cta-8-get-the-latest-contact-data-in-every-app

8 (FULL) - Contact management - get-the-latest-contact-data-in-every-app

cta-half-8-get-the-latest-contact-data-in-every-app

8 (HALF) - Contact management - get-the-latest-contact-data-in-every-app

Build your tech stack

Find and integrate the right business apps for your organization’s needs, pain points and goals.

![red and black integrated computer circuits](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6FYrh6llmJqZufxFytXTVZ/f9b2bc30af48e768ea3318ff750cf5b0/michael-dziedzic-aQYgUYwnCsM-unsplash.jpg)

You're probably familiar with SaaS, or Software as a Service. SaaS tools like Slack, HubSpot and Mailchimp are accessible over the internet, don't require a physical or custom installation, and are instantly updated when a new version is released. They've become the norm for digital businesses.

With so many SaaS apps on the market, it's never been easier to pick and choose the best specialized apps for specific functions. And most businesses use a lot of them.

According to [Blissfully's 2019 Annual SaaS Trends Report](https://www.blissfully.com/saas-trends/2019-annual/), an average small business with fewer than 50 employees uses up to 40 apps. This can go up to 79 apps for businesses with 51-100 employees.

That's a lot of apps - and a lot of data within them. Although every app brings benefits to your stack, it's easy to run into problems with apps that don't play nicely together:

* [Data silos](https://www.piesync.com/blog/data-silos-what-they-are-what-causes-them-and-how-to-fix-them/) arise
* You struggle with [duplicate contacts](https://piesync.com/blog/4-ways-to-fix-and-prevent-duplicate-contacts-for-cleaner-data/)
* Confidence in [data accuracy](http://piesync.com/blog/what-to-do-when-you-cant-trust-your-business-reporting-data/) plummets
* Departments become disjointed, often leading to misunderstandings
* You lose faith in your reporting and wonder, *how did this mess happen?*

As a business today – especially one using many SaaS products – you must have a software integration plan, no matter the size of your company.

__iPaaS offers the best solution.__

When you sync your tools with an iPaaS solution, you can get away with using multiple systems. 

You can pick and choose your favorite apps and know they can work together, because data will flow between them to create an enriched and accurate view everywhere.

But what really is iPaaS, how can you use it, and how can it [benefit your business](https://www.piesync.com/blog/ipaas-benefits/)? Here's everything you need to know and how to get started.

&nbsp;

* [What is iPaaS?](#what-is-ipaas)
    * [iPaaS vs. native integrations](#native-integrations)
* [Benefits of iPaaS](#benefits-ipaas)
* [Looking closer at two-way iPaaS integration](#two-way-ipaas)
* [iPaaS best practices](#ipaas-best-practices)
   * [Evaluate your app stack as a whole](#whole-stack)
   * [Choose the best iPaaS for you](#best-ipaas)
   * [Set aside time for set-up](#ipaas-setup)
   * [Don't forget about maintenance](#ipaas-maintenance)
* [iPaaS trends for 2020](#ipaas-trends-2020)
* [Get started with iPaaS](#get-started-ipaas)

---

## What is iPaaS?{#what-is-ipaas}

**iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) is a cloud-based solution that connects your SaaS apps.** It's a third-party tool that acts as a bridge between multiple systems, allowing for integration and data sharing. 

With one subscription, you can keep your apps integrated and your data enriched and updated across multiple tools or centralized in one place.

Most iPaaS offer a __one-way integration__ that pushes data from app A to app B based on triggers. [Zapier](https://zapier.com/) and [Automate.io](https://automate.io/) are good examples of this: their trigger-action workflows can be used in a huge array of use cases, based on if-this-then-that scenarios with a wide range of data formats.

For a real-time data sync between your databases, you can use [PieSync's](https://www.piesync.com/) __two-way integration__. This means that whenever contact data changes in app A or B, it's instantly reflected in the other app. A two-way sync is best for contact and company data, as this kind of data is often changing and requires consistency.

&nbsp;

### iPaaS vs. native integrations{#native-integrations}

__Native integrations__ are offered as an in-app option by SaaS vendors. Some SaaS apps offer native integrations for all pricing plans, while others gate them behind higher-priced packages.

Native integrations often serve the most common use cases, so they will likely cover the typical workflows users expect to have between apps - however, these tend to be one-way syncs and are limited in scope for customization.

Another advantage of using iPaaS instead of native integrations is that they connect to a huge number of apps. You can sync your apps in one place, rather than one by one with disconnected native integrations.

