If you’re tired of wrangling spreadsheets, copy-pasting between apps, or watching contacts languish in one system while your sales data lives in another, you’re not alone. This guide is for folks who actually want SureConnect and Salesforce to talk to each other—no hand-waving, no “digital transformation” nonsense—so your contacts and opportunities sync reliably. Whether you’re an admin, a sales ops pro, or just “the person who gets stuck with integration projects,” this is for you.
Let’s get your data moving, not just sitting pretty in a demo.
Why Sync SureConnect with Salesforce at All?
If you’ve tried to keep contacts up to date in two systems, you know it’s a mess. Double entry, conflicting info, missed follow-ups—the usual headaches. Syncing SureConnect with Salesforce means:
- New leads from SureConnect show up in Salesforce (no more copy-paste).
- Updates in Salesforce push back to SureConnect.
- Opportunities don’t slip through the cracks between platforms.
You could keep doing it manually, but that’s the kind of busywork that kills your afternoon and your pipeline.
Before You Start: What You Need
Let’s keep this honest: not everyone can (or should) do this integration. Here’s what you really need:
- Admin access to Salesforce. If you don’t have it, get someone who does.
- A SureConnect account (preferably with integration/API access).
- Clear idea of what you want to sync (contacts, opportunities, both? One-way or two-way?).
- A few test records. Never sync your entire customer list on the first try.
Some SureConnect plans don’t include API or integration features. Check before you start, or you’ll waste an hour and a chunk of your sanity.
Step 1: Map Out What Should Sync (Don’t Skip This)
It’s tempting to jump right in, but syncing everything blindly is a great way to create duplicate records or overwrite good data with junk. Spend 10 minutes on this step—it’ll save you hours later.
- Which objects? Usually Contacts and Opportunities, but sometimes Leads, Accounts, or custom fields.
- Direction: Do you want changes from SureConnect to update Salesforce, and vice versa? Or just one way?
- Field mapping: Make a quick list—e.g., “SureConnect Contact Email” → “Salesforce Contact Email.”
Pro Tip: Start with just contacts. Once that works, add opportunities.
Step 2: Connect SureConnect to Salesforce
Most integrations boil down to two options: a built-in connector, or a third-party tool like Zapier, Tray.io, or Make/Integromat. Here’s the rundown:
Option 1: Use SureConnect’s Native Salesforce Integration
If your SureConnect plan includes direct Salesforce integration, this is usually the smoothest route.
- Log in to SureConnect.
- Go to Settings > Integrations > Salesforce.
- Click Connect and log in with your Salesforce admin account.
- Authorize access when prompted (read the details—don’t just click “Allow” if you’re not sure what it’s asking for).
- Choose which objects you want to sync (Contacts, Opportunities).
- Map the fields—don’t just accept the defaults unless you’ve checked them.
- Set the sync direction (one-way or two-way).
- Save and run a test sync with a few records.
What works: Native integrations are usually fastest and least buggy. Field mapping is often straightforward.
What doesn’t: If you need to sync custom fields, or want fine-grained control, native integrations can be limiting. Also, support can be hit-or-miss if something breaks.
Option 2: Use a Third-Party Integration Tool
If SureConnect doesn’t have a built-in Salesforce connector, or you need more customization, use a tool like Zapier, Tray.io, or Make.
Here’s how to do it with Zapier (the steps are similar for others):
- Create accounts (or log in) on both Zapier and SureConnect.
- In Zapier, click Create Zap.
- Set SureConnect as the trigger app. Choose the “New Contact” or “New Opportunity” trigger.
- Connect SureConnect using your API key or credentials.
- Set Salesforce as the action. For example, “Create Contact” or “Update Opportunity.”
- Map the fields (email, name, etc.)
- Test the Zap with a sample record.
- Turn it on.
What works: Tons of flexibility. You can add filters, multiple steps, or even sync other apps at the same time.
What doesn’t: Costs can add up fast with lots of records or complex automations. Zapier is easy to set up, but can be slow for high-volume syncs. Debugging can be frustrating if you hit API limits or weird errors.
Step 3: Set Up Field Mapping (Don’t Assume Defaults Are Right)
This is where most syncs go sideways. Don’t trust the default mapping—double-check every field.
- Match field types: Text to text, picklist to picklist. Don’t sync a phone number to a birthday.
- Watch out for required fields: Salesforce loves required fields. If SureConnect doesn’t send them, your sync will fail.
- Custom fields: If you have custom fields in either system, map them manually. If you can’t, you may need to tweak your setup or skip syncing those fields.
Pro Tip: If you get errors, it’s almost always a field mapping or permissions problem. Start there.
Step 4: Test with Sample Data (Seriously, Don’t Skip This)
Run a sync with just a handful of records. Check both systems:
- Did the contacts show up in Salesforce with all the right info?
- Did updates in Salesforce push back to SureConnect (if you set up two-way sync)?
- Did anything get duplicated or overwritten?
If you see junk data, duplicates, or missing records, stop and fix the mapping or permissions before moving on.
What to ignore: Don’t test with your full database yet. It’s tempting, but you’ll just create a mess that’s hard to clean up.
Step 5: Set Sync Frequency and Error Handling
- Sync frequency: Real-time is great, but not always necessary. For most teams, syncing every 15 minutes or hourly is enough.
- Error notifications: Make sure you (or someone on your team) gets notified if a sync fails. Otherwise, you’ll only notice when someone’s yelling.
- Conflict resolution: Decide what happens if the same contact is updated in both places at once. Usually, “Salesforce wins” is the safest bet, but pick what makes sense for your workflow.
Step 6: Roll Out to Production (Carefully)
Once your test records sync cleanly:
- Back up your Salesforce data (always a good idea before a big integration).
- Turn on the sync for your full contact and opportunity lists.
- Monitor for the first few days—check for duplicates, missing data, or weird errors.
- Get feedback from the team. If sales reps are suddenly missing contacts or seeing duplicates, pause and fix it.
Honest Takes: What Works, What’s a Headache
- Native integrations are usually the least painful, but don’t expect miracles. They’re designed for the most common use cases.
- Third-party tools like Zapier are great for flexibility, but can get expensive and clunky at scale.
- Full two-way sync sounds appealing, but is often overkill. Start with one-way sync and only add complexity if you need it.
- Custom fields and complex logic are where things break. If you’re not technical, get help before trying to sync every last field.
- Ignore “one-click integration” hype. There’s always something that needs cleaning up.
Quick Troubleshooting Tips
- Sync not working? Check API permissions and field requirements.
- Duplicates popping up? Look at your matching rules—are you matching on email, name, or something else?
- Missing data? Review field mapping and required fields.
- Getting rate limit errors? You may be syncing too often or moving too much data at once.
Wrapping Up
You don’t have to make this harder than it needs to be. Start simple: sync contacts one way, get that stable, then add opportunities or two-way sync if you really need it. Skip the urge to automate everything on day one—fix what’s actually slowing your team down.
Iteration beats perfection. You’ll learn what matters by actually using the integration, not by reading another whitepaper or sitting through a sales demo. Keep it simple, keep it real, and you’ll spend a lot less time cleaning up after your software—and more time actually closing deals.