Connected Apps in Salesforce

ByDinesh Choudhary

July 1st . 5 min read

Overview

“Integration in Salesforce”, means connecting Salesforce with other systems or applications. This enables seamless data exchange and functionality across platforms.

This allows organizations to streamline their workflows. They can improve data accuracy and efficiency. This happens by making sure that data is shared accurately between Salesforce connected apps and other systems.

Why Integration is Important?

Data Consistency: Ensures that data across systems is synchronized and up-to-date.
Efficiency: Automates processes and reduces the need for manual data entry.
Enhanced Functionality: Combines the capabilities of different systems to provide more comprehensive solutions.
Improved Decision-Making: Access to integrated data from multiple sources leads to better insights and decisions.
User Experience: Provides a seamless user experience by allowing users to access necessary information from a single interface.

Options to Integrate with Other Systems Outside Salesforce

Connected Apps

Connected Apps in Salesforce are a key component for integration. It provides secure API Access. It is an access point for external apps to interact with Salesforce Data. The integration process includes:-

OAuth Authentication: Provides secure access to Salesforce data through OAuth 2.0.
API Access: Enables REST and SOAP API interactions.
Single Sign-On (SSO): Facilitates unified login experiences using protocols like SAML and OpenID Connect.

Custom Web Services

Apex Web Services: Custom web services created using Apex for specific integration needs.
Outbound Messaging: Sends SOAP messages to external services based on specific events in Salesforce.

How to Create Connected App in Salesforce and Why?

You must tell Salesforce about a new authentication access point for an external application. This is crucial for enabling third-party apps to interact with Salesforce. To do this, you must create a Connected App within Salesforce.

The Connected App framework provides several key functionalities:

Authorization and Authentication: Enables secure access for external applications through established authentication protocols.
Single Sign-On (SSO): Facilitates a seamless user login experience across multiple applications.
API Access: Allows external applications to interact with Salesforce data and services through APIs.
Industry Standards: Supports widely accepted standards such as Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), OAuth, OpenID Connect.

External applications can use the Connected App framework. It lets them safely and efficiently connect to Salesforce.

Benefits of using the connected app

Safe Data Exchange Using API

You may create a bridge between Salesforce and an external application by utilizing the OAuth 2.0 protocol on a linked application. The linked app allows secure data transmission between Salesforce and external apps by using tokens.

Service Provider Integration with Salesforce Organization

Your company likely uses several different service providers. You may utilize a linked app to combine Salesforce with the service providers and improve the customer experience. There are two methods for doing it. -

Apps linked to Salesforce support SAML2.0. This is an authentication mechanism. It may be used to link a service provider app with Salesforce. It permits using Salesforce login credentials to set up a single sign-on session on the provider's app.
As an alternative, you may safely link a service provider app with Salesforce by using OpenID Connect with the connected app. As long as the service provider app accepts the OpenID Connect token, this technique will function.
Handling Access to Third-Party Apps

You can use the Salesforce Connected app to integrate third-party apps with Salesforce. It also lets you manage who has access to the apps. Selecting the "Admin approved users are pre-authorized option on the connected app" will allow you to accomplish this. Once chosen, the third-party app connected with Salesforce may only be used by those on the approved list. Another option is to create a time-limited permission. In this case, the app's access to Salesforce data will be restricted for a set time.

Authorization for External API Gateways

Salesforce-connected apps can be used to provide a secure means of accessing resources that are stored at an external API gateway. The external server in this application will use OAuth to request authorization from Salesforce. Once authorized, the gateway-protected data may be safely accessed by the external server.

How can we utilize a linked app to its full potential?

You may primarily utilize linked apps for third-party URLs or programs that leverage Salesforce data, such as ISV or other apps.

Steps to create a connected app in Salesforce

The steps below can be used to develop a linked Salesforce app:

Open Salesforce and sign in using your developer account.
Choose Setup from the account's drop-down list (located in the upper-right corner).
Look for App Manager in the left-hand window and click on it.
Select "New Connected App."

Fill in the needed info under Basic Information on the New Connected App page: Name of connected app:-. "MyConnectedApp" is an example, API name:- "MyConnectedApp", Contact Email:- Your email.

Select Enable OAuth Settings after going to API (Enable OAuth Settings).
For a production organization, type: https://login.salesforce.com/services/oauth2/token. For a sandbox organization, enter https://test.salesforce.com/services/oauth2/token in the Callback URL area.
You have to use the custom URL if your organization has enabled custom domains.https://localhost8000.
Click Add after selecting Manage user data via APIs (API) in the Selected OAuth Scopes area or Select as per your requirement.
To save the newly created Connected App, click the Save option. Be aware that it may take up to 10 minutes for changes to take effect.

Get the consumer secret key and the consumer key by clicking the Manage Consumer Details button after selecting the API (Enable OAuth Settings) section.

Note down the Consumer Key and Consumer Secret for future use.

Conclusion

Connected Apps in Salesforce deliver a robust framework for securely integrating external applications. These use industry-standard protocols such as OAuth for authentication. They also provide full API access.

They enable Single Sign-On (SSO) and offer detailed access controls. Connected Apps ensure that integrations are secure. They are also efficient and adaptable to the diverse needs of modern business. This seamless integration capability improves data consistency and efficiency. It also greatly improves user experience and security compliance.