&nbsp;

| Type of integration     | Vendors     | Function     | When to use     |
| ---------- | ---------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| One-way iPaaS       | Zapier, Automate.io       | Trigger-action       | One-way if-*this*-then-*that* scenarios, like a Slack notification when you get a new customer       |
| Two-way iPaaS       | PieSync       | Customer data sync       |   Keeping contact, company, customer and lead databases in sync between apps in real time    |
| Native integrations       | Offered by individual SaaS apps       | Usually trigger-action       | Enabling two apps to work together in specific ways, such as creating Zoom meetings in a Zendesk conversation      |
| Enterprise iPaaS       | Mulesoft, Dell Boomi       |   API management solution     | For highly customizable end-to-end workflows that process data across multiple applications on a single platform     |

&nbsp;

One thing to remember is that it's not necessarily about choosing the best integration provider, but __the right integration solution for each use case__. 

Many businesses get the best results from using different types of iPaaS and integrations layered upon each other.

For example, you could use PieSync to keep your contact databases in sync between all your apps, while Zapier alerts your sales reps when a sales qualified lead enters the CRM. Meanwhile, a native integration could enable you to embed Shopify products in your email newsletters.

Rather than looking for a one-size-fits-all integration, start by identifying exactly how each app needs to interact with others and find the best integration for each goal.

---

## Benefits of iPaaS{#benefits-ipaas}

Since organizations use so many different applications to run their business, syncing your apps can be a gamechanger, especially if you're struggling with data silos, unreliable data or manual updates on multiple platforms.

Here are just some of the [many benefits of iPaaS](https://www.piesync.com/blog/ipaas-benefits/) that can benefit every type of organization, from one-person small businesses to huge corporations.

&nbsp;

#### 1. Managing all syncs in one place

iPaaS keeps everything centralized. You can rely on a single platform for each __type of integration__, such as Automate.io for trigger-action automations and PieSync to keep your contact databases in sync. 

This keeps it simple to set up new syncs, and you can see all live integrations at a glance. That means no more losing track of unique standalone integrations, overlapping native integrations and unruly API connections.

&nbsp;

#### 2. Less tool-switching

With an integration platform in place, you don't need so many tabs open – you can do more work in your central tool and quickly find the data you need. iPaaS can also eliminate the need for manually updating several apps – after updating one tool, this change can be automatically reflected in others.

&nbsp;

#### 3. Improved communication

With an iPaaS tool keeping everything in sync, you know what needs to be discussed across departments. By looking at the same information – such as tasks, projects and contact data – your whole team can chip in with new perspectives and notice problems that could otherwise be overlooked.

&nbsp;

#### 4. More power from every app

Best-in-breed apps are even more powerful when they're integrated with the rest of your stack. 

Trigger-action automations enable an enormous range of highly customizable ways for your stack to work together, such as sending data from your productivity software to a Google Sheet to power your team reports.

And with two-way integrations for contact syncing, you can [enrich the data in every app](https://www.piesync.com/connections/) for the best results everywhere – from your email segmentation to your sales automation and company reporting.

&nbsp;

#### 5. Better customer experience

[Nearly 80% of customers](https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2019/06/customer-engagement-trends.html) expect consistency when interacting with multiple departments of the same company. For this to happen, all departments need access to the same information and view of the company. 

With an iPaaS solution in place, you know that when a customer calls, anyone who picks up the phone will be able to see the full picture and provide the best service.

By [syncing relevant tools to your CRM](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/) – including your support software, ticketing tool and phone apps – you create a centralized data trail for every customer. You can also use data from all customer touchpoints to create more personalized workflows and [get better results from automation](https://www.piesync.com/blog/12-ways-to-improve-customer-experience-with-automation/).

&nbsp;

#### 6. No more silos

[Eliminating data silos](https://www.piesync.com/blog/data-silos-what-they-are-what-causes-them-and-how-to-fix-them/) helps break down barriers between departments. Instead of battling with data being difficult to access and scattered between tools, everyone in your company can find key insights and numbers. iPaaS makes for a more transparent organization.

&nbsp;

#### 7. A comprehensive bird’s-eye view of performance

While you need an overview of your customer data, your management team needs a crystal-clear view of business performance. iPaaS enables your business leaders to know exactly where the important data is – and they can be more confident in its accuracy, too.

After integrating your apps and data, it's much simpler to [set up an all-in-one reporting dashboard](https://www.piesync.com/blog/automate-business-reporting/) for management to keep an eye on key insights and trends.

&nbsp;

#### 8. Centralized contact data

By [syncing your CRM with other apps that store contact data](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/), you can easily find the right information about your contacts, no matter which app you're looking at. No more looking at five versions of the same contact record wondering which is the right one.

&nbsp;

#### 9. Scalability

The sooner you set up iPaaS, the better. [As your organization grows](https://www.piesync.com/blog/7-steps-to-get-right-before-scaling-your-business/), you don't need to worry about which expensive custom integrations you should build to deal with the added complexity. 

