If you’re using Salesforce and want to get your sales team actually talking to leads instead of shuffling spreadsheets, you’ve probably heard of Orum. It’s an AI-powered sales dialer that helps reps power-dial through call lists—no more clicking and waiting on each call. But if you want leads, calls, and outcomes to flow smoothly between Orum and Salesforce, you need a solid integration setup. This guide walks you through it, minus the sales pitch.
Who’s this for? Anyone responsible for keeping sales ops running—rev ops folks, admins, or even a sales manager who drew the short straw. If you want a straightforward, real-world walkthrough (and are tired of vague “connect your data” promises), you’re in the right place.
What You Need Before You Start
First, don’t waste time if you’re missing one of these:
- A working Salesforce account (with admin access or someone on your team who has it)
- An Orum account (with admin or integration permissions)
- A list of what data you want to sync (leads, calls, outcomes, notes—be specific)
- Your Salesforce API access enabled (this is often tripped up by org security policies)
- Basic comfort with Salesforce setup
- Patience for the occasional error message
If you’re missing API access, stop here and get it sorted. No integration will work without it.
Step 1: Decide What Data Needs to Flow (and What Doesn’t)
Before you even click “Connect,” get clear on what you need. Orum and Salesforce both track a ton of data, but syncing everything is a mess.
Common sync targets: - Leads/Contacts: Who you’re calling. - Call outcomes: Connect/disconnect, voicemail, no answer, etc. - Call notes: What your reps typed in. - Tasks: Sometimes call logs go in as tasks.
Pro tip: Don’t sync junk. If you have “test leads” or old data, filter it out. More data = more ways for things to break.
Step 2: Connect Orum to Salesforce
Let’s get to the meat of it.
- Log in to Orum.
- Find the integrations section (usually under “Settings” or “Admin”).
- Select “Salesforce” from the integrations list.
- Click Connect. You’ll be redirected to log in to Salesforce.
- Authorize Orum to access your Salesforce account. You’ll see a permissions screen—read it. Orum needs to read and write lead/contact and activity data, but if it’s asking for more, double-check why.
- Once approved, you’ll land back in Orum with a “Connected” status.
Watch out for: - Multi-factor authentication. If your Salesforce org is locked down, you may need to approve the connection in a separate browser or device. - Sandbox vs. production. Make sure you’re connecting to the right Salesforce environment. You don’t want your live data polluted by test dials.
Step 3: Map Fields Between Orum and Salesforce
Orum can only put data in Salesforce if it knows where it goes. Here’s how to map the right fields:
- In Orum’s Salesforce integration settings, look for a “Field Mapping” or “Data Mapping” screen.
- For each type of data (lead, contact, call log, outcome), map Orum’s fields to your Salesforce fields.
- Example: Orum’s “Call Outcome” → Salesforce’s “Call Result”
- Example: Orum’s “Notes” → Salesforce’s “Activity Comments”
- If you have custom fields in Salesforce, make sure you map them explicitly. If you don’t see them, you may need to refresh the schema or re-authorize.
What works: Out-of-the-box field mapping is usually fine for basic setups.
What doesn’t: If you’ve heavily customized Salesforce, expect to spend extra time here. Orum doesn’t always recognize custom fields without a nudge.
Ignore: Don’t bother mapping fields you never use—less is more.
Step 4: Set Up Sync and Test Data Flow
You’ve connected and mapped, but don’t trust it yet. Now’s the time to run a test.
- In Orum, select a small batch of leads (ideally, test ones).
- Place a couple of calls, leave notes, and mark outcomes.
- Switch to Salesforce and check:
- Did the call records appear?
- Are notes and outcomes in the right place?
- Did any data go missing or land in the wrong field?
- If something’s off, go back and adjust your field mapping.
Pro tip: Always test with non-critical data first. You don’t want to spam real leads or pollute your CRM with test calls.
Step 5: Automate and Monitor the Sync
By default, Orum pushes data to Salesforce in near-real-time, but don’t assume it’s perfect. Here’s how to set up ongoing monitoring:
- Enable logging: In Orum, turn on integration logs or error notifications. You want to know when something fails.
- Check sync frequency: Some Orum plans let you set how often data pushes to Salesforce. Real-time is nice, but if you’re running into API limits, consider batching.
- Set alerts in Salesforce: Use Salesforce’s native tools (like Reports or Flow) to flag missing or malformed data.
What works: Real-time sync keeps your CRM up to date.
What doesn’t: If you hit Salesforce API limits (pretty common in busy orgs), you’ll get errors or dropped records. Consider throttling sync or upgrading your Salesforce API limits if this keeps happening.
Ignore: Don’t bother with daily manual checks—automation is your friend.
Step 6: Handle Common Issues and Gotchas
Even with a perfect setup, things will break. Here’s what most people run into:
1. Duplicate leads/contacts - If Orum isn’t set up to check for existing records, you’ll get duplicates. Use Salesforce’s duplicate rules, and set Orum to match on email or phone when possible.
2. Missing call logs - Usually comes down to a field mapping issue or API outage. Check Orum’s integration logs and Salesforce’s API usage.
3. Permissions errors - If your Salesforce admin tightens security, Orum might lose access. Make sure integration users have the needed permissions to create/read/write leads, contacts, tasks, and activities.
4. Data mismatches - Time zones, call outcomes, or picklist values can get out of sync. Standardize your picklist values across both platforms.
Pro tip: Keep a simple checklist of what to check when things break. Saves time (and stress).
Step 7: Train Your Team and Gather Feedback
You can set up the world’s best integration, but if reps aren’t using it right, you’ll still get garbage data.
- Show reps how calls and notes sync.
- Explain what NOT to do: Like editing synced fields directly in Salesforce, which can cause data to fall out of sync.
- Encourage feedback: If reps spot missing calls or weird data, have a clear process for reporting it. You’ll catch issues faster.
Step 8: Iterate and Improve (Don’t Overcomplicate)
Once the basics are running, resist the urge to tinker endlessly. Instead:
- Review sync health monthly, not daily.
- Only add new fields or automations if you actually need them.
- Keep documentation up to date so the next unlucky admin isn’t starting from scratch.
Honest take: Most problems come from overcomplicated setups, not simple ones. Fight the urge to “optimize” every little thing.
Wrapping Up
Getting Orum and Salesforce to talk to each other isn’t rocket science, but it’s not always plug-and-play either. Focus on syncing the data that matters, test before you trust, and set up just enough monitoring to catch issues before they turn into a mess. Start simple and tweak as you go—future you will thank you.