Integrate & connect
Airtable with Salesforce

Are you tired of manually transferring data between Airtable and Salesforce? With over 150,000 businesses using Salesforce, integrating it with Airtable can save hours of repetitive work. In this step-by-step guide, you'll learn how to sync data between these two powerful tools, both manually and using AI automation. By the end, you'll be able to seamlessly connect Airtable and Salesforce, eliminating data silos and boosting productivity. Get ready to take your data management skills to the next level!

Setting Up the Airtable Salesforce Integration: Prerequisites and Step-by-Step Process

Integrating Airtable and Salesforce allows you to sync report data from Salesforce into a centralized Airtable base. This enables you to combine Salesforce data with information from other sources and leverage Airtable's powerful features for analysis and collaboration. Here are the key steps and requirements to set up the integration.

1. Ensure You Have the Right Plans and Permissions

To set up the Airtable Salesforce integration, you'll need Airtable Business or Enterprise plans, as well as creator permissions in the base where you're setting up the sync. In Salesforce, the user connecting the sync must have View and Run Report permissions for the reports they want to sync.

2. Enable the Integration in Airtable

In your Airtable base, go to the Sync configuration settings and choose Salesforce as the service you want to sync with. You'll be prompted to log in with your Salesforce account and grant Airtable the necessary permissions, including API access to view and run reports.

3. Configure Salesforce Settings

Ensure that the Salesforce user account has the proper permissions to access and run the reports you want to sync. No additional plugins or apps need to be installed in Salesforce.

4. Be Aware of Limitations

• Airtable will only have access to reports the connected Salesforce user can access
• If the connected Salesforce user account is deactivated, the sync will stop working
• Salesforce has limited granularity in its OAuth scopes, so Airtable requires broad API access to enable the integration

Once the integration is set up, Airtable securely retrieves data from Salesforce's API and syncs it to your base. The data is only used for the synced table and not for any other purpose.

By integrating Airtable and Salesforce, you can unlock powerful workflows and gain a more comprehensive view of your business data. In the next section, we'll explore how to build a prospect list and best practices for managing the integration.

Mapping Fields and Syncing Data from Airtable to Salesforce

Once you have the Airtable Salesforce integration set up, the next step is mapping fields between the two tools to ensure data is accurately synced. You'll also need to configure options like one-way vs two-way syncing and sync frequency. Here's a closer look at the key considerations.

1. Map Airtable Fields to Salesforce Fields

In the field mapping settings, choose which Airtable field should sync to each Salesforce field. Airtable will attempt to automatically map fields that have the same name, but you can customize the mapping as needed.

Most standard field types can be mapped, including single line text, long text, number, percent, single select, and date fields. Attachment, barcode, button, and formula fields cannot be mapped.

2. Configure Picklists, Lookups, and Formulas

If you're mapping an Airtable single select field to a Salesforce picklist, make sure the options in Airtable exactly match the picklist values in Salesforce. Airtable lookup fields can map to Salesforce lookup fields if the linked records already exist in Salesforce.

Salesforce formula fields cannot have data synced to them, as they are read-only and calculated by Salesforce. Instead, map the component fields that make up the formula.

3. Choose One-Way or Two-Way Syncing

By default, data will only sync one-way from Salesforce to Airtable. However, you can enable two-way syncing so that changes made in Airtable will be pushed back to Salesforce.

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Keep in mind that with two-way sync, data could be overwritten in either system. Airtable will always take the most recent change. There may also be some delay between when a change is made and when it is reflected in the other system.

4. Set Your Sync Frequency

You can choose to have data sync automatically every 5 minutes, every hour, or every 24 hours. The frequency you choose depends on how real-time you need the data to be.

If you have a very large Salesforce object, frequent syncing may hit Salesforce API limits. In this case, consider less frequent syncs or reduce the number of fields being synced.

Properly configuring field mapping and syncing between Airtable and Salesforce is critical to keeping data accurate and up-to-date across the two platforms. In the next section, we'll look at how to update Salesforce records from Airtable, along with some limitations and workarounds to be aware of.

Updating Salesforce Records from Airtable: Limitations and Workarounds

While the Airtable Salesforce integration makes it easy to sync data from Salesforce to Airtable, updating existing Salesforce records from Airtable is more limited. Here's what you need to know about record updates and some potential workarounds.

1. Native Integration Doesn't Support Direct Updates

Unfortunately, the native Airtable Salesforce integration is read-only when it comes to syncing data back to Salesforce. This means you can view Salesforce data in Airtable, but any changes made in Airtable won't automatically update the corresponding Salesforce record.

Airtable cites the technical complexity of bi-directional syncing as the reason for this limitation. Reliably updating Salesforce records would require complex conflict resolution and error handling.

2. Manual Updates in Salesforce

If you need to update a Salesforce record based on changes in Airtable, the simplest option is to manually make those edits in Salesforce. You can view the linked Airtable record to see what needs updating.

However, this process can be time-consuming if you frequently need to make updates. It also introduces the potential for human error and doesn't scale well.

3. Automation with the Salesforce API

For a more automated approach, you can leverage Airtable automations and the Salesforce API to programmatically update records. When a record is modified in Airtable, an automation can trigger a script that calls the Salesforce API to update the corresponding record.

This does require some technical setup and familiarity with APIs. You'll need to use a scripting automation step in Airtable and handle authentication to the Salesforce API. But once configured, this can enable near real-time updates from Airtable to Salesforce.

4. Third-Party Integration Platforms

Another option is to use a third-party integration platform like Zapier, Workato, or Tray.io. These tools can detect changes in Airtable and then use the Salesforce API to update records.

The setup is generally easier than building your own automation, but you may face some limitations in the fields you can update or the frequency of updates depending on your plan with the integration platform.

While not as seamless as the Salesforce to Airtable sync, there are still ways to update Salesforce records from Airtable with some additional configuration. Thanks for sticking with us this far - we know you're well on your way to becoming an Airtable Salesforce integration pro!

Conclusions

Integrating Airtable and Salesforce is crucial for seamlessly syncing data between the two platforms. Here's a recap of the key points covered in this guide:

• Setting up the integration requires Enterprise plans, enabling the connection, and configuring Salesforce settings
• Mapping fields, handling special field types, and choosing sync direction and frequency are essential for accurate data syncing
• Updating Salesforce records from Airtable has limitations but can be achieved through manual updates, automation, or third-party tools

Don't let disconnected data hold you back - master the Airtable Salesforce integration and take your productivity to new heights!

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