If you’ve ever tried to sync your CRM with a new tool and wound up with duplicate contacts, broken workflows, or a mysterious “integration failed” message, you’re not alone. This guide is for anyone who wants to connect Mantiks to their CRM without losing their mind—or their data. Whether you’re in sales ops, marketing, or just the person who drew the short straw, you’ll find clear steps, honest advice, and a few watch-outs the vendor glosses over.
Why (and When) to Integrate Mantiks With Your CRM
Let’s get this out of the way: not every team needs another integration. But if you’re using Mantiks for analytics, enrichment, or automation, having it talk directly to your CRM can save you hours of busywork and head off errors that creep in with manual exports.
Integrate if: - You’re tired of downloading CSVs just to get data from A to B. - Your team needs real-time updates (not last week’s numbers). - You want to automate workflows—think lead scoring, enrichment, or notifications.
Maybe skip it if: - Your CRM data is a mess (garbage in, garbage out). - You don’t actually need live sync—sometimes, a weekly export is plenty.
If you’re nodding along, let’s get into the weeds.
Step 1: Prep Your CRM and Mantiks Accounts
Before you even open the Mantiks dashboard, do yourself a favor: get your house in order. Integrations magnify whatever’s already in your system. If your CRM is full of duplicates, weird field names, or “Test Account #17,” now’s the time to clean it up.
Checklist
- Audit your CRM fields: What do you actually want Mantiks to sync or update? List out the fields you care about (e.g., email, company name, deal stage).
- Permissions: Make sure you have admin rights in both Mantiks and your CRM. You’ll need them.
- Back up your CRM: Seriously. Take a snapshot or export before you connect anything. Murphy’s Law applies.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure what’s in scope, start small. Sync one segment or a test list before going all-in.
Step 2: Find the Right Connector (Native, Third-Party, or API)
Mantiks offers different ways to connect, depending on your CRM. Here’s what you’ll typically see:
- Native Integration: The easiest, if available. Mantiks has plug-and-play connectors for major CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot.
- Third-Party Tools: Zapier, Make, or similar tools can bridge the gap if there’s no native option.
- API: For edge cases, custom fields, or unsupported CRMs, you’ll need to roll up your sleeves and use the API.
What works: Native integrations are less hassle and usually better supported. Third-party tools can be quick but sometimes flaky for high-volume or complex workflows. APIs are powerful, but don’t underestimate the time they’ll eat up.
What to ignore: “Universal” connectors that promise to sync everything, everywhere, with no setup. If it sounds too good to be true…
Step 3: Authenticate and Connect
Now, open Mantiks and your CRM side-by-side.
If you have a native integration:
- Navigate to Mantiks’ “Integrations” tab.
- Find your CRM in the list and click “Connect.”
- You’ll be prompted to log in and give permissions. Read these carefully—Mantiks will typically need read and write access.
- Approve and test the connection.
If you’re using a third-party tool:
- Set up an account in Zapier, Make, or your tool of choice.
- Add both Mantiks and your CRM as “apps.”
- Create a new workflow (Zap, scenario, etc.) and follow prompts to authenticate both sides.
- Choose your trigger (e.g., “New record in Mantiks”) and action (e.g., “Create/Update contact in CRM”).
If you’re using the API:
- Generate API keys in Mantiks and your CRM.
- Use Postman or another client to test basic calls (read, write).
- Map out the endpoints and data structure you’ll use.
- Write and test your integration script—start with a dry run before going live.
Pro tip: Never use your personal account for integrations—set up a service account. This way, if someone leaves the company, your syncs won’t break.
Step 4: Map Your Fields (Don’t Just Click “Sync All”)
This is where most integrations go sideways. Mantiks and your CRM probably use different names, formats, or even data types for the same thing.
What to do:
- Map fields explicitly: Go line by line. “First Name” in Mantiks might be “Given_Name” in your CRM. Don’t assume.
- Decide which system is the “source of truth”: Where should data be overwritten? If CRM wins, set Mantiks to update only empty or new fields.
- Handle picklists and custom fields: If you have dropdowns, tags, or custom fields, make sure values match. Otherwise, you’ll get sync errors or junk data.
What not to do: Don’t just “sync everything” without understanding what each field does. That’s how you end up with overwritten phone numbers or lost notes.
Step 5: Set Up Sync Rules and Schedules
You’ll usually have options for how and when data syncs:
- One-way vs. two-way sync: Decide if you want Mantiks to update your CRM only, or vice versa.
- Real-time vs. scheduled: Real-time is great for lead routing, but can hammer your API limits. Scheduled syncs (hourly, daily) are safer for most teams.
- Conflict resolution: Set rules for what happens if data doesn’t match—last update wins, or CRM always wins, etc.
Reality check: Real-time sync sounds great, but unless your team truly needs instant updates, start with scheduled. It’s way less stressful if something breaks.
Step 6: Test (and Break) Your Integration
Don’t trust “integration successful” without seeing it for yourself.
How to test:
- Start with a small batch: Push 5-10 records through and check them in both Mantiks and your CRM.
- Test edge cases: Try updates, deletes, and weird characters. See what happens when data doesn’t match.
- Check logs and error reports: Mantiks usually surfaces sync errors—read them.
Pro tip: If your CRM has a sandbox or test environment, use it. Better to break fake data than the real thing.
Step 7: Monitor, Maintain, and Iterate
You’re not done yet. Integrations drift over time—fields change, permissions get updated, APIs break.
- Set up alerts: Mantiks and most CRMs let you get notified of sync failures.
- Review regularly: Once a month, check for failed syncs, weird data, or changes in your CRM structure.
- Document everything: Keep a simple doc with setup steps, field mappings, and who owns what. Future you (or your replacement) will thank you.
What’s overrated: Dashboard “insights” on syncs. Focus on errors and exceptions. If it’s working, you shouldn’t have to think about it.
Common Pitfalls (And How to Dodge Them)
- Overcomplicating workflows: Start simple. Add complexity only when you need it.
- Ignoring permissions: If syncs stop working, 90% of the time it’s a permissions issue.
- Not keeping stakeholders in the loop: If sales, marketing, or ops don’t know about the new sync, expect surprises.
- Skipping backups: If something goes wrong, you want a way to roll back.
Wrapping Up
Connecting Mantiks to your CRM isn’t rocket science, but it does take some prep and a healthy dose of skepticism. Don’t chase every shiny feature—get the basics working, monitor for errors, and iterate as you go. Simple, reliable sync beats a fancy setup that breaks when you’re not looking. Good luck (and remember to back up your data)!