Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) software. It assists businesses in marketing, customer support, analytics, etc. by centralizing customer data. But it cannot handle every business need on its own. Businesses often need Salesforce to work together with other systems.
For example, companies integrate Salesforce with their accounting systems to directly link these two platforms for smooth data transfer. When any sales opportunity is closed, salesforce sends data automatically to the accounting system that develops invoices without manual intervention.
This process is possible via integrations. Integration is the process of bringing two or more systems together to streamline processes. The backbone of any integration is an API (Application Programming Interface). It is a software intermediary that allows two applications to communicate. Many systems (including Salesforce) provide standard APIs to connect to other systems using different methods. This integration capability is one of the key reasons behind Salesforce’s dominance in the CRM market.
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What is Salesforce Integration?
Salesforce integration is a process of connecting third-party systems, apps, or databases with salesforce CRM for effective bidirectional data flow. These integrations help businesses to automate tasks, synchronize data across platforms, and enhance overall productivity.
Integration becomes important because business data is often stored in multiple systems. Customer, contact, and product information may exist in different applications and needs to be synchronized in both directions.
Why Integrate Salesforce? Business Benefits
When Salesforce is integrated with other external systems, it enables smooth data flow, automation, and collaboration across the business. This integration makes it possible to achieve the following benefits.
- Integration helps to achieve end to end visibility by using the collaborative approach. By integrating sales, service, marketing, experience cloud, and commerce cloud, there is end to end visibility of the entire customer, the entire account, and the entire data.
- With integration, businesses can decrease case wrap up time because of so much automation, AI, and pre-built solutions. By using action plans, actionable relationship sites, forecasting, and automation, case wrap up time can be reduced significantly. This gives customer satisfaction and allows businesses to close more cases and deals faster and more efficiently.
- Integrations help businesses capture realtime demand insights by having the realtime data into the system from different data sources. This helps understand how the demand of any particular product is growing or reducing.
- Integrations help foster omnichannel experiences by taking care of the services, taking care of customer claims, taking care of cases, and taking care of chats with customers, thereby providing better customer experiences.
- Integration helps organizations achieve ROI, which is important for any business and any transaction.
Types of Salesforce Integration Architectures
There are three common ways to create an integration, and these are referred to as integration architectures. Let discuss the following three types:
- Point-to-point integration
- Hub-and-spoke integration
- Enterprise Service Bus integration (ESB)
Point-to-Point Integration
It is also known as one-to-one integration. This type of architecture connects salesforce with external systems directly via a one-to-one relationship. There is no intermediate layer that connects two systems together rather they are connected directly to each other.
Suppose you have Salesforce sending customer data to an email marketing tool, to a customer support system, and to an internal reporting application. Each of these systems needs its own separate integration with Salesforce. If later the support system also needs data from the marketing tool, another new integration must be set up between those two systems as well.
This architecture is simpler with respect to implementation, quick in deployment and is less expensive with respect to initial expense but becomes costly as integrations increases
As we know that, we need separate integration for each system, so it becomes difficult to manage systems as integration increases. Moreover, it is difficult to maintain because changes to one system may require updates to multiple integration points.
Hub-and-Spoke Integration
With hub-and spoke integration, salesforce CRM and external systems like your business’s accounting, billing and other systems are connected to a third system called hub. If you want to send information from salesforce CRM to your own internal system, it first goes to the hub and then to the desired system. The hub is responsible for routing all traffic, and you only need to build one connection for each new system.
Let’s consider the same example we discussed in point-to-point integration. In hub and spoke integration, salesforce sends information to a centralized hub and then hub routes that data to other systems like email marketing tool, the customer support system, and the internal reporting application. If later the support system also needs data from the marketing tool, the hub still manages that flow, so you don’t create a new direct integration between those two systems
Hub-and-spoke replaces many scattered integrations with one controlled connection per system, which directly addresses the scalability and maintenance problems found in point-to-point integration.
Enterprise Service Bus Integration (ESB)
An enterprise service bus is the more advanced form of hub-and–spoke integration as it actively manages how applications connect and interact with each other using an integration engine rather than simply passing the information through a centralized hub.
ESB allows the system to support enterprise level functions such as:
- Routing: It controls the flow of data. For example: A sale is closed and the system needs to notify accounting, billing, and other systems. Salesforce sends this information once to the ESB. The ESB checks its routing rules, such as: If sale is closed; send data to accounting. If billing is required; send data to the billing system, If shipment is involved; send data to the fulfillment system. The ESB automatically routes the same message to all required systems Salesforce does not decide where to send the data every time. The integration layer itself handles that logic.
- Orchestration: It is about controlling the order in which actions happen. For example, when a new customer account is created, one system must first verify the customer’s details and return a confirmation. Only after that confirmation is received can another system activate the customer’s services or grant system access.
- Transformation: It changes data into the format each system needs. For example, two systems store data differently. Suppose the billing system might use short field names and codes, while the shipping system stores data in full names and structured fields. The integration engine, while moving the data from one system to another, transforms it in a format compatible with the receiving system.