If your iPaaS tool offers connections between all the tools you're using, your business is sorted for life. When you start using a new tool or migrate apps, you can also easily sync data to the correct new places, so you won’t have to worry about manual updates.

&nbsp; 

#### 10. Security

By centralizing your integrations with iPaaS, you can manage your apps and data from a bird's eye perspective and reduce the scope for errors and data mismanagement. This can boost your company's security and compliance.

<RelatedPost slug="ipaas-benefits" />

----

## Looking closer at two-way iPaaS integration{#two-way-ipaas}

[PieSync](https://app.piesync.com/signup/) is an example of an iPaaS solution that can sync data two ways. It offers a straightforward way to sync your contact data [between your favorite apps](https://www.piesync.com/connections/) and keep everything updated in real time.

Rather than setting up individual one-way integrations, PieSync acts as the traffic warden directing contact data two ways to the right locations.

![What is iPaaS](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/7MaF3nEPEc5Y6DwkTe9IGI/ad87caea037192e1a813684e269c6235/iPaaS_visuals__2_.png)

&nbsp; 

For example, this can mean [syncing contacts in your CRM two ways](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/) with your email marketing app, or only syncing contacts with the label 'Customer' with your customer support software. 

To determine exactly how your data behaves and interacts between apps, you can set ["if-this-then-that" rules](https://www.piesync.com/blog/how-to-use-if-then-rules-for-a-more-productive-business/) to customize the sync.

Below is an example sync between Outlook and HubSpot CRM. If contacts are in the category 'Customers' in Outlook, then they're synced to HubSpot and added to a specific static list.

This sync keeps an up-to-date data view in Outlook and HubSpot, so you know you're always looking at the latest version of your contact data.

By syncing between specific categories and lists, everything's kept organized and you know where new HubSpot contacts have come from.

![Connecting Office 365 Outlook contacts with HubSpot](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4DLGVUbXO2b4gWonddWhR5/32c50506f5cda68db416769e59eea3b2/image__11_.png)

----

## iPaaS best practices{#ipaas-best-practices}

Getting the best results from iPaaS doesn't just happen. That said, it's much simpler to integrate your business than you might think, especially if you choose [a zero-code iPaaS solution](https://www.piesync.com/connections/). 

Read on for some iPaaS practices to help you get the best results from integrating your apps, both now and longer term.

&nbsp;

### Evaluate your app stack as a whole{#whole-stack}

When you set up your iPaaS solution, take the opportunity to look at your overall marketing, sales and support app stack. 

While most teams use many apps to power their work – and that's OK – you can still benefit from simplifying your tools where possible. 

Maybe your CRM has introduced a new feature that you can try instead of getting a separate tool, or you don't really need a fancy analytics app anymore. 

A simple and connected stack can be the most powerful option for your business.

<RelatedPost slug="10-of-the-best-sales-and-marketing-tech-stacks" />

&nbsp;

### Choose the best iPaaS for you{#best-ipaas}

To get started with an integration platform, you first need to find the best iPaaS for your business. 

Some of the most popular iPaaS solutions for **tech-savvy users and IT departments** that want to manage APIs in one place are [Dell Boomi](https://boomi.com/), [Informatica](https://www.informatica.com) and [MuleSoft](https://www.mulesoft.com/).

However, iPaaS doesn't need to be technical. [PieSync](https://piesync.com) is designed to be a user-friendly iPaaS solution to connect contact data between your apps, with zero coding skills required. It fits even the __smallest businesses__. 

[Zapier](http://zapier.com/) and [Automate.io](http://automate.io/) are alternatively great options for businesses to create one-way trigger-action automations.

Remember what we shared at the start of this post: it's about finding the right iPaaS for the kinds of integration you need. 

__You can use different iPaaS together__ to hit different business needs. Apps like Zapier and PieSync layer beautifully to accomplish different integration and automation goals.

To help you find the best iPaaS provider, you can use review platforms like [Capterra](https://www.capterra.com/p/145693/PieSync/) and [G2](https://www.g2.com/compare/dell-boomi-vs-mulesoft-anypoint-platform-vs-piesync-vs-zapier) to compare what other businesses like yours have chosen. Here's a comparison of iPaaS vendors on G2:

&nbsp;

![PieSync vs Zapier vs Mulesoft vs Dell Boomi iPaaS comparison](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/Mdz4vHD5Z8yvzHeVnBXlz/92ce3d970cce7215c959bc50f8d3effc/Screenshot_2020-08-03_at_08.50.40.png)

&nbsp;

### Set aside time for setup{#ipaas-setup}

For your iPaaS solution to be a success, you need to [make sure it's set up correctly](https://www.piesync.com/blog/checklist-before-syncing/). Take some time to map out the apps you're using and where your data should flow.

