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Learn the differences between native and third-party Salesforce accounting integration options to find the best fit for your business needs.
If your team is still manually copying sales data from Salesforce into your accounting software, you’re spending valuable time on a task that’s both tedious and prone to mistakes. A single typo can lead to an incorrect invoice, skewed financial reports, and a major headache come tax time. This manual process doesn't scale. As your business grows, the risk of errors and the hours spent on data entry only increase. The solution is to automate the entire quote-to-cash cycle. A Salesforce accounting integration creates a seamless, hands-free flow of information, eliminating double entry and freeing your team to focus on strategic analysis instead of repetitive tasks.
Salesforce is a powerhouse for managing customer relationships. It tracks your leads, opportunities, and every interaction you have with your clients. But here’s the thing: it’s a CRM, not a full-fledged accounting system. While it can handle some billing functions, it wasn't built to manage the core of your company's finances—like tracking debits and credits or generating comprehensive financial statements. That’s where your dedicated accounting software shines. An integration is what makes these two essential tools talk to each other.
So, what is Salesforce accounting integration? It’s the digital bridge that connects your Salesforce CRM directly to your accounting platform. Think of it as creating a seamless conversation between your sales and finance departments. Instead of operating in separate silos, your customer data and financial data can flow freely between both systems. This connection is crucial for getting a complete picture of your business health, from the initial lead to the final invoice. It ensures everyone is working from the same, up-to-date information, which is the foundation for smart, strategic growth. At HubiFi, we specialize in creating these powerful integrations to streamline your financial operations and give you a clear, unified view of your business.
So, what does this connection look like in your day-to-day? For starters, it gives you a real-time view of your finances right alongside your customer data. Imagine closing a deal in Salesforce and instantly seeing how it impacts your revenue projections without waiting for a month-end report. This immediate insight helps you spot opportunities to grow revenue or cut costs on the fly.
This integration also breaks down the walls between your teams. Your finance department can see the context behind the numbers, and your sales team can understand the financial impact of their deals. When everyone is looking at the same data, collaboration becomes smoother and decisions get made faster. It’s about creating a single source of truth that aligns your entire organization.
The magic behind this connection is data synchronization. Instead of manually entering sales data from Salesforce into your accounting software (a process that’s both tedious and prone to errors), the integration does it for you automatically. When your sales team marks a deal as "Closed-Won" in Salesforce, the integration can instantly create a corresponding invoice in your accounting system.
This seamless flow of information makes it feel like you're managing everything on a single platform. Data moves instantly and accurately between your sales records and your financial books. Native Salesforce apps are particularly good at this because they are built on the same foundation, which means the data doesn't have to travel through external connectors. This automatic sharing eliminates many of the headaches that come with third-party tools.
It’s easy to think of integration as a magic button, but let's clear up a couple of common myths. First, there’s no such thing as a "perfect" out-of-the-box connection. Every business has unique workflows, so even the best systems will likely need some custom work to fit your specific needs. It’s important to go in with realistic expectations.
On the flip side, not all integrations are a massive, complex undertaking. The idea that you always need a team of developers is another myth. Using native Salesforce accounting apps, for example, means you don't have to build a separate bridge to connect your tools. Because they live on the same platform, the integration is already part of their DNA, which can make the setup process much simpler and more straightforward.
Juggling Salesforce and your accounting software separately can feel like running a business with one hand tied behind your back. Your sales team lives in the CRM, while your finance team works from the accounting platform. This disconnect often leads to manual data transfers, information delays, and a fragmented view of your company’s health.
Connecting Salesforce to your accounting software bridges this gap. It creates a single, reliable source of information that flows automatically between teams. This isn't just about convenience; it's about building a more efficient, accurate, and data-driven operation from the ground up. Let’s look at the specific advantages.
