In today’s modern business environment, organizations rarely use a single system. Most companies use multiple tools, such as marketing platforms, ERP systems, and external applications.
To connect all these systems to Salesforce, integration is crucial. One of the most important components of Salesforce integration is the Integration User.
Many beginners think it is just a normal user, but in reality, it is a specially designed user created for secure system-to-system communication.
I worked as a system admin for an organization that uses Salesforce CRM. Recently, our organization implemented a third-party marketing automation system.
To transfer customer data, such as leads, contacts, and campaign details, between the Salesforce org and the marketing system, an Integration User needs to be created.
For that, I created an integration user to manage the data between the Salesforce org and the newly implemented system. Here, I explain what an integration user is and how to create one in Salesforce, providing a step-by-step guide.
What is Integration in Salesforce?
Integration means connecting Salesforce with another system so that data can flow between them. This connection can be:
- Inbound (external system → Salesforce)
- Outbound (Salesforce → external system)
- Bi-directional (both sides)
Salesforce integrations are commonly used with:
- Marketing tools
- Payment systems
- ERP systems
- Third-party applications
Integration allows seamless data sharing between systems.
What is a User in Salesforce?
In simple terms, anyone who logs into your Salesforce org is considered a user. Users are employees of any organization who need access to Salesforce records, such as managers, directors, and IT analysts.
Even a customer or partner who needs and has access to the data in the Salesforce org is also a user.
You can create one user at a time or multiple users at once in Salesforce. Every user has a user account; from this account, the user is identified, and the services and information they can access are determined by their account settings.
What is an Integration User in Salesforce?
In Salesforce, an Integration User is a specific user account created specifically for handling system-to-system interactions, such as API interfaces between Salesforce and external systems.
For example, marketing tools or ERP systems. Instead of using a standard user account for these tasks, the Integration User provides a safe, controlled environment for managing API requests and data access.
The integration user has limited access and permissions to the data and functions required for the integration. It is enabled for API use, making it the primary channel for data exchange.
Integration tasks are separate from standard user activity, improving monitoring and debugging, and assuring controlled data access and security across integrated systems.
Integration User vs Normal User in Salesforce
| Feature | Integration User | Normal User |
|---|---|---|
| Used by | Systems | Humans |
| API Access | Yes | Optional |
| Login UI | No (mostly API only) | Yes |
| Security | High | Depends |
| Purpose | Integration | Daily work |
Create an Integration User in Salesforce
In the following steps, I will explain how to create an integration user in Salesforce.
- Navigate to the Setup, search for Users in the Quick Find box, and click on it.
- To create a new user in Salesforce (single user), click the New User button. We can also create multiple users at once.
- For that, you must have multiple licenses for the type of user you want to create.
- Enter the details in the mandatory fields. Below, I explained some information about these fields.
- First and Last Name: This is simply the user’s first and last name.
- Username: Each user must have a unique username throughout Salesforce organizations.
- Email Address: Enter your email, and ensure the email is valid and accessible.
- License: A license defines the functionalities and features a user can access within the platform. Here, we are creating an integration user. For that, we need to select Salesforce Integration.
- Profile: It determines what users can do in Salesforce. Assign an appropriate profile that controls the user’s permissions and access to objects and fields.
- Role (optional): Assign a role to determine the user’s position within the role hierarchy and data access.
Sometimes, while creating a user, the license that you want to use is not displayed in the User License option. To learn the reason, read the following: Integration License Not Displaying While Creating Integration User in Salesforce.
- As you scroll down, you can set the Local Settings, and the Approver Settings are optional. There is a checkbox titled “Generate new password.” Then click the Save button to create the user.
- Here, you can see the integration user has been created successfully. As an admin, you can reset a user’s password, log in as the created user, and freeze the user to restrict their access to the Salesforce org.
After creating an integration user, ensure that the profile that you selected for the newly created user, either a standard or custom profile, has the API Enabled permission checked. Set Login Hours and IP ranges to add extra security and restrict when and where users can log in.
In this way, we can create a Salesforce integration user.
Best Practices for Integration User in Salesforce
- Use Dedicated User
- Do not reuse the admin account
- Limit Permissions
- Give only required access
- Use Permission Sets
- Instead of giving full access
- Set Login IP Restrictions
- Improve security
- Monitor API Usage
- Track usage regularly
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Can an integration user log in to the UI?
Usually no (API only)
Q2: Is integration user mandatory?
Recommended for best practice
Q3: Can we have multiple integration users?
Yes, one per integration
Q4: What license is used?
Salesforce Integration License
Conclusion
Integration User is one of the most important concepts in Salesforce integration. It provides a secure, stable, and efficient way to connect Salesforce with external systems. Instead of using normal users, organizations should always use a dedicated integration user for better control and performance.
Understanding integration users is essential for both Salesforce Admins and Developers, especially when working on real-world projects involving APIs and external systems.
You may like to read:
- Create a Community User in Salesforce
- Auto-Deactivate Users with Schedule-Triggered Flow in Salesforce
- Automatically Add Users to Public Group Using Salesforce Flow
- Insert Multiple Users With Data Loader in Salesforce
- Activate or Deactivate a User From Salesforce Apex
I am Bijay Kumar, the founder of SalesforceFAQs.com. Having over 10 years of experience working in salesforce technologies for clients across the world (Canada, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, etc.). I am a certified salesforce administrator and expert with experience in developing salesforce applications and projects. My goal is to make it easy for people to learn and use salesforce technologies by providing simple and easy-to-understand solutions. Check out the complete profile on About us.
