A bidirectional relationship with SugarCRM allows you as the marketing user to push and then pull data between the two systems synchronizing the two databases. When using the SugarCRM integration you may use not only the SugarCRM standard fields for marketing and segmentation but all custom fields associated with leads and contacts as well.

When importing from SugarCRM you can pull your full list of leads or contacts into Act-On. Importing leads or contacts will create a list within Act-On that contains all of the individuals associated with that group. You can then send email campaigns to them, segment and manipulate the data, or add newly qualified leads to the list for creation in your SugarCRM account.

Getting Started

You'll need the following before you can begin:

• SugarCRM version 8.x, 9.x, 10.x, 11.x, or 12.x
• SugarCRM Administrator username and password
• SugarCRM URL
• Download the following zip files:
  • SugarCRM Package v 4.2.4: Act-On-Sugar-Package-4.2.4.zip*
  • SugarCRM Platform Registration v 1.5: act-on-custom-platform-1.5.zip

* This file only works with versions of Sugar that support the ExternalResourceClient. These are the currently supported versions of SugarCRM (v11 and higher).  If you have an older version please use this file: Act-On-Sugar-Package-4.2.3.zip.

Instructions

Connect and Log In to SugarCRM

1. From the Start page, click on Settings, and choose Connectors.
2. Click the SugarCRM logo, or click CRM > SugarCRM.
3. Click Connect.
4. Enter your SugarCRM login credentials.
5. Click Login.

Install the Act-On Package for SugarCRM 

Have the following ready during or before SugarCRM installation: 

• The installation zip file downloaded to your desktop
  • MacOS may unzip the file. In order to load the file within SugarCRM, you may need to re-compress the file prior to uploading it to Sugar.
• Have SugarCRM and Act-On open within your browser
• Have your ci instance name available (e.g., https://ciXX.actonsoftware.com)
  • If you are unsure of what that is, please look at the browser bar for your Act-On instance:

To install the package:

1. Log into your Act-On Account
2. Go on Settings > Apps > API Access, then click Generate Key
   
   

   Heads up!
   If you do not see the 'Apps' button, please contact Support to have the 'OAuth' feature enabled.

3. Copy the key that is provided
4. Log in to SugarCRM as an administrator.
5. Open the Admin menu in the dropdown at the top-left corner of your screen
6. Go to Developer Tools and select Module Loader
   
7. Click Choose File or Browse to select a file:
8. Select the .zip file from the download link above and click Install > Commit
   
9. After successfully installing the file, go back to the Admin panel in SugarCRM and select System > Repair
   
10. Click Quick Repair and Rebuild - The bottom of the page will show 'done' once completed
    
11. After successful install, return to Admin > System > Connectors
    
12. Choose Set Connector Properties
    
13. If you are not already on Act-On Integrator, click on that tab:
    
14. In the URL (Global) text box, enter the URL associated with your Act-On Account. The URL will be https://ciXX.actonsoftware.com, where the ciXX is replaced with your ci found in your browser address bar when logged into Act-On.
15. Paste the API key that you copied from your Act-On account into the API Key (Global) field
16. Click Test Connector
    

Connecting More than One Act-On Account to SugarCRM

If you plan on connecting more than one Act-On Account to your SugarCRM, please follow these steps below. Otherwise, you can skip this step!

1. Enter the number of additional teams in "Number of additional Teams".  In the example below, we are connecting one more Act-On account to a SugarCRM Team.  (For information on how to set up SugarCRM teams, please search within SugarCRM documentation)
2. Enter the Team Name in the text box. The team name MUST MATCH the exact Team Name in Sugar. This is also case-sensitive.
3. Enter the Team URL. The URL will be https://ciXX.actonsoftware.com where the ciXX is replaced with your ci found in your browser address bar when logged into Act-On.
4. You will have to go into your additional Act-On Account to get the API Key and enter it into the Team API Key 1. (Within Act-On, Click on Settings > Apps > API Access > Generate Key)
   • You will repeat these input values for as many Act-On accounts that you are connecting to this SugarCRM instance. 
5. Click Test Connector
   

Testing the Connector

If testing fails with the IP address only, copy the IP address given to you and authorize it in your Act-On account. Below is an example of what it will look like. It will say 'Illegal Remote Endpoint with an IP Address'.