Next, [set up your integrations](https://www.piesync.com/connections/). Check that everything syncs to the right places from the start, using custom field mapping to align matching properties between each app. 

To integrate contact data, you can sync any labels and properties so you know which app a contact comes from, their original source and any other important information needed across departments.

<RelatedPost slug="checklist-before-syncing" />

&nbsp;

#### Don't forget about maintenance{#ipaas-maintenance}

Every so often, set aside an hour or two to check up on your integrations. Check that all your syncs are running correctly, ensure your data is labeled and organized neatly in all apps and ask yourself if there are any new tools to connect. 

With quick and regular checks, you can be sure you're getting the most from iPaaS.

----

## iPaaS trends for 2020{#ipaas-trends-2020}

As more businesses recognize the need to integrate their app stacks and optimize their organization's data flow, we predict a few iPaaS trends for 2020 and beyond:

1. **Increasing popularity of iPaaS** and greater adoption of integration platforms.
2. **Simple and connected SaaS stacks** that are constantly optimized and upgraded.
3. Companies **paying more attention to data flow** through their organization to integrate data from sales, marketing and support.
4. More organizations launching **projects to get their data under control** and eliminate silos.

&nbsp; 

As organizations continue to use more SaaS apps for marketing, sales and support, iPaaS has become a must-have instead of a nice-to-have. It's the easiest way to keep your business connected and silo-free. How will you use iPaaS to enable your apps to be stronger together?

cta-1-best-syncing-app-ever-connect-your-apps

1 (FULL) - All - connect-your-apps

cta-half-1-best-syncing-app-ever-connect-your-apps

1 (HALF) - All - connect-your-apps

Using hundreds of tools to run your business? You’re not alone. iPaaS is your secret to keeping everything in sync, eliminating silos… and staying sane.

A complete guide to iPaaS

cta-7-effortlessly-sync-your-apps

7 (FULL) - All - effortlessly-sync-your-apps

cta-half-7-effortlessly-sync-your-apps

7 (HALF) - All - effortlessly-sync-your-apps

Software Integration

red and black integrated computer circuits

What is iPaaS? A guide to getting started & best practices

Pipedrive

![PieSync and Pipedrive use cases ](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/7idvGO8M7lOCiGeTHeUNC4/a16d93c87caec3446fda233b5d51c0c4/Pipedrive-Guidelines.gif)

[Pipedrive](https://www.pipedrive.com/) is an exciting and powerful CRM, helping you manage and visualize your company’s sales pipeline through an intuitive dashboard. Having a clear overview of your leads and outstanding deals will enable you to prioritize tasks efficiently and help you reach targets.

PieSync allows you to [have Pipedrive in sync two ways with other applications](https://www.piesync.com/pipedrive/) to enrich the customer data in your entire software stack. Integrating your apps also help you avoid manual data entry, duplicates and outdated data.

We've selected a few examples based on real use cases where using Pipedrive next to PieSync saved businesses time, improved their ROI and enhanced their customer experience.

---

## Use customer data on Pipedrive to segment email lists in BombBomb

[BombBomb](https://bombbomb.com/c/) is an effective way of cutting through the noise of traditional email communication by allowing you to send personalized video emails. By segmenting your BombBomb contacts into different lists, your messaging can be highly targeted. But how do you populate those lists? 

Pipedrive is the best resource to use if you are searching for customer information to create segments. As your CRM, Pipedrive can store a lot of valuable information about your customers and leads, such as their interests,  demographic information, professional role, etc. By using PieSync, you can [sync this information from Pipedrive into BombBomb](https://www.piesync.com/pipedrive/bombbomb/) to segment audiences. Here's how:

1. First, make sure your customers and leads have all the right information attached to them in Pipedrive. In BombBomb, create contact lists for your segments so you are sending the right message to the right persona.

2. When you set up a sync with BombBomb, PieSync will ask you which lists you would like to sync. In this example, we've selected the list “Buyers Brussels Area” in BombBomb.

![Selecting a contact list to integrate BombBomb and Pipedrive](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6ChFhiUdGGghTtHf4VI6ri/f1504283bc871fe3e95b6a952ce03cc3/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_10.19.57.png)

&nbsp;

This is the list PieSync will synchronize two ways between the two apps. You can also choose to sync one way.

3. After you've selected your list, you will need to configure the rules or filters of the sync. The default setting syncs **all** Pipedrive contacts with **all** BombBomb contacts.

![Two way integration between Pipedrive and BombBomb](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2jH7scdhcATcPXqPN0zwc7/74837885bdb5850868245d35aaa4afac/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_10.25.09.png)

&nbsp;

However, we want to make sure our communications are relevant and personalized, so we won't send emails to our entire CRM database but just to a group of people. 

