I need help building a Salesforce integration that works similar to how HubSpot connects. Right now I have a connected app that pulls contact data, but each customer has to set up their own connected app and provide me with their consumer key. This is too complicated for my users.
I want to build something where customers can just install my app and it automatically gets access to their contacts without all the manual setup steps. I noticed that HubSpot has this kind of smooth integration where you just install their package from AppExchange and everything works.
I tried looking into AppExchange development but got stuck pretty quickly. Does anyone know of good resources or tutorials that explain how to build this type of seamless integration? I’ve been searching everywhere but can’t find clear guidance on this approach.
totally agree, managed packs r def the solution! so much easier for ur users. check out the OAuth part of the Trailhead docs, they have great info. wishing u the best!
It sounds like you’re aiming for a smoother integration process, and a managed package is definitely the way to go for your needs. I faced similar challenges while creating our application. With managed packages, you can incorporate pre-configured OAuth settings that simplify the entire setup for users. By publishing through the AppExchange, the integrated app can handle authentication without each customer needing to set up their own instances. Be sure to consult the Salesforce Developer documentation for the ISV Partner Program, as it outlines detailed steps for creating and listing your package. Keep in mind, the security review could take time, so factor that into your timeline.
You’re hitting a super common problem that trips up tons of developers building Salesforce integrations. HubSpot handles this differently - they run everything through a centralized OAuth flow with their managed package setup. Instead of making each customer create their own connected app, your app becomes the OAuth provider and manages all authentication from one place. You’ll need to set up your own connected app as the master integration, then use Salesforce’s REST API with the right scoping to grab customer data after they authorize you. The tricky bit is nailing the OAuth 2.0 web server flow inside your package. I’d start with Salesforce’s ISV docs on connected app distribution rather than diving straight into the AppExchange guides.