- Security handling: It protects data using security rules. For example, when one system tries to send data to another system. The integration layer checks the identity of the system and verifies its permissions. Only after successful authentication and authorization is the message allowed to pass through, ensuring that sensitive data is protected.
Using an ESB, each of the systems within the integration gets an adapter that you can plug and unplug to your ‘bus’.Moreover apps and systems do not depend on each other and are not affected if one system fails, updates, or changes. This makes the integration setup more scalable and avoids a single point of failure.
How to Integrate with Salesforce?
Salesforce offers multiple integration methods to accommodate different technical requirements and business needs. Here are the primary ways to integrate an application with your Salesforce environment:
App-based Salesforce Integration
App based integration is a way to connect salesforce with another application using integration tools like Zapier, MuleSoft, or Workato. These tools have built-in connectors for connecting salesforce CRM with other apps.
For example, you choose apps like facebook lead ads and salesforce and slack to create a system. Facebook ads and salesforce, and salesforce and slack are connected via tools like Zapier. Whenever lead is generated via facebook ads, the integration tool sends data to salesforce,where lead is added and dashboard gets updated. Lead update acts as a trigger for second integration and integration tool sends information to slack that posts information about lead.
Code-based Salesforce Integration (Apex)
Salesforce has a built-in proprietary programming language called Apex; similar to Java or C#; that lets technical teams customize the whole system based on their business needs and requirements.
With Apex, developers can
- create your own custom APIs that other systems can connect to
- build custom rules to keep data in sync between systems
- handle errors and failures properly when something goes wrong
- run automatic actions before or after a record is created or updated
Apex is extremely useful when you have very unique business requirements and basic integration won’t help you productively.
User Interface Integration
Salesforce allows for user interface (UI) integration through techniques like mashups, which is ideal for accessing multiple applications from within the Salesforce interface.
A mashup maintains large data sets in a different application and then makes that application available within Salesforce. For example, you can:
With UI integration, you can:
- show an external website or app inside a Salesforce tab
- embed interactive dashboards from analytics platforms
- add maps to see locations and geographic data
- exchange information with external systems in real-time
Everything users need is visible in one place. They don’t have to switch between different apps, which makes work faster and easier.
Business Logic Integration
Business logic integration allows processes and rules to extend from one application to another, ensuring consistent application of business policies across systems.
There are two types of business logic integration:
- Inbound logic integration: Business logic extends from outside the platform into Salesforce. It means that the trigger from an app or external system initiates an action in Salesforce. And Salesforce then uses its own rules, validations, or processes based on that data. Inbound logic integration is commonly implemented with Apex Web Services.
- Outbound logic integration: Business logic extends from within Salesforce to external systems. Triggers in salesforce generate an action in any other app or external system. It is implemented with Apex Callouts.
Business logic integration ensures that important business rules are always followed whether data is created or updated inside Salesforce or in another system, the same rules apply every time. For example, a deal must be approved before it is closed, that rule will still apply even if:
- the deal comes from a website,
- is updated from an external system,
- or is changed directly in Salesforce.
Data Integration and APIs
Salesforce provides different APIs that help it share data with other systems and keep information in sync.
The most common APIs include:
- REST API
- SOAP API
- Bulk API
- Streaming API
- Metadata API
- Apex REST/SOAP API
For example: The SOAP API can connect Salesforce with your company’s ERP or finance system. This allows sales and support data from Salesforce to be sent to those systems, and customer information to be shared across the business automatically.
What is an API?
The modern salesforce environment is based on interaction among salesforce CRM, service, marketing, finance, analytics, and external platforms. This interaction involves continuous flow of information via high-functioning APIs. These APIs allow the system to communicate efficiently and effectively.
An API is also known as an application programming interface. It is a computing interface which defines interactions between multiple software intermediaries..
An API defines the relationship between two systems in order to exchange information. It provides a layer of abstraction between systems. At its core, an integration API acts as a contract between systems. It defines how data is requested, how responses are returned, how errors are handled, and how security is enforced.
The API takes a certain input, performs a specified job, and produces a certain output. It is predictable and consistent. By combining APIs together, developers can build powerful systems by building on existing work rather than starting from scratch.
When designing Salesforce integrations, two fundamental questions must always be answered:
- When does the integration respond?
- Who initiates the interaction?
These two dimensions define how integrations behave and determine which Salesforce APIs, tools, and patterns should be used.
Timing of Salesforce Integrations
Timing defines whether a system waits for a reply from another system (to which a request is made) or continues processing independently without waiting for the reply in response to request.
Synchronous Integration
In this type of integration, salesforce requests another system and waits for its reply and only resumes the process when response arrives. The common use cases for this type of integration include data validation before saving a record, checking qualification information, availability, and pricing etc.
Synchronous integrations must be fast and reliable. If the external system is slow or unavailable, Salesforce risks delays, timeouts, or poor user experience.
Asynchronous Integration
In asynchronous integration, salesforce sends a request to another system and do not wait for its reply to continue processing. Asynchronous API calls are used when creating a new organization from scratch to avoid waiting for everything to complete before receiving a response.
