install the managed package.
-
Install the package in Salesforce
- Choose “Install for Admins Only” (you can add users later).
-
Wait for the installation to complete—sometimes it takes a couple of minutes.
-
Assign permissions
- Lessonly provides a permission set (usually called “Lessonly Integration User”)—assign this to whoever will manage the integration.
- Double-check object and field permissions. If you’re using custom objects or fields, you might need to tweak permissions manually.
Be honest:
The install process is usually smooth, but if your Salesforce org has a lot of customizations or tight security, you may hit snags. Keep your admin handy.
Step 2: Connect Lessonly and Salesforce
Now the two platforms need to talk to each other.
- In Lessonly, authenticate Salesforce
- Still in Admin > Integrations, start the Salesforce connection wizard.
- Authorize with your Salesforce admin credentials.
-
Decide if you’re connecting to Sandbox or Production. Don’t mix these up.
-
Set up sync settings
- Decide what user data you want synced. Most folks start with Name, Email, and Role.
-
Map your Salesforce fields to Lessonly user fields. If you use custom fields (like “Region” or “Segment”), map those too.
-
Test the connection
- Run a test sync for a handful of users.
- Check that data flows both ways.
- If you see errors, it’s usually a permissions issue or a field mismatch.
Heads up:
The integration is only as good as your data. If your Salesforce user records are messy or incomplete, you’ll see that mirrored in Lessonly.
Step 3: Decide What Triggers Assignments
This is where you make things actually useful. You can assign training based on Salesforce criteria—like stage changes, opportunity type, or user role.
Options: - Manual assignment: Managers assign lessons to reps as needed. - Automated assignment: Use Salesforce workflows or Process Builder to assign Lessonly content when certain criteria are met.
How to automate: - Use Salesforce Process Builder or Flows. - Set criteria (e.g., “Opportunity moves to Negotiation”). - Add an action to assign a specific Lessonly lesson or path.
Pro Tip:
Start simple. Don’t automate every little thing out of the gate. Pick the 1-2 highest-impact training moments—like onboarding or product launches—and automate those first.
Step 4: Surface Training in Salesforce
You want reps to see training in the context of their work—not buried in another tab.
Add the Lessonly Lightning Component: 1. In Salesforce, go to the Lightning App Builder. 2. Drag the Lessonly component onto the relevant page—Opportunity, Lead, Account, or even the Home page. 3. Configure which lessons or paths show up. You can use dynamic filters to show training relevant to the record (like product-specific content on a Product page).
What works:
- Contextual training, like objection handling tied to the current opportunity type.
- Quick links to job aids right where reps need them.
What doesn’t:
- Dumping every lesson on every page. That just creates noise and slows things down.
Step 5: Track Progress and Report in Salesforce
You can pull Lessonly completion data into Salesforce reports and dashboards.
Setup: - Use the custom objects that Lessonly’s package installs—usually “Lesson Completions” or similar. - Build Salesforce reports to track: - Who’s completed required training - Training completion vs. pipeline performance - Gaps in onboarding or certification
Reality check:
Lessonly’s out-of-the-box reporting is basic. If you want slick dashboards, you’ll need to build them yourself in Salesforce. But the data’s there.
Step 6: Maintain and Iterate
Integrations aren’t “set it and forget it.” Here’s what to keep an eye on:
- User changes: If you hire, fire, or move folks around in Salesforce, make sure the sync keeps up.
- Content updates: New product? Update your Lessonly paths and make sure assignments are still relevant.
- Integration health: Check logs for sync errors, especially after any big Salesforce changes (like a new field or object).
Pro Tip:
Set a quarterly calendar reminder to audit your integration. It’s easy for things to drift out of sync as your org evolves.
What to Ignore (for Now)
- Over-customizing: Fancy automations and edge-case triggers sound fun, but they’re a pain to maintain. Stick to what actually helps reps.
- Gamification: Badges and points are fine, but don’t expect them to drive real behavior change.
- Trying to replace your LMS: Lessonly is great for sales enablement, not for tracking compliance training or HR policies.
Wrapping Up
Connecting Lessonly with Salesforce can save your team a lot of clicks and hassle—if you keep it simple and focused. Start with your most critical training, automate where it actually makes a difference, and don’t try to boil the ocean on day one. Integration isn’t magic, but it’s a solid way to get reps the help they need, right where they already work. Make changes in small batches, watch for snags, and keep iterating. That’s how you actually get value out of these tools.