If you’re tired of deals falling through the cracks between sales and onboarding, you’re not alone. This guide is for anyone who wants to connect Salesforce to Rocketlane and actually have the handoff process work—without endless back-and-forth or missing info. I’ll walk you through the real steps, what to watch out for, and which “features” you can safely ignore.
Let’s get your handoffs running like clockwork.
Why bother integrating Rocketlane with Salesforce?
Let’s be honest: If your sales and onboarding teams can’t see the same data or you’re copy-pasting account info by hand, things will slip. Integrating these tools means:
- No more manual re-entry of customer details
- Projects spin up automatically as soon as a deal closes
- Handoffs don’t depend on “Did you see my Slack?”
- Your onboarding team gets the info they need, every time
But—this isn’t magic. There are a few quirks, and you’ll need some admin access in both tools.
Step 1: Get your basics in order
Before you even touch integrations, do these sanity checks:
1. Make sure you have the right permissions. - You’ll need admin rights in both Salesforce and Rocketlane. - If you’re not an admin, save yourself some pain and get someone who is.
2. Clean up your Salesforce data. - Garbage in, garbage out. If your Salesforce Opportunities or Accounts are a mess, your handoffs will be too. - Make sure fields you want to sync (like Account Name, Owner, Deal Value) are actually being used.
3. Map out what you want to automate. - Are you creating a Rocketlane project every time a Salesforce Opportunity hits “Closed-Won”? - Which fields need to show up in Rocketlane? Don’t try to sync everything—pick what’s useful.
Pro tip: Don’t try to automate every tiny detail on day one. Focus on the handful of fields and triggers that actually matter for onboarding.
Step 2: Decide how you’ll connect Rocketlane and Salesforce
You’ve got two main choices:
Option 1: Native Rocketlane-Salesforce Integration
Rocketlane offers a built-in Salesforce integration (on some pricing plans). This is great if you want plug-and-play.
- Pros: Easier setup, less maintenance, direct support if things break.
- Cons: Limited customization; may not handle every edge case.
Option 2: Use a Middleware Tool (Zapier, Workato, Tray.io, etc.)
If your use case is weird or you want more control, middleware tools can bridge the gap.
- Pros: Highly customizable. Can add logic, filter, and connect to other tools.
- Cons: More complex, often costs extra, another moving part to maintain.
Honest take: If you’re not sure, start with Rocketlane’s built-in integration. Don’t overcomplicate it.
Step 3: Set up the Rocketlane Salesforce Integration
Assuming you’re using the native integration, here’s how to get started.
3.1: Enable the Integration in Rocketlane
- Log in to Rocketlane as an admin.
- Navigate to Settings > Integrations > Salesforce.
- Click “Connect Salesforce.”
- You’ll be prompted to log in to your Salesforce account and authorize access.
Watch out: If your Salesforce has strict security policies (like SSO, IP restrictions), you may need to loop in your Salesforce admin here.
3.2: Configure Field Mapping
- Rocketlane will show you a list of standard and custom Salesforce fields you can sync.
- For each, decide where it should land in Rocketlane—e.g., map “Account Name” to “Customer Name.”
- Only map what you need. More fields = more ways for things to break.
Pro tip: Start with just the core fields—Account Name, Opportunity Owner, and whatever your onboarding team truly needs. You can always add more later.
3.3: Set Up Triggers
- Decide when you want Rocketlane to create a new project—usually when an Opportunity is marked “Closed-Won.”
- Set the trigger in Rocketlane’s integration settings.
Pitfall: If your sales team sometimes closes deals early (it happens), you might want to add a buffer, or even make project creation a manual step at first.
3.4: Test the Integration
- Create a test Opportunity in Salesforce and move it to “Closed-Won.”
- Watch to see if a new Rocketlane project appears with the right info.
- Double-check that fields are mapped as expected.
If it doesn’t work: - Check user permissions in both systems. - Make sure the connected Salesforce user can see the right Accounts/Opportunities. - Look for typos and missing fields in your mapping.
Step 4: Fine-tune Your Handoff Process
Now that the integration is live, don’t assume it’ll run perfectly forever. Here’s what to keep an eye on:
- Duplicate Projects: If multiple Opportunities can trigger the same customer, you might end up with duplicate projects. Set clear rules in your workflow.
- Field Drift: If you add new fields in Salesforce, they won’t automatically sync. Revisit your mapping every few months.
- Notifications: Decide who needs to know when a new project is created. Set up alerts so onboarding doesn’t miss anything.
Honest advice: Resist the urge to over-automate. Keep manual checks in place until you trust the system.
Step 5: Train Your Teams—And Get Feedback
You’ve set up the integration, but people need to know how it works.
- Show Sales exactly which fields must be filled out for a smooth handoff. Make a simple checklist if you have to.
- Walk Onboarding through what data they’ll see in Rocketlane. Make sure it matches what they expect.
- Ask for feedback after a few deals. If info is missing or wrong, fix your mapping now—before it becomes a habit.
Pro tip: Keep the door open for tweaks. Your first setup won’t be perfect, and that’s fine.
Step 6: What to Ignore (at Least for Now)
Lots of guides will tell you to sync every possible field, automate every notification, and build elaborate workflows.
Here’s what you can skip:
- Deep two-way sync: You probably don’t need updates from Rocketlane flowing back into Salesforce at first. Start with one-way (Salesforce → Rocketlane).
- Syncing every custom field: More fields mean more headaches. Stick to the essentials.
- Automating every follow-up: People still need to talk to each other. Automation is for the boring stuff, not every exception.
Step 7: Maintain and Iterate
Integrations aren’t “set and forget.” Every time your sales process changes or you add new onboarding steps, check your integration.
- Review your mappings quarterly.
- Audit a few handoffs every month—did the right data show up?
- Keep a short doc with “how we set this up” in case your admin leaves.
Pro tip: If things break, don’t panic. Most issues are field mapping, permissions, or process changes—rarely the integration itself.
Keep it Simple—and Build from There
Connecting Salesforce and Rocketlane can save you serious time and hassle, but it’s easy to get lost in the weeds. Start basic: Sync the info your onboarding team actually needs, test it thoroughly, and get real feedback before you layer on extra automation. The goal isn’t “integration for its own sake”—it’s smoother handoffs and fewer dropped balls.
Stay skeptical of anyone promising a “one-click” setup. Take it step by step, and you’ll end up with a system your team actually trusts.