Synchronizing Salesforce Data to Marketing Lists

  • Updated

Use this setup to keep Salesforce and Act-On aligned for contact imports, recurring syncs, opt-out management, lead score updates, and funnel reporting. Follow the steps in order so your data flows correctly before you add scoring, sales visibility, and reporting.

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  • Import Salesforce Contacts and Leads into separate Act-On Marketing Lists.
  • Set up scheduled syncs for each Salesforce list.
  • Choose whether Act-On should pull opt-outs from Salesforce, push unsubscribes to Salesforce, or do both.
  • Use a List Maintenance Program to copy the current behavioral score into the synced lead score field before the Salesforce sync runs.
  • Assign the synced lists to Sales Prospects.
  • Map Salesforce opportunity and revenue fields for funnel and ROI reporting.
Try it like this: If you want Salesforce owners to see updated lead scores and sales-ready prospects, first sync your Leads and Contacts into Act-On, then schedule recurring list syncs, configure opt-out sync, and run a maintenance program shortly before each sync to push the latest score values.
Before you begin: This workflow applies to Salesforce setups that use Marketing Lists. Some Act-On accounts use Audience Center and All Contacts instead, so some navigation and sync steps may differ.

Import Salesforce Leads and Contacts into Act-On

Start by bringing your Salesforce data into Act-On as Marketing Lists. Import Contacts and Leads separately so each list can be synced and managed correctly.

  1. Go to Lists > Marketing Lists.
  2. Click the Import button with the Salesforce logo.
  3. Select either All Salesforce Contacts or All Salesforce Leads.
  4. Enter a unique New List Name, such as SFDC Master Contacts or SFDC Master Leads.
  5. Select the fields to import.
    • Required: Email
    • Recommended: First Name, Last Name, Company, Lead Score, and Salesforce Owner
  6. Click Finish.
  7. Repeat these steps for the other Salesforce object so you have one list for Contacts and one list for Leads.
Heads up: Salesforce Contacts and Salesforce Leads must be imported one at a time.

Set up recurring Salesforce syncs

After importing each list, configure a sync schedule so changes continue to move between Salesforce and Act-On automatically.

  1. Go to Lists > Marketing Lists.
  2. Hover over your Salesforce list, click the drop-down arrow, and select Import/Export > Salesforce.com Sync Setup.
  3. Choose how data should move:
    • Pull from Salesforce to bring Salesforce updates into Act-On.
    • Push to Salesforce to send Act-On data, such as lead scores, back to Salesforce.
  4. Under Scheduling, choose how often the sync should run, such as every hour.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Repeat for each Salesforce list you imported.
How scheduled syncs work: Act-On performs a Full Sync every two weeks, updating all records in the synced list. Between those runs, Act-On performs Incremental Syncs, which update only records that have changed in Salesforce since the last sync. Adding a new field to your Marketing List triggers an immediate Full Sync.

Keep opt-outs synced between Salesforce and Act-On

Opt-out sync is managed at the account level, not per list. Set this up early so unsubscribe status stays consistent across systems.

  1. Go to Settings > Data Management > Sync Schedule.
  2. In the Options section, locate the opt-out sync settings.
  3. Confirm that Act-On syncs with the Salesforce field HasOptedOutOfEmail.
  4. Choose one of the following:
    • Push Act-On unsubscribes to Salesforce
    • Pull Salesforce opt-outs into Act-On
    • Both if you want status changes to stay aligned in either system
  5. Click Save.
Why this matters: If opt-out status is not synced, a contact may appear unsubscribed in one platform but still active in the other.

Update lead scores before the Salesforce sync runs

If you want Salesforce users to see the latest engagement score, use a List Maintenance Program to write the current behavioral score into the synced lead score field before the list sync runs.

  1. Go to Lists > Marketing Lists.
  2. Hover over your Salesforce list, click the drop-down arrow, and select Maintenance > Setup Maintenance Program.
  3. Name the program, such as Lead Score Update to Salesforce.
  4. Set the schedule to run shortly before your Salesforce Marketing List sync.
  5. Open the Steps tab and add a Change field value step.
  6. Select Lead Score as the field to update.
  7. Choose Set Value to Behavioral Score.
  8. Click Save Changes.
Best practice: Schedule the maintenance program to run before the list sync, not after it. That way the most current score is already in the list when Act-On pushes data to Salesforce.

5. Assign your synced lists to Sales Prospects

This step helps your sales team see the right high-intent leads and contacts in Salesforce through the Sales Prospects setup.

  1. Go to Lists > Other Lists > Account Lists > Sales Prospects.
  2. Hover over Prospects Assigned to Sales, click the three dots, and select Select.
  3. Choose the Salesforce Marketing List you synchronized earlier.
  4. Repeat the process for Existing Contacts Assigned to Sales.
  5. Click Submit.

Once this is in place, Salesforce users can work from the synced prospect data more effectively.

6. Map Salesforce fields for funnel and ROI reporting

The last setup step is to connect your Salesforce opportunity and revenue fields to Act-On reporting fields so funnel and ROI reports can use CRM data.

  1. Go to Settings > Data Management > Report Mapping.
  2. Review the Salesforce fields shown on the left and the corresponding Act-On reporting fields on the right.
  3. Map your Opportunity and Revenue fields so Act-On can use CRM data in Funnel Reports.
  4. Click Save.
Next step: With your imports, syncs, score updates, and reporting fields in place, install the Act-On Salesforce Package to complete the broader Salesforce integration setup.

What to check if something looks wrong

  • If records are missing in Act-On, confirm the correct Salesforce object was imported and that the list sync is enabled.
  • If scores are not updating in Salesforce, make sure the maintenance program runs before the Salesforce sync.
  • If unsubscribe status does not match between systems, review the opt-out sync direction and confirm the correct Salesforce field is mapped.
  • If funnel reports are empty or incomplete, review your Report Mapping settings.

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