To resolve this:

1. The IP address that it gives you will need to be copied and pasted into the Act-On Account(s)
2. Copy the IP address and go to Act-On
3. Click on Settings > Apps > API Access > Authorize IP
   
4. Paste the IP address making sure there are no extra spaces and click Submit
   
5. Go back in SugarCRM and click Test Connector again:

You should see a Test Successful message. If not, please validate that the URL, API Key, and IP addresses are correct and test again. Click Save.

Enable Your Act-On Connectors

1. If you are not already on the Connectors page, navigate back to the Connectors page by going to SugarCRM: Admin > System > Connectors:
   
2. Click Enable Connectors:
   
3. Click on the Act-On Integrator tab:
   
4. Ensure that Contacts, Leads, and Targets are under Enabled. If not, move them to Enabled.
   
5. Click Save.

Install the Act-On Platform Registration for SugarCRM

1. Download the installation .zip file
2. MacOS may unzip the file. In order to load the file within SugarCRM, you may need to re-compress the file prior to uploading.
3. Go to the Admin menu in the dropdown at the top-left corner of your screen
4. Go to Developer Tools and select the Module Loader
5. In the Module Loader, click on Choose File or Browse.
6. Select the Act-On-SugarCRM-Platform-1.5 zip file in the finder and click Upload.
   
   
7. Locate the Act-On Custom Platform Registration package below the Module upload tool and select Install and Commit.
8. Verify that the Act-On Custom Platform Registration package has been successfully installed in the Module Loader.
9. Click back to the Administration page and click on Configure API Platforms in the Developer Tools section. Confirm that ‘act-on’ has been added to the API Platforms list.

Enable Act-On Dashlets in SugarCRM

To enable the Dashlets within SugarCRM:

1. Log out of SugarCRM and close all browser sessions completely
2. Log back in
3. Go to the main Dashboard (the sugar cube in the upper left-hand corner)
4. Click Leads and access any lead record. (For this version you may have to add it to the specific contact/lead level – i.e., you cannot add it at the global lead/contact level. However, once added, it will add to all leads/contacts)
   
5. In the individual lead record, click Create in the upper right-hand corner
6. Once the record has been created, click Open/Close Side Panel in the upper right-hand corner
7. Click on the menu icon (see below) in the bottom right-hand corner
   
8. Click Add Dashlet
9. Select the Act-On Activity History dashlet from the available list
10. Choose the appropriate marketing behaviors you would like displayed, then Save
    
11. Repeat the above steps to add the Marketing Timeline dashlet
12. Give this Dashboard a name (such as Act-On Activity)
13. Repeat all of these steps again in a Contact record – click Contacts and access any contact record
14. Go to the dashboard (cube icon in the left corner) within SugarCRM to enable Hot Prospects
15. Click on the menu icon in the bottom right-hand corner
16. Click Add Dashlet
17. Select Act-On Hot Prospects dashlet from the available list.
18. It will give you the option to customize the options as seen below:
    
19. Name your Dashboard and click Save

• Max Records – Number of records displayed in the Hot Prospects Dashlet
• Days of History – Number of days viewed of Act-On Activity History
• Minimum Score – Minimum value of lead score to have one appear in the Hot Prospects dashlet
• Include Email Sends – Include the Act-On lead score value for ‘was sent a message’ in the calculation
• Include Email Opens – Includes the Act-On lead score value for ‘opened a message’

Set Up the Account Report

You can also give your sales users access to the Account Report to easily view account-level data from Act-On from Sugar. See our CRM Customization Toolkit Guide for setup instructions.