If your team is still manually copying customer details, sales orders, and invoice information from Salesforce into your accounting system, you know how time-consuming and error-prone it can be. An integration automates this entire process. When a deal is marked "Closed-Won" in Salesforce, an invoice can be generated in your accounting software automatically. This seamless data flow creates a hands-free accounting cycle, eliminating double entry and freeing up your team to focus on strategic financial analysis instead of repetitive data input. It ensures everyone, from sales to finance, is working with the same consistent information.
Waiting for month-end reports to gauge your financial performance is an outdated practice. By the time you get the data, the opportunity to act on it may have passed. Integrating Salesforce with your accounting system gives you a live look at your financials. You can see revenue, cash flow, and expenses as they happen. This real-time view helps you spot opportunities and address issues proactively, not reactively. With up-to-the-minute data, you can make faster, more informed decisions to grow revenue and manage costs effectively. For more on leveraging data, check out the latest insights on our blog.
When your sales and financial data live in separate silos, getting a complete picture of your business requires stitching together reports from different sources. An integrated system brings all your data into one place, allowing you to generate much more powerful and comprehensive reports. Imagine easily analyzing profitability per sales rep, tracking revenue by marketing campaign, or forecasting cash flow based on your sales pipeline in Salesforce. This unified view helps you understand the "why" behind the numbers, connecting sales activities directly to financial outcomes and giving you the clarity needed for strategic planning.
Manual data entry is the number one cause of accounting errors. A simple typo can lead to incorrect invoices, skewed financial statements, and major headaches during an audit. Automation drastically reduces the risk of human error by ensuring data is transferred consistently and accurately every time. This is especially critical for maintaining compliance with accounting standards like ASC 606. A properly integrated system provides a clear, auditable trail of every transaction from the initial sale to the final revenue recognition, making it much easier to pass audits and ensure your financials are always in order.
When you add up the hours spent on manual data entry, fixing errors, and reconciling mismatched reports, the costs become significant. An integrated system delivers a strong return on investment by tackling these inefficiencies head-on. Your team will spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on value-adding activities. Fewer errors mean fewer costly corrections and write-offs. By streamlining your entire quote-to-cash process, you not only save money but also accelerate your financial close. If you're ready to see how much time and money you could save, you can schedule a demo with our team.
Choosing how to connect Salesforce to your accounting software is a big decision. The two main paths are using a native solution or a third-party integration. A native solution is an application built directly on the Salesforce platform, meaning it lives and breathes inside your Salesforce environment. Think of it as adding a new room to your house. A third-party integration, on the other hand, is like building a bridge between your Salesforce house and your separate accounting software house.
Both approaches can get the job done, but they offer different experiences in terms of performance, cost, and setup. The right choice depends entirely on your business needs, your existing tech stack, and your team’s resources. Let’s walk through the pros and cons of each so you can make a confident decision.
Native solutions are designed to feel like a natural extension of Salesforce because, well, they are. Since they're built on the same platform, they share data automatically, which eliminates many of the headaches that come with connecting separate systems. You won't need to develop or maintain a complex connector; you simply install the app from the AppExchange, and it works.
This seamless connection gives your team a single source of truth. Your sales and finance departments can access the same real-time data, which helps everyone make smarter, faster decisions. When you can instantly see how sales activities impact revenue, you can spot opportunities and address issues right away. Companies like HubiFi build native solutions to provide this kind of unified, real-time view without the integration fuss.
Sometimes, you already have an accounting system you love, and you’re not looking to replace it. That’s where third-party integrations come in. These tools act as a go-between, connecting your existing accounting software (like QuickBooks or Xero) to Salesforce. This approach lets you keep the tools your team is already familiar with while still syncing important data.
While native apps are simpler, third-party tools can sometimes offer highly specialized features or advanced automation that might not be available otherwise. They can fill specific gaps in your workflow, offering enhanced customization for unique business processes. However, be aware that these integrations can require more maintenance and a more complex setup, as you’re managing the connection between two distinct platforms. HubiFi offers a range of integrations to ensure data flows smoothly, even with third-party tools.
