Week 2- Email/Calendar Integration

It is important to integrate your email (& Calendar Sync) service in order to track all communications with a student lead, account or contact within the sf record. By attaching an email communication to a record, you no longer have to scroll or search through your inbox looking for a msg. So I felt it was important to take some time creating a few videos that walk you through the steps of setting up Connect for Outlook as well as the setup and use of the "Email to salesforce" feature. I also created a PowerPoint slideshow that documents many of these steps. Please visit the Salesforce Guide (videos page) to access this documentation.

Despite being a salesforce user for a few years, I am quite new to these services. I did muddle my way through much of the setup, but hopefully the videos I created will prevent you from encountering the same stumbling blocks.


Connect for Outlook
Pros

• Allows Outlook users to install a plugin which provides an easy to use toolbar by providing a user the ability to attach a message task to an exisiting sf lead or contact


• Allows the end user to search the pre-existing records within the system for the affilated email address and provides the end user the ability to select the record in which to attach the email from Outlook


• End users can also choose to affiliate an email message with a case


• Email/Calendaring items/tasks can also be marked for sync to sychronize the infomration from Outlook to SF

Cons

• Download/Install of Outlook plugin required
  
• The "Quick Add" feature allows you to add a lead, contact, or case from Outlook to salesforce if a record with the affiliated email address is not located.Unfortunately, this "Quick Add" does not work well with organizations using record types as it does not allow you to specify the record type to be attached. The "Quick Add" feature automatically assigns the new lead or contact to the default record type specfied within the system. I have posted an idea (suggested improvement) to the idea exchange in hopes the "idea" will be well received by the sf community and promoted accordingly. If the "idea" receives enough votes, it could be implemented within the next version rollout. To promote this idea on the idea exchange click here to login & promote the idea :)


• Connect for Outlook only supports synchronization with a single Outlook folder. If you have multiple contact folders only one can bebe specfied for synchronization.


• Although the button displays promeniently on the toolbar, the "Always Marc for Sync" feature is not generally recommended as it will sync every record with no concern for record associations




Email to Salesforce/Appirio Calendar Sync
Pros



• Email to Salesforce is easy to setup and use. Simply add the email address(es) you wish to send student mail (and have it stored within the sf record) to the "My Accpetable Addresses" area and copy the "email to salesforce" address provided.


• Once "Email to Salesforce" is setup you can easily log an email message to a student within the sf record by placing the "Email to Salesforce" address on the BCC line of the msg.


• Appirio Calendar Sync allows you to synchronize your Google Calendar with your SF Calendar


• Using Appirio Calendar Synch for Google Calendar allows you to easily view shared co-workers calendars within the sf platform
  
• A Security Token is needed for the Connect for Outlook setup. Please review the videos and/or PowerPoint slides for additional help




Cons



• The DCEO Google domain is currently not configured for "Email to Salesforce" as settings require "domains support at least one of the following protocols: SPF, Sender ID, or DomainKeys. When this option is enabled, salesforce.com uses these protocols to verify the legitimacy of the email sender's server. If the server passes at least one protocol and does not fail any, salesforce.com processes the email. If the server fails a protocol or does not support any of the protocols, then salesforce.com does not process the email." I am working on resolving this issue and will keep you posted on my progress. I will also be sure the new Division of Continuing Studies (DoCS) Google domain is initally setup to accomodate the "Email to Salesforce:" feature.



• A Security Token is needed for the Appirio Calendar Sync setup. Please review the videos and/or PowerPoint slides for additional help