We can filter the sync between Pipedrive and BombBomb by using custom fields. In this example, we are telling PieSync that __if__ a contact is in Pipedrive __and__ the custom field reads “Real Estate”,  __then__ PieSync can update a custom field for that contact in BombBomb with “Real Estate.” That way, you keep your segmentation across tools and you are ready to create your targeted email campaigns.

![Pipedrive and BombBomb integration via PieSync](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/21H5IvvMG1dkv5wGZ8oBEM/a812aae285c9213f427f7dcb76ab57aa/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_10.25.19.png)

&nbsp;

__Tip:__ You will need to repeat these step for each list in BombBomb 

<Button text="Learn how to set up a sync" href="https://youtu.be/NQVS243klI0" />

---

## Send highly qualified leads to your CRM

Every team has their favorite apps. Is your marketing team using HubSpot while your sales team works with Pipedrive? How do they align their goals and easily pass prospect and customer information from one app to the other one? 

__That’s where PieSync steps in.__

PieSync can integrate these apps so that together they are a powerful lead gen stack. This example is particularly useful when you are working with CRMs that don’t distinguish leads from prospects or other contacts.

Here's how you can use PieSync to streamline the marketing lead qualification process:

1. [Start your sync between HubSpot and Pipedrive](https://www.piesync.com/help/features/getting-started/).

2. Within Pipedrive, set up a custom field named “MQL” (Marketing Qualified Lead).

![Preparing Pipedrive's dashboard for integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/7gl9QthZ1zJgiQN4Vjnq0G/6bee80b39b0bd155996373b924a1babc/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_10.41.20.png)

&nbsp;

3. Then, create two rules to indicate the following: 

 __If__ a contact in HubSpot is greater than 5, __then__ sync the contact to Pipedrive and update the "MQL" field to YES. 

This means that when a HubSpot contact’s lead score goes over a certain threshold, then PieSync syncs this contact to Pipedrive and marks it as marketing qualified. 

But what about the other contacts that haven't reached that lead score? Let PieSync know how to handle them by establishing this rule: 

   __If__ a contact in HubSpot is less than 5, __then__ update the "MQL" field to NO. 

This ensures that as long as the HubSpot lead score remains below the threshold you have specified, the lead is cold and won’t appear in Pipedrive.

![HubSpot and Pipedrive integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/J4wpiz1CCbc5dOJY1t4id/0a58edb7c1a024153a5e9e978b56c32c/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_15.55.39.png)

![hubspot and pipedrive integration setup](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2QPnweYoHZ1LDESsiUKCIR/198f8c9eb42188100cfaa4c6d31347f3/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_15.55.46.png)

&nbsp;

You can also choose whether or not cold leads in HubSpot should be visible in Pipedrive. You can do this by adding an action to the last rule: 

1. Click on "add action". 
2. Select “Update Active?” from the dropdown menu and choose if you want to switch this on or off. “Switch on” will ensure the leads appear in your lists in Pipedrive. “Switch off” will ensure that cold leads still sync to Pipedrive, but remain invisible in lists. 

You can also assign ownership to those leads coming over from Hubspot. Apply the action “Set owner to” and select a specific Pipedrive user, or if working with a team set it to a group such as “Leads queue”. That way, the sales team can claim the leads as their contacts and set them to their own name.

---

## Sync Pipedrive with Google Contacts

In the PieSync dashboard, choose [Google Contacts and Pipedrive](https://www.piesync.com/google-contacts/pipedrive/). You’ll have to authorize your apps.

![Google and Nimble integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4WrrEqicnvDD8aTgoudvO6/3a2f8d39a11945382b1df7b20d50ae98/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_11.11.50.png)

&nbsp;

Once you've [authorized PieSync to connect your apps](https://www.piesync.com/help/features/authorize-your-apps/), you can setup your sync. A two-way, real-time sync requires two rules which are preconfigured for you.

![Google and Pipedrive integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4BMdo3ejQQNyTA1fwoH7WS/a1355e3bcc0cb13b90b5e01fdaabc9cb/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_11.14.39.png)

&nbsp;

They read: "__If__ a contact is in Google Contacts, __then__ sync the contact between Google Contacts and Pipedrive", and “__if__ a contact is in Pipedrive, __then__ sync the contact between Google Contacts and Pipedrive.” 

This means all contacts in Google Contacts will be synced over to Pipedrive and all contacts in Pipedrive will be synced over to Google Contacts.

A lot of people don’t want to sync all contacts, or they want to segment the contacts into lists or groups. This can be done by **adding filters and actions**. 

For instance, you can filter your contacts in Pipedrive based on properties. Perhaps you want to segment contacts who are in a group called “Prospects” in Google Contacts (you will need to create this group in Google Contacts if you don’t already have it) into Pipedrive and add a custom field called "Real Estate".

