CRM integration patterns
Connect an enquiry or customer workflow to the commercial record while preserving the original context. The integration should adapt to the chosen CRM rather than make the whole application depend on its field names.
How should the data flow?
- 01
Validate intake and create a stable enquiry reference.
- 02
Normalize fields and identify an existing person or organization using agreed match rules.
- 03
Create or update the CRM object and retain the destination identifier.
- 04
Present a review task with original context and unresolved matching questions.
What business handoff does this integration support?
A project enquiry needs to reach a responsible person with its objective, current state and source intact. Updating a contact is only one part of that handoff; qualification and commercial next steps still need ownership.
How do authentication and permissions work?
Use a server-side integration credential scoped to the required objects. Verify the actual account permissions in a sandbox; do not embed CRM tokens in website JavaScript.
How are changes detected?
Use authenticated change events where the CRM supports them, validate payloads and deduplicate deliveries. Reconcile periodically because an event feed alone may not reveal missed changes.
What are the implementation options?
- A direct adapter for a narrow, well-defined handoff with focused contract tests.
- Workflow orchestration for visible routing and human review, with custom logic kept testable.
Systems involved
- A website, support workspace or internal application that originates an enquiry.
- The selected CRM containing people, organizations, opportunities and activities.
Sync direction
Begin with one-way enquiry delivery. Bidirectional updates require a field-level owner and a rule for resolving simultaneous edits.
Error handling and reconciliation
Keep failed and uncertain deliveries distinct. A timeout after remote acceptance may need reconciliation before retrying. Preserve source references and destination IDs to avoid blind duplicate creation.
Limitations to verify
Vendor object models, rate limits, custom fields and plan permissions vary. Verify those capabilities before promising a particular synchronization pattern.