If you’re managing deals in Salesforce, you know the pain: too many tabs, too much clicking, and endless toggling between your inbox and your CRM. This guide is for sales reps, managers, and anyone who’s tired of “I’ll update that later” turning into “Wait, what happened to that deal?”
Here’s how you can cut the noise and actually manage Salesforce opportunities—right from Ebsta. No more tab-hopping. Let’s get you moving faster (and maybe a bit saner).
Why bother managing opportunities from Ebsta?
Let’s get it out of the way: You don’t have to use Ebsta. But if your day revolves around email and you want to keep Salesforce up to date without the CRM grind, Ebsta’s embedded tools can save you time (and maybe save your pipeline from getting out of date).
What works: - View and update Salesforce data without ever leaving your inbox or browser. - Keep deal info fresh, so your forecasts aren’t based on last month’s reality. - Fewer excuses to let pipeline hygiene slip.
What doesn’t: - If your Salesforce setup is a mess, no tool can fix that. - Ebsta can’t magically know everything about your deals—you still have to do the work. - Some advanced Salesforce features aren’t available in Ebsta’s panels.
If you’re after speed and simplicity, though, Ebsta is worth a look.
Step 1: Get Ebsta installed and connect it to Salesforce
Before you can do anything, make sure Ebsta is set up in your environment (either as a Chrome extension, Outlook add-in, or Gmail add-on). Most companies roll this out for you, but if you’re on your own:
- Install the right version: Go to the Chrome Web Store, the Outlook Add-in store, or Ebsta’s own site and follow their install prompts.
- Connect to Salesforce: The first time you open Ebsta, it’ll ask you to log in with your Salesforce credentials. Do it once and you’re good.
- Check permissions: If you can’t see or edit opportunities, you might need to ask your Salesforce admin to tweak your profile or Ebsta’s access.
Pro tip: If you’re stuck at any step, don’t waste half an hour guessing. Ebsta’s support docs are surprisingly clear, and your admin has probably seen it all before.
Step 2: Find your opportunities inside Ebsta
Once you’re logged in and Ebsta is running, you’ll spot it as a sidebar in your inbox or browser. Here’s how to actually find the opportunities that matter:
- While viewing an email: Ebsta scans the sender’s email address and shows related Salesforce records—contacts, accounts, and yes, opportunities.
- Search manually: If you’re not working from an email, click the Ebsta icon and use the search bar. Type the opportunity name, account, or contact.
- From an account page: If you’re browsing a website, Ebsta sometimes recognizes the company and fetches related Salesforce data.
What to ignore: Don’t get lost in the sea of “related” records Ebsta surfaces. Focus on the opportunity you actually want to update.
Step 3: Review and update opportunity details
Here’s where Ebsta shines: you can actually edit opportunity fields right there in the sidebar. No Salesforce tab needed.
- Click into the opportunity: In the Ebsta sidebar, find the opportunity you want.
- Review key fields: Stage, Amount, Close Date, Next Step, and Owner are usually front and center. If not, your admin might have customized the layout—ask them if you’re missing something crucial.
- Edit fields inline: Click the pencil icon (or just click the field) to make changes. Hit save or press Enter.
What works: - Quick edits—update that Close Date after a call, or bump the Stage when you get a verbal. - You can often add notes or update custom fields too, depending on your setup.
What doesn’t: - Some complex fields (like multi-select picklists or deeply nested related lists) may not be editable. - Validation rules from Salesforce still apply. If you forget a required field, Ebsta will complain just like Salesforce.
Heads-up: Don’t treat this like a notepad. You’re still updating the live Salesforce record, so be careful with big changes.
Step 4: Add or update opportunity-related activities
Keeping a deal up-to-date isn’t just about fields—it’s about logging what happened. Ebsta lets you add activities like calls, meetings, and notes right from the sidebar.
- Log a call or meeting: Click “Add Activity” or a similar button in the opportunity view. Fill in the details: type, subject, notes, and date.
- Attach emails: Some versions of Ebsta let you add the current email (and its attachments) to the opportunity as an activity.
- Add a task: If you need a reminder to follow up, create a task and set a due date.
What works: - You can log activities while the details are fresh, without switching tools. - Attaching emails keeps the paper trail tidy, especially for audits or handoffs.
What doesn’t: - Bulk activity logging (doing a bunch at once) is still easier in Salesforce proper. - Some activity types or custom workflows may not show up, depending on your setup.
Step 5: Keep your pipeline view clean (and useful)
Ebsta isn’t just for one-off updates. It can show you a pipeline view—a list of all your open opportunities, right inside your inbox or browser.
- Open the pipeline tab: Look for a “Pipeline” or “Opportunities” tab in the Ebsta sidebar.
- See at a glance: Review deal stages, close dates, and amounts. Some setups display health scores or engagement metrics too.
- Drag-and-drop (sometimes): In some Ebsta versions, you can move deals between stages here—think lightweight Kanban board.
What works: - Great for a daily gut-check: “What’s at risk? What’s stuck?” - You can update several deals quickly, especially if you’re just changing stages or dates.
What doesn’t: - Don’t expect Salesforce’s full reporting or forecasting tools here. Ebsta’s pipeline view is for quick checks, not deep analysis.
Ignore: The temptation to micromanage every field from Ebsta. Use it for the basics; save the deep dives for Salesforce.
Step 6: Avoiding common pitfalls (and dumb mistakes)
Ebsta’s great, but it’s not magic. Here’s how to avoid the classic blunders:
- Double-check edits: Fat-finger a stage or amount, and it’s live in Salesforce. Take a breath before hitting save.
- Don’t ignore required fields: Ebsta enforces Salesforce’s rules. If you skip a mandatory field, your update won’t stick.
- Sync delays: Sometimes, it takes a minute for updates to show up in Salesforce (rare, but it happens). Refresh if in doubt.
- Customizations beware: If your org has funky custom fields or automations, test how they behave in Ebsta before rolling it out to the team.
Pro tip: If something feels off, open Salesforce directly and check. Better safe than sorry.
Real talk: What’s actually worth doing in Ebsta?
Here’s a no-nonsense take:
- Worth it: Quick updates (stages, dates, amounts), logging calls/emails while they’re top of mind, checking pipeline health.
- Not worth it: Doing complex opportunity splits, running forecasts, or messing with deep customizations. For that, use Salesforce.
Ebsta is best for speed and convenience. Use it as a shortcut, not a replacement.
Keep it simple—and iterate
The best sales teams don’t overthink their tools. Set up Ebsta, get your core opportunity fields and activities in order, and make updates when it’s easiest: right in your inbox. If you find yourself fighting the tool or wishing it did more, go back to basics or hop into Salesforce.
Stay focused on what actually moves deals forward—not on polishing every data point. Tools should keep you working, not slow you down.