The, you can create a rule that reads “__if__ a contact is in Google Contacts and in the group “Prospects”, __then__ sync the contact between Google Contacts and Pipedrive and update field to “Real Estate.”

![Keep your real estate contacts in sync between google contacts and pipedrive](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2HPYzkmRdf4QOD5PmHqUPa/e4dce161830ddad99e76dd0f1c9af924/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_11.16.26.png)

&nbsp;

If you delete contacts in Pipedrive or in Google Contacts, PieSync will add the tag “PieSync Trash” to the contact so that you can delete them in-app. Ensure that you have ticked both boxes under “Sync deletions.”

<RelatedPost slug="the-ultimate-guide-to-google-contacts" />

---

## Stop automated emails for customers with open support tickets

Your support team is busy fixing issues and keeping a close communication loop with your customers. While they are saving the world, don’t send poorly timed email blasts or insensitive invoice reminders that ruin your customer support team’s good efforts.

Customer experience suffers when you communicate poorly with your customers. And communication happens on many fronts: your customer support team is in direct contact, but your email marketing engine is blasting out messages all the time, and your billing app will automatically send invoices regularly. 

When a customer experiences a service issue, your email marketing automation should grind to a halt, or at least adapt its tone. Similarly, it is not the best time to be sending invoice reminders, especially if your customer is not benefiting from your service in the first place!

PieSync can help with this by identifying customers with open support tickets and alerting you about it in the rest of your software stack:

![Zendesk and Pipedrive integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/uzl90MLz6phojJK6tLaRN/b119bee3802f3bd1cd7a8e158f9c516e/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_11.18.15.png)

&nbsp;

In this case, when a tag is manually added in Zendesk to a customer to indicate the problem is still pending, a “Stop communication” custom attribute is added in Pipedrive.

Now that you have this information available in your CRM, you can also keep your colleagues in accounting in the loop about a customer’s status. 

Set up a separate sync between your CRM and your invoice app, such as [Pipedrive and Quickbooks](https://www.piesync.com/pipedrive/quickbooks/). While there isn’t a way to prevent invoices from being sent out, you can have the “Notes” field, for instance, showing what’s going on.

![Quickbooks and Pipedrive integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5alIMnPFvPiM0A3oMpgvjI/9317b990c2dee9b1fb57f2c21c9d95ed/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_11.19.27.png)

&nbsp;

Similarly, in a separate sync to your email marketing platform, this very same field can drive tailored email marketing. 

The following sync with email marketing platform Sharpspring has contacts with logged issues in support added to a specific list. Within Sharpspring, essentially, this list named “Has open tickets” becomes your exclusion list - in other words, a do-not-send list. Alternatively, you can choose to temporarily remove them from a list, or temporarily unsubscribe them.

![pipedrive and sharpspring synchronization](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3KewBc9ZsAt43sWIaZnmH8/3c60d9f2732d4679787304f6b5597ac0/Screenshot_2020-07-27_at_11.19.53.png)

&nbsp;

Note that the rule comes with an “Undo” toggle: if their issues in Zendesk are resolved, your contact is eligible to receive marketing-driven information again.

---

Now you're all set to start syncing Pipedrive with the rest of your tech stack! To make the most of two-way syncing for your apps, [get started with a PieSync free trial now](https://app.piesync.com/signup/).

<Button text="Get started with a free trial" href="https://app.piesync.com/signup/" />

Want to sync your customer data on Pipedrive with the rest of your apps, but don't know where to start? This guide will show you how to use PieSync to sync Pipedrive with your tech stack to be more productive, save time and streamline your contact database.

How to integrate Pipedrive with your app stack: a complete guide

Pipedrive-Guidelines

Zoho CRM

Mailchimp

HubSpot Marketing Hub

Quickbooks

Google Contacts

![zoho integrations](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/67dz1kOPzeWt7qVE7YPBLa/c51527b75dfe28726a8ecabd31e2a87f/zoho-book.png)

[Zoho CRM](https://www.zoho.com/crm/) makes sure your sales team stays focused on their targets. Lead generation from existing websites, lead activity tracking, email integration, task management and complete sales cycle views are just some of Zoho’s many features.

[Having Zoho CRM in sync with other tools via PieSync](https://www.piesync.com/zoho-crm/) enhances the power of your entire software stack. Integration improves the quality of your data by enriching and unifying it.   

Here are some popular use cases where integrating your tools makes all the difference: 

1. [Keeping your CRM and contact management tool in sync](#contact-management)
2. [Syncing your CRM and your marketing automation tool](#automation) 
3. [Keeping your CRM and your email marketing app in sync](email)
4. [Having your accounting app in sync with your CRM](accounting)

We'll use as an example [Google Contacts](https://www.piesync.com/google-contacts/) as a contact management tool, [HubSpot](https://www.piesync.com/hubspotmarketinghub/) as a marketing automation app, [Mailchimp](https://www.piesync.com/mailchimp/) for email marketing and [Quickbooks](https://www.piesync.com/quickbooks/) as an accounting tool. But you can combine Zoho CRM with many other applications:

<Widget type="piesync-widget" left="zohocrm" size="compact" />

Let's get started!

