If you're running sales with Salesforce and your team is also living in Salesloft, you know the pain of bouncing between tabs, copy-pasting, and wondering if your data is ever actually in sync. This guide walks you through integrating the two so your workflow is smoother and less error-prone. Whether you're ops, sales, or just the person stuck setting it up, this is for you.
Why bother integrating Salesforce and Salesloft?
Let’s be real: Most sales teams are already drowning in tools. But if you’re using both Salesforce and Salesloft, connecting them isn’t just a “nice to have.” It cuts down on manual work, keeps your records tidy, and (if you set it up right) means less time nagging reps to update CRM fields.
But: Don’t expect a miracle. No integration will magically fix bad data or a broken process. This is about making things easier, not perfect.
Step 1: Know what syncs—and what doesn’t
Before you touch any settings, get clear on what actually syncs between Salesforce and Salesloft. This is where most headaches start.
What typically syncs well: - Leads, Contacts, and Accounts (basic info) - Activities: calls, emails, notes - Some custom fields (with work) - Opportunity data (sort of—see below)
Where it gets messy: - Custom objects (not natively supported) - Complex field mappings (e.g., picklists, multi-selects) - Opportunity sync is often read-only or doesn’t cover all custom fields - Attachments and files
Pro tip: Make a list of what your team truly needs to sync. Don’t just turn everything on—syncing too much can slow things down or create data spaghetti.
Step 2: Prep your Salesforce org
Before you connect anything, tidy up Salesforce. If your data is a mess, the integration will only make it messier.
Checklist: - Make sure Leads, Contacts, and Accounts have unique, valid emails. - Standardize key fields (picklist values, phone formats). - Clean up duplicates. (Use Salesforce Duplicate Management if you have it.) - Decide which Salesforce users should be linked to Salesloft. Not everyone needs access.
Why this matters: Salesloft will match and sync based on email addresses and record IDs. If those aren’t right, you’ll get duplicates or “ghost” records.
Step 3: Set up Salesloft’s Salesforce Connector
Now, let’s actually connect the two systems.
- Get admin access in both Salesforce and Salesloft. If you’re not an admin, get someone who is.
- In Salesloft, go to Admin > Integrations > Salesforce.
- Click “Connect to Salesforce.” You’ll be asked to log in and authorize Salesloft.
- Choose the right Salesforce environment (Production or Sandbox).
- Grant permissions—Salesloft needs access to read/write standard objects.
- Review sync settings. Decide what syncs automatically, what’s manual, and which direction data flows.
- Contacts/Leads: Usually two-way sync.
- Accounts: Often one-way, from Salesforce to Salesloft.
- Opportunities: Usually view-only in Salesloft.
Honest tip: Don’t just click “sync all.” Start with a small test group (a few users or a sample of records), see what happens, and tweak before rolling out.
Step 4: Map your fields
This is where integrations live or die. Get your field mapping wrong, and you’ll have frustrated reps and weird data everywhere.
How to do it: - In Salesloft, you can map Salesforce fields to Salesloft fields. - Start with the basics: First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone. - Add any custom fields your team actually uses. Ignore fields nobody cares about. - Watch out for mismatched field types (e.g., Salesforce picklist to Salesloft text). - Set which fields sync one-way vs. two-way.
Common mistakes to avoid: - Mapping fields you don’t use (clutters up the UI and slows sync). - Overlapping syncs (e.g., syncing the same field both ways—can cause overwrites). - Forgetting about required fields in Salesforce (missing data can break the sync).
Pro tip: Document your mappings in a shared doc. If something breaks, you’ll want a record of what you changed.
Step 5: Test with real data, not just test records
It’s tempting to use fake records, but nothing beats testing with a few real Leads or Contacts (get permission first). Here’s how:
- Pick a few real Salesforce records and sync them to Salesloft.
- Make updates in Salesloft (e.g., log a call, update a phone number). Check if those changes appear in Salesforce.
- Do the same in reverse: update Salesforce, see what shows in Salesloft.
- Try creating a new record in Salesloft—does it show up in Salesforce?
What to look for: - Are all the fields coming over correctly? - Any duplicate records showing up? - Is data being overwritten unexpectedly?
If you spot issues: - Double-check your field mappings. - Look for duplicate emails or missing required fields. - Check integration logs for errors (both platforms have them, if you dig a bit).
Step 6: Roll out to the team (slowly)
Don’t flip the switch for everyone at once. Roll it out in phases:
- Start with a pilot group—usually a few sales reps who are willing to experiment.
- Get their feedback: Is the sync working? Anything missing? Any weirdness?
- Fix issues before adding more users.
- Train the team on what’s new—especially how to handle synced fields, and what’s changed in their workflow.
Real talk: People will ignore new features unless you show them why it matters. A 10-minute demo beats a 30-page PDF.
Step 7: Maintain and troubleshoot
Integrations aren’t “set it and forget it.” Stuff breaks. Here’s what to watch for:
- Sync errors: Check error logs weekly. You’ll catch issues before they snowball.
- Field changes: If you add or remove fields in Salesforce, update your mappings.
- User permissions: New hires won’t sync if they’re not set up with the right permissions.
- API limits: If you’re syncing a ton of data, Salesforce API limits can get in the way.
If things do go sideways: - Salesloft’s built-in support is okay, but you’ll get faster answers from user forums and their help docs. - Sometimes, disconnecting and reconnecting the integration fixes weird sync issues (the classic “turn it off and on again”).
What’s not worth your time
- Trying to sync every single field: More fields = more things to break.
- Over-customizing: The more you tweak, the harder it is to upgrade or troubleshoot.
- Assuming the integration will “fix” your data: Bad data in = bad data out. Clean it up first.
Keep it simple, iterate as you go
Integrating Salesforce and Salesloft can save your team hours—if you keep it simple and don’t try to automate every little thing from day one. Start small, document what you do, and improve as you go. Don’t let “perfect” get in the way of “better than it was.” If you hit roadblocks, ask for help and remember: You’re not the first person to wrestle with these tools.