If your sales team is tired of jumping between tabs, copy-pasting leads, and generally wrestling with clunky software, you’re in the right place. This guide is for folks who want to connect Browse with Salesforce without losing their minds—or their leads—in the process.
We’ll walk through what actually works, what you can safely ignore, and where things tend to get messy. No fluff, just practical steps. If you’re responsible for getting leads from point A to point B, and you’re sick of manual workarounds, keep reading.
Why bother integrating Browse with Salesforce?
Before we get into the weeds, here’s the honest reason: You want leads coming in from Browse to show up in Salesforce without manual headaches. Less time fiddling with exports, more time closing deals. If you’re not using Salesforce as your single source of truth for leads, things get messy fast—duplicate data, lost opportunities, you name it.
What you’ll need
- An active Salesforce account (with admin access)
- A Browse account (with integration permissions)
- API access enabled for both platforms
- 30-60 minutes and a bit of patience
If you don’t have admin rights, stop here—you’ll need someone who does.
Step 1: Map Out Your Lead Flow—Before You Touch Any Settings
Jumping straight into setup is tempting, but you’ll waste time if you haven’t mapped out exactly what you want to happen. Grab a whiteboard or a Google Doc and answer:
- Which leads from Browse should go to Salesforce? (All, or just some?)
- Do you want to create Leads or Contacts in Salesforce?
- Should any fields be transformed, dropped, or enriched along the way?
- Who needs to be notified when a new lead lands in Salesforce?
Pro tip: It’s easier to start simple—just get the basics working. You can always add automation later.
Step 2: Set Up Salesforce for Incoming Leads
Before Browse can send anything to Salesforce, Salesforce has to be ready to take it.
- Create a Salesforce User for API Access (Optional but smart):
- Don’t use your main admin account for integrations. Create a dedicated “Browse Integration” user with only the permissions it needs.
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Set a strong password and store it somewhere safe.
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Check Lead Fields:
- Make sure the standard fields (First Name, Last Name, Email, etc.) are present and visible.
- If Browse collects custom info (like “Source Campaign” or “Industry”), create custom fields in Salesforce now.
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Go to Setup > Object Manager > Lead > Fields & Relationships and add what’s missing.
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Get Your Salesforce API Credentials:
- You’ll need:
- Client ID
- Client Secret
- Username
- Password
- Security Token (Salesforce sends this to your email)
- If you don’t already have a “Connected App” set up, go to Setup > Apps > App Manager > New Connected App. Enable OAuth settings.
Caution: Don’t share these credentials over Slack or email. Use a password manager.
Step 3: Configure Browse to Connect with Salesforce
Now, flip over to Browse. The exact steps may change as Browse updates their interface, but the general flow is:
- Log into Browse and find the Integrations section.
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Usually under “Settings” or “Admin.”
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Choose Salesforce from the list of integrations.
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Paste in your Salesforce API credentials.
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Double-check for typos. This is the #1 reason things fail.
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Map Browse fields to Salesforce fields.
- Don’t just accept the default mapping—check that “Email” in Browse actually maps to “Email” in Salesforce, and so on.
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For any fields you don’t want to send, leave them unmapped.
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Set sync rules.
- Decide if you want leads to be pushed instantly, in batches, or on a schedule.
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If you’re worried about duplicates, turn on deduplication (if Browse offers it) or set up rules in Salesforce.
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Test with a single fake lead.
- Create a test lead in Browse, push it, and see if it lands correctly in Salesforce.
- Check that all the fields show up where you expect.
What to ignore: Fancy automation rules for now. Get the basics working first. You can add bells and whistles later.
Step 4: Handle Errors and Duplicates
No integration is perfect. The two biggest headaches: errors and duplicates.
What to watch for:
- Field mismatches: If a required field is missing, Salesforce will reject the lead.
- Duplicates: If you push the same lead twice, you might end up with two records (or get an error, depending on your deduplication settings).
- API limits: Both Salesforce and Browse have limits on how many records you can push per day/hour.
How to fix:
- Enable Duplicate Rules in Salesforce: Go to Setup > Duplicate Rules and make sure you have rules in place for leads.
- Check Error Logs: Both Browse and Salesforce should show errors for failed syncs. Don’t ignore these—fix the root causes early.
- Set up notifications: If leads fail to sync, make sure someone on your team hears about it. Email, Slack, whatever works.
Step 5: Automate Lead Assignment (Optional, but Useful)
Once leads are flowing, you might want them assigned to the right rep automatically.
- Use Salesforce Assignment Rules: Go to Setup > Lead Assignment Rules and set up logic based on region, product, or whatever matters to your team.
- Don’t get fancy at first. Start with one simple rule (e.g., all Browse leads go to one queue or user). Add complexity only if you need it.
Step 6: Audit and Monitor Regularly
You’re not done after launch. Integrations break—APIs change, permissions get revoked, someone edits a field.
- Review lead flow weekly (at first): Spot-check that leads are landing in Salesforce as expected.
- Look for “leaks”: Compare the number of leads in Browse with the number in Salesforce. If they don’t match, dig in.
- Talk to your sales team: If they’re not seeing Browse leads, that’s a red flag.
Tip: Set a recurring calendar reminder to check the integration status.
What Works Well (and What Doesn’t)
What works:
- Simple field mapping: Less to break, easier to debug.
- Dedicated integration users: Keeps your main Salesforce account safer.
- Frequent, small tests: Problems are easier to spot and fix.
What doesn’t:
- One-size-fits-all field mapping: Every team is different. The defaults are rarely perfect.
- Ignoring error logs: Problems snowball if you don’t check.
- Overcomplicating things on day one: Get the basics working. Layer on automation later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I sync existing Salesforce leads with Browse?
A: No, this integration is typically one-way—from Browse to Salesforce. If you need two-way sync, look at third-party middleware (but be prepared for extra setup headaches).
Q: Is this secure?
A: As secure as your credentials and user permissions are. Don’t use shared logins, and always use HTTPS.
Q: Will this eat up my Salesforce API quota?
A: Yes, every lead pushed is an API call. If you’re pushing thousands per day, monitor your limits or talk to your Salesforce admin.
Q: Can I enrich leads on the way in?
A: Only if Browse or Salesforce supports it natively, or you use a third-party tool like Clearbit. Don’t try to build your own enrichment unless you love maintenance pain.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
You don’t need a sprawling automation beast to get value from integrating Browse with Salesforce. Start simple: get leads flowing, make sure nothing’s breaking, and only then think about fancy workflows. Most teams spend too much time planning for edge cases they never actually see.
Focus on what your sales team needs today. Add complexity only when you’re sure it’ll save you more time than it costs. And if something breaks, don’t panic—just retrace your steps, check your logs, and keep moving forward.