When it comes to performance, native solutions generally have the upper hand. Because the data doesn't have to travel between two separate systems, updates are instantaneous. When a salesperson closes a deal in Salesforce, the financial data is immediately available to the accounting team. This real-time sync is crucial for accurate forecasting and quick financial reporting. It also improves communication between teams, as everyone is working from the same live dataset.
Third-party integrations can be very effective, but they often rely on scheduled data syncs—whether every few minutes or once an hour. This can create a slight lag, which might be perfectly fine for some businesses but problematic for others that need up-to-the-second accuracy. The performance of a third-party tool ultimately depends on the quality of the connector.
It’s easy to look at the subscription price, but the total cost of ownership tells a bigger story. Native solutions often have a more predictable pricing structure. You pay for the app license, and because it’s built for Salesforce, there are usually fewer surprise customization costs. The implementation is typically faster, which also saves you money on setup. You can find clear pricing information for native solutions like HubiFi to help you budget effectively.
Third-party integrations can have more variables. You’ll have the subscription cost for your accounting software, plus a potential fee for the integration tool itself. More importantly, you may need to budget for customization to make the two systems talk to each other correctly. This setup can take more time and technical expertise, adding to the initial investment.
Native solutions are almost always easier to set up. You can install them directly from the Salesforce AppExchange, and they’re designed to work with Salesforce’s data structure right out of the box. The process is generally straightforward, allowing your team to get up and running quickly.
Just because a third-party tool says it "integrates" with Salesforce doesn't mean the setup will be simple. You'll need to map data fields between the two systems, which can be a detailed and time-consuming process. Expect to spend time customizing the connection to fit your specific workflows. If you’re not a technical expert, you might need to hire a consultant to get it right, so it's wise to schedule a demo to understand the full scope of work before you commit.
Choosing the right accounting software to pair with Salesforce can feel like a huge decision, but it really comes down to how your business operates. The market is full of great options, which generally fall into two camps: native solutions built directly on the Salesforce platform and third-party apps that connect to it. Think of it like this: a native solution is like having an in-house accounting department that speaks the same language as your sales team from day one. A third-party integration is like hiring a trusted outside firm—they're experts, but you need to establish clear communication channels for them to work together effectively.
The best choice depends entirely on your company's size, complexity, and specific financial needs. A small business with straightforward sales cycles has very different requirements than a high-volume enterprise managing complex subscription models and strict compliance standards. Understanding this distinction is the first step toward finding a solution that not only works but also helps your business grow. Let's look at some of the top contenders in each category so you can find the perfect fit for your team.
Native solutions are built on the Salesforce platform, which means they share the same data structure. This creates a truly seamless experience without the need for extra connectors or middleware. HubiFi provides a native solution that ensures a smooth data flow between your CRM and accounting systems, making complex tasks like revenue recognition much simpler. Another popular option is Accounting Seed, which is an entire accounting software built right inside Salesforce. For businesses with more complex needs, Certinia (formerly FinancialForce) is also built directly on the platform and can handle sophisticated operations. While Sage Intacct is a powerful native tool, it often requires some custom work to get everything running just right.
Third-party integrations are standalone accounting platforms that connect to Salesforce using APIs or other connectors. These are often household names you might already be using. QuickBooks is a solid choice for smaller companies, but it can struggle with complicated inventory management. Xero is another popular option for small businesses looking for a reliable integration. For larger enterprises, Oracle NetSuite offers a Salesforce connection, which is typically set up using a separate service called Celigo. You can also find many other integrations with Salesforce from tools like Sage and FreshBooks, which are great for handling specific functions like invoicing and expense tracking.
When you’re evaluating different accounting integrations for Salesforce, it's easy to get lost in the technical details. But what really matters is what the software can do for your business. A great integration goes beyond simple data syncing; it automates key financial processes and gives you a clearer picture of your company's health. To make sure you choose a solution that truly supports your growth, look for these essential features. They separate the basic connectors from the truly transformative tools that can streamline your entire financial operation from sale to sign-off.
