If you’re drowning in lead data between Salesforce and your marketing tools, you’re not alone. Most teams juggle spreadsheets, emails, and manual updates just to keep sales and marketing on the same page. This guide is for anyone who wants to cut through the mess and actually make Salesforce play nice with Proof—no more patchwork solutions or lost leads.
Here’s how to connect the dots, what to watch out for, and some honest advice on what’s worth your time.
Why bother integrating Salesforce and Proof?
Let’s get real: Salesforce is powerful, but it’s not exactly plug-and-play when it comes to outside tools. Proof (the marketing attribution and automation platform) promises to help you track what’s working, sync leads, and automate handoffs. But if you’re manually exporting CSVs or copy-pasting data, you’re missing the point—and wasting hours.
Integrating the two means: - New leads from Proof show up in Salesforce automatically. - Lead updates flow both ways—no more double entry or “Is this info up to date?” - You get a clearer picture of what’s actually driving sales.
If you’re happy with spreadsheets, skip this. If you want to automate and actually trust your data, keep going.
Before You Start: What You’ll Need
Don’t jump in blind. Here’s what you’ll want to have on hand:
- Salesforce admin access: You’ll need to add apps and set permissions.
- Proof admin access: Someone who can create API keys or set up integrations.
- A clear idea of your lead flow: Know what info you want to sync. Job titles? Campaign source? Don’t try to sync everything—start simple.
- A test lead: Never test on real customers.
Pro tip: Map out (on paper or whiteboard) how you want leads to move between Proof and Salesforce. It’ll save you headaches later.
Step 1: Connect Proof to Salesforce
Most folks use Proof’s built-in Salesforce integration. If your plan doesn’t include it, check with Proof support—don't try to hack around with Zapier unless you’re desperate.
Here’s the usual process:
- Log in to Proof as an admin.
- Go to Integrations in the settings menu.
- Find Salesforce and hit “Connect.”
- Authorize Salesforce: You’ll be prompted to log in to Salesforce and approve access. Make sure you use an admin account, or you’ll hit permission roadblocks later.
- Set up sync direction: Decide if you want info to flow one way (Proof → Salesforce), or both ways. Start with one way to avoid surprises.
If you see any weird permission errors, check if Salesforce’s API access is enabled for your user profile. This trips up a lot of people.
Step 2: Map Your Fields—Don’t Just Click “Sync All”
This is where most integrations go off the rails. Both tools have different field names, picklists, and required values.
- Map only the fields you need. Focus on basics: name, email, phone, lead source, and campaign. Don’t try to sync every custom field out of the gate.
- Match picklist values. If Salesforce has “Webinar” and Proof has “Online Event,” decide which wins. Mismatched values = failed syncs.
- Set up default values. If Proof sends a field Salesforce doesn’t have, decide what happens. Default to “Other” or “Unknown” for now.
Pro tip: Take screenshots of your mappings. When things break later (they will), you’ll thank yourself.
Step 3: Test With a Dummy Lead
Test before you unleash this on your real pipeline.
- Create a test lead in Proof. Use a fake name and email (like test_lead@example.com).
- Check Salesforce. The lead should appear in your Leads tab within a few minutes.
- Edit the lead in both systems. Change a field (like phone number) in Proof. Wait, then check Salesforce. Then try editing in Salesforce, see if it goes back to Proof (if you set up two-way sync).
- Look for errors. If something didn’t sync, check the integration logs in Proof. Most errors are about permissions, missing required fields, or field mismatches.
Don’t skip this. Nothing’s more embarrassing than telling your boss the integration is live—and then half the leads go missing.
Step 4: Set Up Automation (But Start Simple)
This is where you can save time, but also where things get messy if you overdo it.
- Basic automations to try:
- Assign new Proof-synced leads to a specific Salesforce owner or queue.
- Trigger Salesforce workflows (like sending a welcome email) when a lead comes in from Proof.
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Update lead status automatically based on Proof activities.
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Avoid these pitfalls:
- Don’t set up dozens of automations on day one. Start with one or two, see what breaks.
- Watch out for infinite loops—if Salesforce updates Proof, which updates Salesforce, you could get stuck in a sync cycle.
Pro tip: Keep a change log. Write down what automation rules you set up and when. You’ll need it when troubleshooting.
Step 5: Monitor and Maintain Your Integration
This isn’t a “set it and forget it” situation. Integrations break—APIs change, someone changes permissions, a field gets renamed.
- Check sync logs weekly. Proof and Salesforce both keep logs. Glance through for errors or failed records.
- Audit field mappings monthly. As your process changes, update what you sync.
- Train your team. Sales and marketing should know what happens behind the scenes. If they don’t trust the data, they’ll revert to spreadsheets.
If you notice inconsistent data or missing leads, fix it right away. Broken integrations do more harm than no integration.
What Actually Works—and What Doesn’t
Let’s be honest: No integration is perfect. Here’s what’s worth your time and what’s not.
Works well: - New lead syncs (Proof → Salesforce) are usually reliable. - Basic field mapping is straightforward if you keep it simple. - Automating lead assignment or notifications saves time.
Pain points: - Custom objects or non-standard fields in Salesforce can break things. - Two-way sync can get weird fast—especially if both teams edit fields. - Reporting is still tricky. You’ll get better attribution, but don’t expect a magic dashboard right away.
Ignore for now: - Fancy multi-object automations. Unless you have a full-time admin, stick to leads and contacts. - Syncing every single field. You’ll just create noise—focus on must-haves.
Keep It Simple, Iterate as You Go
You don’t have to get it perfect on day one. The best integrations are the ones people actually use—not the ones with every bell and whistle. Start with the basics, make sure it works, and improve from there.
Tweak your process as you see what breaks (and what actually helps your team). Keep documentation of what you set up. And remember: If it feels like too much work to maintain, it probably is.
Connecting Salesforce and Proof should make your life easier, not harder. Stick to what matters, and don’t be afraid to leave the fancy stuff for later.