A typical synchronous request is used when performing an operation on one to ten or maybe less than 200 objects, whereas an asynchronous request is more effective when operating on millions of records.
Direction of Salesforce Integrations
Integration direction describes which system initiates the interaction and controls the flow of data.
Inbound Integrations
With inbound integration business logic extends from outside the platform into Salesforce. It means that the trigger from an app or external system initiates an action in Salesforce. And Salesforce then uses its own rules, validations, or processes based on that data. The common use cases include:
- Lead creation from marketing platforms
- Order updates from e-commerce systems
- Data synchronization from ERP or billing platforms
Inbound integrations require strong security controls, as Salesforce must validate and authorize external requests before accepting data.
Outbound Integrations
With outbound integration, business logic extends from within Salesforce to external systems. Triggers in salesforce generate an action in any other app or external system. Salesforce acts as the calling system whereas external systems receive data or instructions. Common use cases include:
- Sending sales data to finance or ERP systems
- Triggering fulfillment or shipping processes
- Notifying communication platforms of record updates..
Types of Salesforce API Integrations
1. REST API
REST API focuses on data-based operations. It allows other integrated systems and applications to read or change data present in Salesforce.
It uses following actions like:
- GET to retrieve data from salesforce
- POST to create a new record
- PUT or PATCH to update an existing record
- DELETE to remove a record
It is best for web and mobile applications because it is lightweight and easy to use. It supports XML and JSON. REST API is lightweight and uses data formats that are smaller in size, faster to process therefore it does not use much bandwidth and performs efficiently. It works in a synchronous way.
2. SOAP API
The SOAP API is an orthodox API used in older systems. It’s best for system-to-system integrations, back-end system communication, and for applications that require formal hand-off (contracts) between the API and the consumer
SOAP API uses XML for sending data that is in a very structured form but also heavier. Therefore , SOAP API uses more bandwidth as compared to REST API. It is asynchronous in nature. It is stable and dependable, but modern applications usually prefer REST because it is faster and lighter.
3. Bulk API
The Bulk API in Salesforce is used when systems have to handle high volume data. It can process up to 100 million records in a 24-hour period. It is ideal for heavy data operations. It works in both directions: inbound and outbound. Therefore it is used when systems need to move large datasets into or out of Salesforce. It is especially useful during initial data migration, such as loading customers, accounts, or historical records into Salesforce for the first time.
Bulk API helps keep the system stable by:
- Letting you track and monitor jobs
- Controlling how much data is processed at one time
- Automatically splitting large files into smaller batches
Bulk API processes data in bulk in serial mode in which batches are processed one after another and parallel mode in which multiple batches processed at the same time It works in an asynchronous way.
4. Streaming API
The Streaming API sends near real-time event notifications about changes in Salesforce data. Rather than constantly asking Salesforce for updates (polling), external systems can subscribe to event streams and get notified when specific changes happen, enabling real-time updates in dashboards or applications.
Streaming API has two communication models:.
- Request and Response: one system asks for something and waits for an answer
- Event-Driven: a system sends a message when something happens, and others react to it
It is based on the publish/subscribe model, is a very efficient way to send notifications and is the basis of Event-Driven Architecture.
- Salesforce publishes events (messages)
- Other systems subscribe to those events
- Whenever an event happens, all subscribed systems receive it
Salesforce provides four types of Streaming APIs:
- Generic
- PushTopic
- Platform Events
- Change Data Capture
They are all built using CometD technology. This means there is an Enterprise Messaging Bus that allows an Event Producer to publish a Message to a channel so that any Event Consumer (subscribed to it) can pick up that broadcast. Platform Events simplify the process of communicating changes in data and allow us to have a near real-time integration between Salesforce and external systems.
FAQs about API Integration with Salesforce
1. What is API integration with Salesforce?
API is a communication layer between Salesforce CRM and other integrated apps. It lets the data flows from one system to another and the transfer is based on specific rules defined by the type of API.
2. Why do businesses need to integrate Salesforce with other systems?
Integration is important for businesses because business data is often stored in multiple systems. Customer, contact, and product information may exist in different applications and needs to be synchronized in both directions.
3. What are the main types of Salesforce integration architectures?
Salesforce supports three integration architectures:
- Point-to-point integration
- Hub-and-spoke integration
- Enterprise Service Bus (ESB)
4. What is the difference between synchronous and asynchronous Salesforce integrations?
In this type of integration, salesforce requests another system and waits for its reply and only resumes the process when response arrives. The common use cases for this type of integration include data validation before saving a record, checking qualification information, availability, and pricing etc. In asynchronous integration, salesforce sends a request to another system and does not wait for its reply to continue processing. Asynchronous API calls are used when creating a new organization from scratch to avoid waiting for everything to complete before receiving a response.
5. Which Salesforce API should I use for my integration use case?
It all depends on your need and requirements:
- REST API for web and mobile apps
- SOAP API for enterprise and ERP systems
- Bulk API for large-scale data migration
- Streaming API for near real-time updates
- Metadata or Apex APIs for customization and advanced logic