Manual invoicing is a major time drain and a recipe for human error. A solid integration automates the entire invoicing cycle. When a deal is marked "Closed-Won" in Salesforce, the system should automatically generate and send an invoice without anyone lifting a finger. This hands-free approach not only speeds up your billing process but also cuts down on costly mistakes. It frees up your team to focus on more strategic work instead of getting bogged down in administrative tasks. This is one of the quickest ways to see a return on your integration investment.
Getting paid on time is critical for healthy cash flow. An integrated system streamlines payment processing by connecting your CRM directly to your payment gateway. This means customer payment information is always accurate and up-to-date across both platforms. When data flows seamlessly between your sales and accounting systems, you minimize payment delays and reduce the manual effort needed to reconcile accounts. It creates a smoother experience for your customers and ensures your finance team has an accurate, real-time view of incoming revenue.
For businesses with complex contracts or subscription models, this feature is non-negotiable. Proper revenue recognition is essential for staying compliant with standards like ASC 606 and for accurately understanding your financial performance. A powerful integration pulls data from multiple sources in real time, allowing you to recognize revenue correctly as performance obligations are met. This gives you a clear and compliant view of your company's financial health, which is crucial for making smart business decisions and satisfying auditors. HubiFi specializes in automated revenue recognition to solve this exact challenge.
When your sales and financial data live in the same ecosystem, you can generate much more powerful reports. Instead of waiting for month-end closing, you can access real-time dashboards that combine sales activities with financial outcomes. This enhanced visibility improves communication between your sales and finance teams, as everyone is working from the same numbers. The result is more insightful financial reporting that helps you spot trends, identify opportunities, and make strategic decisions with confidence. You can find more reporting strategies on our blog.
Tax management can be a headache, but an integrated system makes it much more manageable. By centralizing your sales and financial data, the system can automatically calculate and apply the correct sales tax to each transaction based on location and product type. This ensures accuracy and helps you stay compliant with ever-changing tax regulations. It also simplifies the process of filing tax returns, as all the necessary data is organized and easily accessible in one place, reducing the risk of errors and saving your team valuable time.
No one looks forward to an audit, but an integrated system can make the process significantly less stressful. With all your financial transactions tied directly to your Salesforce records, you have a clear, chronological audit trail. Real-time data views allow you to quickly pull reports and documentation to satisfy auditor requests. This level of transparency not only ensures you remain compliant with financial regulations but also helps you spot opportunities to improve efficiency and lower costs. If you're ready to make your next audit a breeze, schedule a demo to see how we can help.
When you're connecting powerful systems like Salesforce and your accounting software, the technical details matter—a lot. How these tools talk to each other, protect your data, and perform under pressure can make or break the entire setup. It’s not just about features; it’s about building a reliable and secure financial foundation for your business. Let's walk through the key technical and security considerations you should have on your radar.
Native Salesforce apps are built on the same foundation as Salesforce itself, which means they speak the same language. This inherent connection often leads to smoother, more reliable data sharing without the need for a middleman. Think of it as having a direct, internal line of communication. Third-party integrations, on the other hand, connect via an external API. While many modern tools offer excellent integrations, they still rely on a bridge between two separate systems. This can sometimes introduce complexity or points of failure that you wouldn't encounter with a native solution that shares its core architecture with Salesforce from the start.
Keeping your financial data secure is non-negotiable. With a native Salesforce app, your information generally stays within the secure confines of the Salesforce ecosystem. You’re relying on one set of robust security protocols that you already trust. When you introduce a third-party application, your data has to travel between platforms. This means you are now responsible for vetting and managing the security standards of two different companies. While reputable third-party providers have strong security measures, keeping your data flow simple by using a native app can reduce your overall risk and simplify security management for your team.
How quickly can you access your financial data? With a native solution, the answer is usually "right now." Because the app lives inside Salesforce, data synchronization happens in real time. This gives you an immediate, accurate view of your financial health, which is critical for making timely business decisions. Third-party integrations can sometimes experience a lag as data syncs between the two systems on a set schedule—every five minutes, every hour, or even once a day. If you need to generate reports based on the most current information, the real-time advantage of a native app is a significant benefit.
