Salesforce rarely works in isolation. Most Salesforce implementations rely on integrations to connect CRM data with external systems like ERPs, marketing platforms, payment gateways, data warehouses, and custom applications.

That leads to a very common question:

Pro Tip

How many types of integration are there in Salesforce?

In this guide, you’ll get a clear, Salesforce-official breakdown of integration types, real-world examples, and best practices to help admins, architects, and ISVs choose the right approach.

Pro Tip

There are five main types of integration in Salesforce: Data Integration, Process Integration, User Interface Integration, Business Logic Integration, and Security Integration.

Let’s explore each type in detail with examples.

Salesforce integrations help organizations:

• Eliminate data silos

• Automate business processes

• Improve data accuracy

• Enable real-time decision making

• Scale enterprise systems

A strong integration strategy is essential for performance, security, and long-term scalability.

Purpose:
Synchronize or move data between Salesforce and external systems.

Common Use Cases:

• Syncing customers from ERP to Salesforce

• Importing leads from marketing tools

• Exporting Salesforce data to data warehouses

Integration Methods:

• REST API

• SOAP API

• Bulk API

• Salesforce Connect

• ETL tools

Example:
Syncing customer accounts from SAP into Salesforce nightly.

Purpose:
Coordinate and automate business processes across multiple systems.

Common Use Cases:

• Order creation in ERP after opportunity close

• Triggering marketing workflows from Salesforce events

• Automating invoice generation

Integration Methods:

• Platform Events

• Change Data Capture (CDC)

• Flow + APIs

• Middleware orchestration

Example:
When a deal closes in Salesforce, an order is automatically created in NetSuite.

Purpose:
Provide a seamless user experience across Salesforce and external applications.

Common Use Cases:

• Embedding third-party apps inside Salesforce

• Displaying external data in Salesforce UI

• Launching Salesforce from another system

Integration Methods:

• Lightning Web Components

• Visualforce

• iFrames

• Canvas Apps

Example:
Displaying a billing dashboard from an external system inside a Salesforce record page.

Purpose:
Share or centralize business logic between Salesforce and external systems.

Common Use Cases:

• Calling external pricing engines

• Running AI or ML models outside Salesforce

• Validating complex rules

Integration Methods:

• Apex callouts

• REST APIs

• External Services

• Middleware

Example:
Salesforce calls an external fraud detection service before approving a deal.

Purpose:
Ensure secure authentication, authorization, and access control.

Common Use Cases:

• Single Sign-On (SSO)

• Identity federation

• Secure API access

Integration Methods:

• OAuth 2.0

• SAML

• OpenID Connect

• Named Credentials

Example:
Employees log into Salesforce using corporate identity providers like Okta or Azure AD.

Salesforce integrations can also be categorized by timing:

• Instant data exchange

• Used for user-driven actions

• Requires careful limit management

• Scheduled or bulk data transfer

• Used for large data volumes

• More efficient for performance

Choosing the right timing is just as important as choosing the integration type.

Beyond types, Salesforce architects use integration patterns such as:

• Request–Reply

• Fire and Forget

• Batch Data Synchronization

• Remote Process Invocation

Understanding these patterns helps design scalable integrations.

✔ Choose the right integration type
✔ Use Salesforce-native features first
✔ Avoid hardcoding credentials
✔ Monitor API usage
✔ Design for failure and retries
✔ Secure every integration

• Overusing real-time integrations

• Ignoring governor limits

• Mixing business logic across systems

• Skipping security reviews

• Not planning for scale

Traditional Salesforce integrations require:

• Custom Apex

• Middleware setup

• Long development cycles

Appnigma allows you to:

• Build Salesforce integrations using natural language

• Generate Salesforce-native logic automatically

• Create AppExchange-ready integration packages

• Deploy across multiple orgs

• Reduce time and cost dramatically

All while following Salesforce integration best practices.

There are five main types of integration in Salesforce: Data, Process, User Interface, Business Logic, and Security integration.

Data integration is the most commonly used type, especially for syncing Salesforce with ERPs and marketing platforms.

The best approach depends on the use case, but Salesforce-native APIs, Platform Events, and secure OAuth authentication are recommended.

Salesforce offers multiple integration types, each designed for a specific purpose.

Understanding how many types of integration are there in Salesforce—and when to use each— helps you build systems that are:

• Scalable

• Secure

• Maintainable

• Enterprise-ready

A well-designed integration strategy is the foundation of Salesforce success.