If you’re reading this, chances are you want your Face2Face meeting data and your Salesforce records to play nice together—and you’re tired of copy-pasting or wrestling with half-baked “integrations.” This guide is for admins, ops folks, and anyone who’d rather spend time selling than troubleshooting broken syncs. Let’s walk through how to connect Face2Face to Salesforce, get your data flowing seamlessly, and avoid the usual headaches.
Before You Start: What You Actually Need
Let’s get real for a second. Not every “integration” is worth the trouble. Face2Face can sync contacts, meetings, notes, and (sometimes) custom fields with Salesforce, but only if you set things up correctly. Before you dive in:
- You’ll need admin access in both Face2Face and Salesforce.
- API permissions are non-negotiable. (Salesforce Professional Edition and up, usually.)
- Make sure you know what data you want to sync. Don’t get distracted by bells and whistles—start with the basics.
Pro tip: Don’t try to sync everything on day one. Start with contacts and meeting notes, then add more if you really need it.
Step 1: Prep Your Salesforce Environment
1.1. Check Your Salesforce Edition
- Go to Setup > Company Information in Salesforce.
- Make sure you see “API Access” listed. If not, talk to your Salesforce account rep. No API = no integration.
1.2. Create a Dedicated Integration User (Strongly Recommended)
- Don’t use your own admin login. Create a new “Face2Face Integration” user in Salesforce:
- Profile: System Administrator (minimum permissions needed for sync).
- Set a strong password. You’ll need it for API authentication.
1.3. Clean Up Your Data
- Duplicates and messy fields make syncs fail or create nonsense in both systems.
- Use Salesforce’s Data Import Wizard or third-party tools to tidy up contacts and accounts.
- Make sure required fields (like Email, Account Name) are populated.
Step 2: Configure Face2Face for Integration
2.1. Locate the Salesforce Integration Option
- In Face2Face, go to Settings > Integrations.
- Find “Salesforce” in the list and click “Connect.”
2.2. Grant Permissions
- You’ll be prompted to log in to Salesforce as the integration user you just created.
- Authorize the requested permissions. Face2Face usually asks for:
- Read/write access to Contacts, Accounts, Events (Meetings), Opportunities, and Notes.
- If any permissions make you nervous, check Face2Face’s documentation for a breakdown—or ask your IT team.
2.3. Map Fields
- Face2Face will suggest default mappings (e.g., Face2Face “Meeting Notes” → Salesforce “Event Description”).
- Review every mapping. Don’t just click “Next.”
- Unmap any fields you don’t use. Mapping junk fields just creates clutter.
- For custom fields:
- Create matching fields in Salesforce if you need them, or skip for now.
Step 3: Set Sync Rules and Frequency
3.1. Choose What Syncs (And What Doesn’t)
- Most teams start with:
- Contacts
- Meetings/Events
- Meeting Notes
- Think hard before syncing Opportunities or custom objects—these are more likely to break or duplicate data.
3.2. Decide on Sync Direction
- One-way (Face2Face → Salesforce): Safer, avoids overwriting Salesforce data.
- Two-way: Useful if you want updates from Salesforce to flow back to Face2Face, but riskier.
- If in doubt, start one-way. You can always loosen things up later.
3.3. Set Sync Frequency
- Real-time sync sounds great, but it’s overkill for most teams and can bog down both systems.
- Hourly or daily syncs are usually enough.
- Some Face2Face plans limit how often you can sync. Double-check this so you’re not surprised.
Step 4: Test the Integration (Seriously, Don’t Skip This)
4.1. Run a Manual Sync
- Use Face2Face’s “Test Sync” or “Sync Now” option.
- Pick a handful of test records—not your whole database.
4.2. Check Salesforce
- Look up the test contacts, meetings, and notes in Salesforce.
- Make sure fields landed where you expected. Watch for:
- Duplicates
- Truncated notes
- Missing custom fields
4.3. Fix Mapping or Permission Errors
- If data didn’t sync, check:
- Field-level security in Salesforce (fields must be visible/editable to your integration user)
- API limits (Salesforce has daily caps)
- Error logs in Face2Face (should show what went wrong)
- Don’t just ignore errors—fix them now, before you go live.
Step 5: Go Live (And Set Up Monitoring)
5.1. Enable Automatic Sync
- In Face2Face, turn on scheduled or automatic sync.
- Confirm that the sync runs as expected for a full cycle (hourly, daily, etc.).
5.2. Set Up Alerts or Reports
- Use Face2Face’s built-in notifications for failed syncs.
- In Salesforce, set up a simple report to catch new records from Face2Face each day.
- Don’t assume “no news is good news.” Proactive monitoring saves headaches.
5.3. Train Your Team
- Tell users exactly which data will sync, and what won’t.
- Remind them not to edit synced fields in both systems at the same time—race conditions create chaos.
- Document any known quirks or limitations.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What works well: - Syncing basic data (contacts, meetings, notes) is usually smooth if you map fields carefully. - One-way sync from Face2Face to Salesforce is stable and low-risk.
What doesn’t: - Two-way sync on custom objects or heavily customized Salesforce orgs can get messy fast. - Syncing attachments, large notes, or rich text doesn’t always work perfectly—sometimes formatting gets lost or files don’t transfer at all.
What to ignore: - Don’t enable “sync everything” just because it’s offered. More data = more problems. - Skip syncing fields you don’t actually use or report on. - Ignore any Face2Face “AI insights” unless you’ve tested them. Most of these are buzzword-heavy and not critical for basic sync.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Integrating Face2Face with Salesforce isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to overcomplicate things. Start with the must-haves, test everything, and add features only when you actually need them. Don’t trust that “set it and forget it” is real—keep an eye on your sync in the first few weeks. If something seems off, fix it before it snowballs.
Remember: Clean data and simple rules beat fancy features every time. If you ever get stuck, step back and ask if you really need that field or sync direction. Most of the time, you don’t.
Good luck—and may your data finally stay in sync (for real this time).