Meeting compliance standards like ASC 606 is a major reason to integrate your accounting and CRM systems. Native apps benefit from Salesforce's secure platform, but you still need to ensure the application itself has the specific features required for your industry's regulations. For instance, a generic native accounting app might not handle complex revenue recognition rules automatically. This is where specialized solutions shine. A platform built specifically for compliance can automate these complex processes, ensuring you pass audits and maintain accurate records. It’s always a good idea to schedule a demo to see exactly how a tool handles the compliance standards that matter most to your business.
Getting your Salesforce and accounting software to talk to each other is a game-changer, but it requires a thoughtful approach. Think of it less like flipping a switch and more like a mini-project with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Following these steps will help you create a smooth, effective connection that saves you headaches down the road and sets your team up for success.
Before you connect anything, you need a solid plan. Start by defining exactly what you want to achieve. Are you trying to automate invoicing, get a clearer view of your sales pipeline’s financial impact, or simplify compliance? Your goals will determine which data needs to flow between systems. This is also the time to decide between a native or third-party solution. Native apps often simplify the process because the data sharing is automatic and built-in. Understanding your needs upfront helps you choose the right tools and avoid solutions that don't quite fit. A well-planned system is built on seamless integrations that are designed to work together from the start.
Data mapping is the process of telling your systems how to communicate. It’s like creating a translation guide, ensuring that the "Opportunity Amount" field in Salesforce correctly populates the "Invoice Total" in your accounting software. With native Salesforce accounting apps, this step is often much simpler because you don't have to build a custom connection from scratch. Take the time to document every field you need to sync. Clearly define the "source of truth" for each piece of data—for example, should customer address changes be made in Salesforce or your accounting platform? This prevents confusion and keeps your data clean and reliable across both systems.
Just because a tool claims it "integrates" with Salesforce doesn't guarantee it will work exactly how your business needs it to. Always test the connection in a sandbox or development environment before going live. Run through your most common workflows: create a new customer, convert an opportunity to an order, and generate an invoice. Does the data appear correctly and instantly? Are there any errors? This trial run allows you to catch and fix issues without disrupting your daily operations. If you're curious how a fully integrated system should perform, you can always schedule a demo to see the solution in action and ask specific questions about your use case.
An integration is only effective if your team knows how to use it properly. Plan a training session to walk everyone through the new workflows. Don't just show them what to do; explain why the changes are being made. When your team understands that the new process eliminates manual data entry and reduces errors, they'll be more likely to adopt it. Salesforce-native apps can make this easier, as they often feel like a natural part of the Salesforce environment your team already knows. Keep the training focused, provide clear documentation, and be available to answer questions as they come up.
Your integration isn't a "set it and forget it" solution. It's a dynamic system that needs occasional attention to keep running smoothly. Plan to regularly review its performance. Are there sync errors? Have your business processes changed? Both Salesforce and your accounting software will have updates, and you'll need to ensure these don't break your connection. Be prepared to make adjustments and customizations as your business evolves. Setting up a new system can sometimes take longer than you think, so building in time for ongoing maintenance ensures your integration remains a valuable asset. For more tips on financial operations, you can find helpful insights on our blog.
Even with a solid plan, you might run into a few bumps when connecting your accounting software to Salesforce. It happens. The good news is that most integration problems are common and have straightforward solutions. Whether you’re dealing with a technical glitch, a data mismatch, or a team that’s slow to adopt the new process, a little troubleshooting can get you back on track. Let’s walk through some of the most frequent challenges and how you can solve them.
Many integration issues come down to a simple fact: connecting complex systems requires a deep understanding of how they’re built. To successfully integrate accounting tools, you need more than just user-level familiarity with Salesforce; you need technical knowledge of its architecture. If your data isn’t flowing correctly, it might be because the initial setup didn’t account for your specific data structures or workflows. If your team doesn’t have this specialized expertise, it’s wise to work with a partner who does. An expert can ensure the integration is built on a solid foundation, preventing countless headaches down the road.