Import and Synchronize Lists

1. Log into your Act-On account
2. From the Start page, click on Contacts > Marketing Lists
3. Click Import and select from the available lists
4. Change the name of the list you're importing to Act-On, if desired
5. Click Next
6. Select any fields you wish to import from SugarCRM to Act-On
   • The imported data can be used to make segments in Act-On, as well as personalize messages. Fields can be added and removed after the initial import. There are a couple of special fields that we highly recommend you import:
     • Email – Act-On uses email as the key to track behavior, so this is important to include
     • Act-On Lead Score – This is a new custom field that was created in SugarCRM via the Act-On connector (see Step 1 above). It is meant to be used to contain the Act-On lead score. If you would like to see the Act-On lead score in SugarCRM, then select this field.
     • Assign To – Act-On uses 'Assign To' for lead/contact owner association for hot prospects
7. Click Finish
8. Repeat the above steps to import other lists

Once your marketing lists are imported from SugarCRM, it is important to make sure your SugarCRM and Act-On lists are synchronized.

The initial import is only a one-time event. If you wish to keep the list synchronized with SugarCRM, automated sync can be enabled.

Follow the steps below to synchronize your SugarCRM lists with Act-On:

1. In your Act-On account, hover over the SugarCRM marketing list you wish to sync and click the drop-down arrow
2. Choose Import/Export > SugarCRM Sync Setup
3. Enable the option to push to and/or pull from SugarCRM
   • Typically, Act-On users will push the Act-On lead score to SugarCRM and pull all of the other values. To enable this:
     1. Click the Push to SugarCRM checkbox
     2. Click the Update checkbox under Push
     3. Click on the Select Push-Update Fields link
     4. Select Act-On Lead Score
   • After saving:
     1. Click Pull from SugarCRM
     2. You can then choose to click the Add checkbox if you would like new contacts to be added into Act-On (most users select this). Or, you can check Remove if you would like to remove contacts from Act-On that were removed in SugarCRM.
     3. Check the Update checkbox under Pull
     4. Click on the Select Pull-Update Fields link
     5. Select Act-On Lead Score
4. Click Schedule to set when you would like the sync to occur.
5. Click Save

Repeat these steps for the other SugarCRM marketing lists you would like to keep in sync.

Review Standard Field Names

The Standard Field Names page allows you to define a standard set of field names you typically use in your Act-On lists. The set of field names can then be quickly accessed when creating and editing lists, creating form fields, and other areas in the application where field names can be selected.

To define your set of standard field names:

1. Click on Contacts
2. Choose Standard Field Names
3. Click Optimize for SugarCRM to pull in all of your custom and standard fields from your SugarCRM Lead and Contact entities into the field name

Push Act-On Lead Score to SugarCRM

If you are pushing the lead score back to SugarCRM, the Score column needs to be updated prior to doing the sync. This can be done with the help of a list maintenance program.

1. Hover over the list to be updated and click the drop-down arrow
2. Click Maintenance > Set up Maintenance Program
3. Enter a name for the program and click Add a Step
4. Select Change Field Value
5. Enter a step name, select the Act-On behavior score field as the update field, and then select to Set the value to the Behavioral Score
6. Click Done
7. Click on the Only when clicking the Now button link to set up the schedule
   • Set the schedule to be earlier than the sync you set up. For example, if the sync is set to happen at midnight, make sure the behavior score update is finished prior to the sync.
   • Click Save and then the Listing button to finish
   • Repeat these steps on any other lists that include the lead score

The list is now fully set up to sync. Its listing will show the SugarCRM icon on the left, the gear icon for the maintenance program, and the calendar for the scheduled sync on the right.

1. Hover over your All Sugar CRM Leads list and click the down arrow
2. Choose Maintenance > Identify List Columns
3. Under Contact Owner Name use the drop-down to select Assign to
4. Click Save
5. Go to Contacts > Account Lists > Sales Prospects to select the lists as shown below