Overview
The Create a Record and Update Records automation actions for Salesforce in SmartSuite allow you to automatically add or update records in Salesforce based on workflow triggers.
If you're new to automations, check out our guides on creating an automation and managing automations for more details.
Plan Availability | All plan types |
Permissions | Solution Managers or Administrators |
Related Reading |
What is an Action?
An automation action is a task executed when predefined conditions are met:
When something happens (the Trigger) and these conditions are met, then this event (the Action) occurs.
For Salesforce, this means automatically adding new records or updating existing ones based on your workflow needs.
Setting Up the Automation
Prerequisites
To use Salesforce automation, ensure you have:
An active Salesforce account.
Solution Manager or Administrator permissions in SmartSuite.
Note: To learn more about permissions, visit our roles and permissions guide.
Accessing Automations
To access automation settings:
Click on Automations in the Solution drop-down menu.
Open the Automations dialog.
Click Add Automation to create a new automation.
Configuring the Salesforce Action
Step 1: Choose a Trigger
A trigger determines when the automation runs. Examples include:
When a Record is Created: Creates a new Salesforce record when a record is added in SmartSuite.
When a Record is Updated: Updates a Salesforce record when a SmartSuite field is modified.
Step 2: Select the Salesforce Action
After selecting a trigger, navigate to the Integrations section.
Choose Salesforce from the action list.
Select either:
Create a Record – Adds a new record to Salesforce.
Update Records – Modifies an existing record in Salesforce.
Adding a Record in Salesforce
Step 1: Connect Your Salesforce Account
Click Connect to authorize SmartSuite with Salesforce.
If prompted, log in to your Salesforce account.
Choose between a Production or Sandbox account.
Accept the permission request.
Once connected, close the dialog window.
Note: You can disconnect your Salesforce account at any time by clicking Disconnect in the settings.
Step 2: Configure the Record Details
Entity Type – Choose the type of record to create (e.g., Opportunity, Account, Contact, Lead, Task).
Name – Enter a relevant name for the record.
Fields – Add custom fields by clicking Add Field.
Use static values or dynamically map fields from the triggering record.
Click Save Automation to apply changes.
Tip: You will be prompted to activate the automation. Select Yes, switch it on to enable it immediately.
Updating a Record in Salesforce
Step 1: Find the Record to Update
To update an existing record, you must define one or more conditions to identify the correct record(s). These conditions act as search criteria and can include:
Email – Match based on the contact’s email address.
Name – Match by full or partial name.
Phone – Locate records with a matching phone number.
Role – Filter based on the assigned role.
Other Custom Fields – Additional search fields may be available based on your Salesforce setup.
Note: You can add multiple conditions using AND (all conditions must be met) or OR (any condition can be met) logic to refine the search results.
Step 2: Configure the Update Fields
Click Choose Field to specify which Salesforce fields should be updated.
Enter the new values using static data or dynamically map values from the triggering record.
You can add multiple fields to update within the same action.
Once all fields are configured, click Save Automation to finalize the setup.
Tip: Ensure that the selected update fields align with the data structure in Salesforce to prevent conflicts or unexpected behavior.
Practical Use Cases and Scenarios
1. Automating Lead Management
Scenario: A sales team wants new leads from SmartSuite to be added automatically to Salesforce.
Solution: Set up a When a Record is Created trigger to add new leads to Salesforce.
2. Keeping Customer Records Up to Date
Scenario: A customer success team needs updated customer details in Salesforce whenever changes occur in SmartSuite.
Solution: Use the When a Record is Updated trigger to update Salesforce contact details dynamically.
3. Automating Opportunity Creation
Scenario: A business wants to generate Salesforce Opportunities based on SmartSuite deal progress.
Solution: Configure an automation to create an Opportunity record when a SmartSuite deal reaches a specified stage.