If you’re drowning in Outlook emails and calendar invites, but your Salesforce data is always out of date, this guide’s for you. I’ll walk you through syncing emails and meetings automatically with Ebsta, a tool that promises to bridge that gap (and, to be fair, actually does a decent job—if you set it up right). We’ll skip the hype and focus on what actually works, what to watch out for, and how to avoid wasting time.
Why bother syncing Outlook with Salesforce?
Let’s be real: Nobody likes double data entry. If you’re a salesperson, recruiter, or anyone who needs your client conversations in both Outlook and Salesforce, you’ll want a way to get emails and meetings into Salesforce without copying and pasting all day.
Ebsta automates a bunch of this. It grabs your Outlook emails and calendar events and pushes them into Salesforce, so you don’t have to. But as with any syncing tool, it’s not magic—you need to set it up thoughtfully, or you’ll end up with duplicates, missing data, or just a big mess.
Step 1: Check if Ebsta is right for you
Before you start, let’s get clear on what Ebsta does well—and what it doesn’t.
Good fits:
- You use Outlook (Microsoft 365 or Exchange) and Salesforce.
- Your team wants emails and meetings logged in Salesforce, automatically.
- You’re okay with a browser extension or Outlook add-in and connecting your accounts.
Not-so-great fits:
- You want 100% hands-off setup—Ebsta takes some configuration.
- You need to sync personal emails or calendars (it’s best for business).
- You’re super strict about privacy—Ebsta does access your mail and calendar data.
Pro tip: If your company already has another Salesforce-Outlook connector, check if it’s doing what you need. Ebsta’s best when you need more reliability or automation than the standard Salesforce add-in.
Step 2: Get Ebsta installed
You’ll need admin rights for Outlook and Salesforce, or someone who can help you. Here’s how to get going:
A. For Individual Users
- Install the Ebsta Outlook Add-in:
- Go to the Microsoft AppSource store. Search for "Ebsta for Outlook".
- Click Get it now and follow the prompts to install the add-in to your Outlook (web or desktop).
-
If you’re on a company device, you might need IT approval.
-
Connect to Salesforce:
- Open Outlook. You should see the Ebsta icon (usually in the top ribbon).
- Click it. You’ll be prompted to sign in to Salesforce.
- Authorize the connection. If you hit any Salesforce permission errors, talk to your Salesforce admin.
B. For Teams (Admin Setup)
- If you’re rolling this out for a team, it’s worth pushing the add-in centrally via Microsoft 365 admin. Ebsta’s documentation covers this, but be ready for some “why is this showing up in my Outlook?” questions.
Step 3: Set up email syncing
Here’s where folks get tripped up. Ebsta can log emails to Salesforce automatically, but you need to decide:
- Who gets synced? (All emails? Certain domains or contacts?)
- Which Salesforce records to attach to? (Leads, Contacts, Opportunities?)
To set up email sync:
- Open Ebsta settings (usually in the Outlook add-in pane).
- Go to “Email Sync” settings.
- You can typically choose between:
- Automatic sync: All inbound and outbound emails get logged to matching records in Salesforce.
- Selective sync: Only log emails you manually pick, or that match certain rules (recommended if you’re worried about clutter).
- Set matching rules.
- Decide if you want to sync emails just to Contacts/Leads, or also to Accounts/Opportunities.
- You can usually filter by domain (e.g., only sync work emails, not personal ones).
What actually works:
If your Salesforce is a mess, don’t sync everything automatically. Start with manual or rules-based syncing. You can always loosen the rules later.
What to ignore:
Fancy AI auto-matching. Ebsta’s matching is decent, but not perfect—review the first few weeks to catch any weird matches.
Step 4: Set up calendar sync
Calendar sync is where Ebsta can save you the most time—or cause the most confusion.
To set up calendar sync:
- In Ebsta, go to “Calendar Sync” settings.
- Connect your Outlook calendar if it isn’t already.
- Choose what to sync:
- One-way (Outlook → Salesforce): Meetings added in Outlook go to Salesforce.
-
Two-way (Outlook ↔ Salesforce): Changes in either system update both. Useful, but can create duplicates if not set up right.
-
Set sync rules:
- Only sync meetings with invitees who are Salesforce contacts? (Recommended.)
- Exclude personal events or non-business calendars.
- Set default event types (e.g., “Meeting” in Salesforce).
Pro tip:
Start with one-way sync until you’re confident. Two-way sync can go haywire if you have recurring meetings, or if multiple people edit the same event.
What to watch for: - Recurring meetings sometimes sync weirdly—double-check them. - Private calendar events: Ebsta generally skips these, but check your privacy settings.
Step 5: Tweak your sync settings (don’t skip this)
Ebsta’s default settings are broad. Take a few minutes to fine-tune:
- Exclude sensitive emails: Add domains or addresses you don’t want synced (like your bank, doctor, etc.).
- Limit calendar sync to weekdays/hours: No one wants a weekend BBQ showing up in Salesforce.
- Set up notifications: Ebsta can alert you if a sync fails or if there are conflicts. Worth enabling, at least at the start.
Honest take:
Ebsta’s interface isn’t the prettiest, but most settings are self-explanatory. Don’t get lost in every option—just cover the basics.
Step 6: Test your sync (and fix the inevitable weirdness)
Before you trust Ebsta to run automatically, do a dry run:
- Send a test email from Outlook to a Salesforce Contact.
- Check Salesforce—did it show up on their record?
- Schedule a meeting with a Salesforce Contact.
- Check that it lands in Salesforce as an event.
Common issues: - Emails syncing to the wrong record: Adjust matching rules. - Meetings missing attendees: Make sure your Outlook invite matches the Salesforce Contact’s email exactly. - Duplicate calendar events: Turn off two-way sync temporarily and see if that fixes it.
Tip: If you get stuck, Ebsta’s support is responsive—use their chat or help guides. Just don’t expect miracles; some quirks are just the price of automation.
Step 7: Roll it out to your team (if you’re the admin)
If you’re responsible for others:
- Document your settings: Share your setup with the team so they don’t have to guess.
- Do a quick training: 10 minutes is enough. Show how to check what gets synced, and how to flag issues.
- Review the first week: Look for any weird data or missed syncs.
Don’t:
Force everyone onto full auto-sync on day one. Let them try manual or selective syncing first.
What Ebsta does well (and what it doesn’t)
Thumbs up: - Saves hours on manual data entry. - Generally reliable once set up. - Good for sales teams who live in Outlook.
Thumbs down: - Setup can be fiddly, especially for non-admins. - Sometimes misses matches if emails aren’t identical. - The interface is a bit clunky—don’t expect slick design.
Ignore:
Marketing slides about “AI-driven engagement insights.” Ebsta’s value is in the basics: getting your emails and meetings into Salesforce with minimal hassle.
Keep it simple and iterate
Start small. Sync only what you need at first—maybe just your calendar, or just emails to key accounts. Let things run for a week or two, then check what’s working and what’s not. Tweak your settings, and don’t be afraid to dial things back if your Salesforce gets cluttered.
Syncing tools like Ebsta can save you a ton of time, but only if you keep your setup simple and check on it now and then. Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Set it up, give it a test, and move on with your day.