&nbsp;

## 1. Keeping your CRM and contact management tool in sync{#contact-management}

&nbsp;

#### Zoho CRM and Google Contacts (GSuite)

G Suite doesn’t have its own team contacts manager. This is a huge headache for administrators who want to be able to manage contacts on a team-based level. That’s why businesses choose to use Zoho CRM in conjunction with Google Contacts or G Suite - it allows administrators to manage contacts on a team based-level.

Once you've [signed up for PieSync](https://app.piesync.com/sync/zohocrm), you can select the apps you need to sync in our dashboard. 

![Zoho CRM integrations](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5utXQ1ZOFnfA8M66mqKycy/d5bd3fba71f624f85f52122ab49a32ac/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_12.00.23.png)

&nbsp;

Once you've selected Zoho CRM and your contact management app, you'll need to authorize PieSync to access those tools. You can do so by login into your account or using the API key. [Here's how to authorize Zoho on PieSync.](https://www.piesync.com/help/connector-apps/zoho-crm/)

![Zoho and google integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/35CHUDvyu2dUVt8HiI4nKa/8be512ffbd49a7583b794ef048aba835/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_12.00.52.png)

&nbsp;

Now it's time to configure your sync. A two-way, real-time sync requires two rules which are preconfigured for you. The first one reads: “__IF__ a contact is in Google Contacts, __THEN__ sync the contact between Google Contacts and Zoho CRM”. The second one implies that “__IF__ a contact is in Zoho CRM, __THEN__ sync the contact between Google Contacts and Zoho CRM.”

When both rules are switch on, all the contacts added or updated in Google Contacts will be synced with Zoho CRM. At the same time, all the contacts in Zoho CRM will be in sync with Google Contacts.

![Google contacts and Zoho](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/47H3LxQUtd5kq9cVS01eGx/3858bd559a54629e06169ae60ff780ec/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_12.03.44.png)

&nbsp;

A lot of people don’t want to sync all contacts, or they want to segment their contacts into lists or groups. This can be done by adding __filters__.

For instance, you can filter your contacts based on their tags in Zoho CRM. Perhaps you want to segment contacts who have the tag “Prospects” in Zoho CRM into a label called “Prospects” in Google Contacts (you will need to create this label in Google Contacts if you don’t already have one).

To achieve this, you can create a rule that reads: “__IF__ a contact is in Zoho CRM and has the tag “Prospects”, __THEN__ sync the contact between Google Contacts and Zoho CRM and add label “Prospects’”. 

At the bottom of this rule, activate the toggle which reads “Undo if Zoho CRM contact does not have tag Prospect, then remove label in Google Contacts." This will ensure your list is kept up to date.

![Integration for Zoho CRM and Gmail](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2aZexXKULK2VlLrb5QW0yi/31f2001e70237212a6900117fff82bee/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_12.04.43.png)

&nbsp;

Thanks to PieSync’s Teams features, you and your colleagues can sync contacts in Google Contacts or G Suite into Zoho CRM. PieSync also prevents duplicates (where the same contact is synced multiple times) by checking if similar contacts have been synced based on email addresses.

<RelatedPost slug="the-ultimate-guide-to-google-contacts" />

&nbsp;

## 2. Syncing your CRM and your marketing automation tool{#automation}

&nbsp;

#### Send marketing qualified leads to Zoho CRM

Everyone likes to work with the best-of-breed apps. But what if your marketing team wants to use HubSpot and your sales team thinks Zoho CRM is the tool for them? 

PieSync can integrate these apps and create an amazing lead gen stack. This integration is especially useful for CRMs that don’t treat leads differently from prospects or other contacts.

Once you access PieSync's dashboard, select Zoho CRM and your marketing automation tool. [Here are all the marketing apps PieSync supports](https://www.piesync.com/connections/marketing-newsletters/).

You can choose to sync contacts, leads or accounts. 

![contact sync between hubspot and zoho](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2XLjA82LFmJkKdzRuVNTS3/30a0a3c67387047fff5b0e632edbe291/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_14.11.57.png)

&nbsp;

Next, create this rule for this sync: "__IF__ a contact in HubSpot is greater than 5, __THEN__ sync the contact to Zoho CRM and add Tag MQL." 

In essence, this means that when a HubSpot contact’s lead score goes over a certain threshold (in this case 5, but this is up to you), then PieSync syncs this contact to Zoho CRM and adds a tag indicating that it is a marketing qualified lead.