Is there anything more frustrating than looking at two reports that should be identical, but aren't? When your CRM and accounting software aren't in perfect harmony, you get data sync issues. These can range from minor delays to major discrepancies that undermine your financial reporting. The goal is a seamless data flow that creates hands-free accounting cycles. Native Salesforce solutions often solve this by design, since the data lives in one system. This gives you real-time views into your financials, helping you spot opportunities and cut costs without waiting for a nightly data sync.
A new tool is only as good as the team using it. If your staff is resistant to change, adoption can be the biggest hurdle of all. The key is to make their jobs easier, not harder. This is where native Salesforce apps shine, as they eliminate the need to learn and manage a separate integration. Your team can work directly within the Salesforce environment they already know. Focus on clear training that highlights the personal benefits, like how automation will free them from tedious data entry. When they see how the new system saves them time and effort, they’ll be much more likely to embrace it.
Once your integration is up and running, you’ll want to keep it in top shape. Performance issues can creep in over time, especially with third-party tools that rely on API calls to transfer data. Native Salesforce apps tend to solve these challenges because the data sharing is automatic and doesn't leave the platform. To keep things running smoothly, schedule regular data cleanups to remove duplicates and correct errors. It’s also a good idea to monitor your system’s performance and stay on top of any updates from Salesforce or your app provider. If you want a system that’s built for sustained performance from day one, you can always schedule a demo to see how a native solution works.
My business is still small. Is a Salesforce accounting integration really necessary for me? That's a great question. It's easy to think of this as a "big business" tool, but setting up a solid financial foundation early is one of the smartest things you can do. Manually entering data might seem manageable now, but it won't be for long as you grow. An integration establishes good habits from the start, ensuring your data is accurate and your processes are scalable. Think of it as building a strong framework that will support your business as it expands, rather than having to fix a tangled mess later on.
I already use QuickBooks. Do I have to switch to a whole new accounting system to get these benefits? Not at all. You can absolutely connect your existing QuickBooks or Xero account to Salesforce using a third-party integration tool. This approach lets you keep the software your team already knows. The main difference is that you'll be managing a connection between two separate systems. Native solutions, on the other hand, live inside Salesforce, which often makes the data flow more immediate and the setup a bit simpler since you aren't building that external bridge.
How much technical skill do I need on my team to manage this kind of integration? It really depends on the path you choose. Native solutions are generally designed to be more user-friendly because they are built for the Salesforce environment. The setup and maintenance are often more straightforward. A third-party integration can be more complex, as you'll need to map data fields between two different systems and maintain that connection over time. If your workflows are unique, you might need someone with technical expertise to get it right.
You mention "revenue recognition" a lot. What is that in simple terms, and why is it so important? Think of it this way: if a client pays you for a year-long subscription upfront, you haven't actually earned all that money on day one. Revenue recognition is the accounting principle of recording income as you deliver the service, not just when you get paid. It's crucial for getting an accurate picture of your company's financial health and is a requirement for compliance standards like ASC 606. For any business with subscriptions or long-term projects, getting this right is essential for accurate reporting and passing audits.
Realistically, how long does it take to get an integration like this up and running? The timeline can vary quite a bit. A straightforward, native integration for a company with clean data and clear processes could be up and running relatively quickly. However, a more complex implementation, especially a third-party connection with lots of custom rules, will naturally take longer. The biggest factors are the complexity of your business, the cleanliness of your existing data, and how much time your team can dedicate to testing and training.
Former Root, EVP of Finance/Data at multiple FinTech startups
Jason Kyle Berwanger: An accomplished two-time entrepreneur, polyglot in finance, data & tech with 15 years of expertise. Builder, practitioner, leader—pioneering multiple ERP implementations and data solutions. Catalyst behind a 6% gross margin improvement with a sub-90-day IPO at Root insurance, powered by his vision & platform. Having held virtually every role from accountant to finance systems to finance exec, he brings a rare and noteworthy perspective in rethinking the finance tooling landscape.
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