Overview of Salesforce as a Data Source

Streamline supports Salesforce as a connected data source within its Data Fabric. This feature enables real-time querying and interaction with Salesforce data—eliminating the need for replication or manual data transfers. It also includes automatic sensitive data classification, supports dynamic data prefilling in workflows, and allows seamless write-back to Salesforce records.

Who Can Use This Feature?

Key Capabilities

Connection Support:

• Admins can connect to any Salesforce (SFDC/Force.com) instance—Production, Sandbox, or custom domains.
• Connected orgs appear in the Data Catalog as linked data sources.
• Supports querying child and grandchild records.
• Recommendation: Use a single admin credential to manage access across projects via Datasets, reducing the need for multiple connections.

Automatic Data Classification:

• Scans connected Salesforce orgs for sensitive data such as PII and ePHI.
• Applies automated classification for compliance and governance support.

Dynamic Data Prefill:

• Enables dynamic prefilling of fields in forms, documents, and eSignature workflows without data export/import.

Write-Back Functionality:

• Supports direct updates to existing Salesforce records from within Streamline workflows.

Zero Data Retention:

• No persistent storage of Salesforce data in Streamline.
• Data is accessed and used in real-time during workflow execution, only for the life of the session.

Part 1: How to Connect Salesforce as a New Data Source

To connect Salesforce as a new data source in Streamline:

Navigate to the Data Sources tab on the left-hand side of the dashboard. Click + Add New connection on the right side of the screen. 

In the pop-up window:

1. Enter a name for your data source.
2. Select Salesforce from the list of available data source types.

Name & add a description for your Salesforce connection.

From the Salesforce Environment dropdown, select one of the following:

• Production
• Sandbox
• Custom

Click Connect to proceed.

Note: If you select Custom, you'll need to enter your custom Salesforce environment URL, starting with https://.

If you selected Production or Sandbox, the Salesforce login screen should appear. Enter your details and click log in to continue the process. 

Lastly, Streamline will request access for Streamline to:

• Access the identity URL service
• Manage user data via APIs
• Perform requests at any time

Click allow for Streamline to start classifying the data.

Troubleshooting Tip: If the login screen doesn’t appear, verify that pop-ups are enabled and ensure your browser or organization settings aren’t blocking redirects.

Explore Your Salesforce Data

Once connected:

• Visit the Data Catalog to explore entities (tables) and fields available in your Salesforce schema. The  Data Catalog tab can be found on the left-hand panel under the Data section.
• Use filters or the search box to locate specific data elements.

The Entity View displays tables, while the Data Field View lists individual columns with metadata like type and source.

Example of Data Fields View

Part 2: Create and Manage a Dataset from Salesforce

Once your Salesforce connection is active, you can start organizing your data into reusable datasets for your projects and workflows.

Step 1: Access the Datasets Section

Navigate to Datasets from the left-hand panel. Click + Create New Dataset.

Step 2: Define Dataset Basics

Name your dataset clearly.

Select your Salesforce data source & choose a Primary Entity/Object from Salesforce. Assign a label to translate internal database terms into more user-friendly language.

Example: Use "Account " instead of tbl_customer_data.

Step 3: Configure Field Access

On the next screen, review each field (column) and configure write access if needed.

Once ready, click Create to save the dataset.

Optional: Create a Dataset Directly from the Data Catalog

You can also build a dataset directly from the Data Catalog view:

In the Data Catalog, select an entity (table) & click New Dataset from Entity.

Customize the dataset by selecting fields or updating their classifications just like in the previous steps.

Optional: Add Related Entities

Want to enrich your dataset?

While creating a Dataset, Click the Add Related Entity to include related tables or fields to the primary entity/object you chose.

Note: You can add as many related entities as needed before finalizing the dataset.

Optional: Edit an Existing Dataset

To update a dataset:

Go to the Datasets section, locate the dataset, and click Edit.

You can:

• Add/remove related entities
• Change labels or field classifications
• Update data access settings

Click Next & Update to save changes.

Known Limitations

Picklists:

• Salesforce picklist values do not auto-populate in Form Builder.
• Builders must manually configure values using Salesforce API names, not display labels.

Authentication Requirements:

• Anonymous form submissions are not supported.
• Users must be logged in to complete and submit forms.

File Uploads:

• Files uploaded via forms are not written back to Salesforce.

Record Type Limitations:

• Streamline does not support filtering or differentiating records by Salesforce record type.
• Insertion of new Salesforce records is currently unsupported.

Unsupported Field Types:

• Compound fields (e.g., Name, BillingAddress) are read-only.
• Date and DateTime fields are not available in the Form Builder > Data tab.
• Country-related picklists show country names only (e.g., “United States”), not ISO codes (e.g., “US”).

Error Handling & Feedback:

• Write-back errors do not always show visible messages to end users.

Child & Grandchild Object Support:

• Streamline loads only one child record by default when multiple exist.
• Child/grandchild support is limited and may be unstable in complex object hierarchies.
• Junction objects are not well-supported due to lack of repeatable child handling.

Rebuild Requirement:

• If any object/field lacks permission or visibility, the entire data source may need to be reconfigured.

API Versioning:

• Uses Salesforce API version 62.
• Future Salesforce changes may affect compatibility. Auto-upgrades are not yet supported.

Object Support:

• Primary objects like Contact are supported.
• Complex or custom objects (e.g., with unstable field types like Address) may require custom configuration.
• Lookup field support is partial—some references (e.g., Contact.AccountId) may not load/update reliably.

Plan Compatibility 

The use of Salesforce as a datasource on Streamline requires one of the following products/plan types:

• Sales Cloud
• Service Cloud
• Experience Cloud (formerly Community Cloud)
• Platform Cloud (custom apps built on the Salesforce Platform)
• Financial Services Cloud
• Health Cloud
• Nonprofit Cloud
• Education Cloud
• Manufacturing Cloud
• Consumer Goods Cloud
• Government Cloud
• Net Zero Cloud
• Automotive Cloud
• CRM Analytics (Tableau CRM/Einstein Analytics) (for platform objects)
• Revenue Cloud (for CPQ and Billing objects built on the core platform)

Troubleshooting Common Issues