![HubSpot and Zoho integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3w6ON6xBCLnkbqhp8GqDpD/61d5a50792d61994affefa8993f58b31/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_14.12.49.png)

&nbsp;

You can also assign those marketing qualified leads to a dedicated Zoho CRM sales rep through a filter. Instead of choosing “add a tag”, select “set owner to” and choose your rep from the drop down menu.

&nbsp;

#### Sync based on opt-in and opt-out preferences

You can also keep your email lists sparkling clean by syncing based on your subscriber’s opt-out and opt-in preferences.

In the following example, customers who have not opted out are subscribed to a list:

![Zoho CRM and HubSpot marketing](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/71FgNSvG479BIvhB4H5BRn/b84e18aea532e8be987e05ff74ec7aea/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_14.13.50.png)

&nbsp;

__Tip: Keeping [GDPR](https://www.piesync.com/help/faq/piesync-and-gdpr/) in mind, syncing and storing opt-out preference on a CRM level is a must.__

&nbsp;

#### Sync HubSpot Analytics to Zoho CRM

With the [HubSpot to Zoho CRM sync](https://www.piesync.com/hubspotmarketinghub/zoho-crm/), you’re able to sync HubSpot’s analytics to Zoho CRM through PieSync’s customizable field mapping. 

First, create the custom fields you need within Zoho CRM, such as when  they last visited your website, and what was the last marketing e-mail they opened from you.

![Create custom fields in Zoho](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/uJqExzETf50jqP4FGAnLO/1d345ad9a88caa5d05cd4d76364ca55c/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_14.18.13.png)

&nbsp;

On the PieSync dashboard, you can map those custom fields between HubSpot and Zoho CRM, so that this information is synced to Zoho CRM from HubSpot. You only need to link these fields once, and you’re all set! 

![HubSpot and Zoho CRM integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1k7lyNKw6gIbcKK9COeHQx/72c9c41b36c78b382d6c9df5392e6cf4/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_14.16.33.png)

&nbsp;

__Good to know: setting up a sync between HubSpot and Zoho CRM syncs historical website activity too!__

<Button text="Sync Zoho CRM and HubSpot" href="https://www.piesync.com/zoho-crm/hubspot/" />

&nbsp;

## 3. Keeping your CRM and your email marketing app in sync{#email}

&nbsp;

#### Syncing email subscribers between Zoho CRM and Mailchimp

One of the most popular PieSync integrations is keeping selected Zoho CRM contacts (marketing opted-in) in sync with a Mailchimp list.

Businesses that use this sync notice an increase in productivity because they no longer have to manually keep email lists up-to-date in both app - the sync does this for them automatically. It is also easier to implement email marketing campaigns knowing that all your subscriber information is updated.

Correct subscriber information is paramount these days, especially with data protection laws such as GDPR - you don’t want to be hit with a fine because you accidentally sent out a bunch of emails to subscribers who are no longer opted-in!

This sync helps you send out timely campaigns to interested subscribers in email marketing lists with the most up-to-date information.

To create this connection, first authorize your apps on the PieSync dashboard. For Mailchimp, you can only sync one Mailchimp list per connection slot. If you want to sync more Mailchimp lists, you have to create more syncs. 

__[Click here to learn how to authorize Mailchimp.](https://www.piesync.com/help/connector-apps/mailchimp/)__

Then, it’s time to set up a two-way sync between Zoho CRM and Mailchimp.

![mailchimp integration with zoho](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2Gc1h9KdfoxHoH2oq4QDy0/9048131d1e4eefe4f27da7aabd2d8404/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_15.10.41.png)

&nbsp;

This sync dictates that all contacts in Zoho CRM will be synced to Mailchimp and all contacts in a Mailchimp list will be synced to Zoho CRM.

Because syncing *all* contacts between the two is usually not what we’re after, you can add some customization to the sync. For example, you can filter contacts using Zoho CRM tags.

We've added the additional rule that if the contact has the tag “Newsletter”, then it will be synced to Mailchimp.

![zoho crm with mailchimp](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/7zF9VqCTSNScyJCeCUk1Av/f2fcf8ed5773e377ba20596e4d09a81d/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_15.11.33.png)

&nbsp;

If someone subscribes to your Mailchimp list, their information will be synced to Zoho CRM and the tag “Newsletter” will be added.

&nbsp;

#### Sync based on opt-in and opt-out preferences

You can also keep your email lists clean by syncing based on your subscriber’s opt-out and opt-in preferences.

In the following example, customers who have not opted out are subscribed to a list:

![mailchimp and zoho crm integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1lkM3xcWieBqfhuxbxca4L/790d41e3ad33e8eccc43abbcc56214ad/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_15.13.59.png)

&nbsp;

If a customer unsubscribes from your mailing list, this information gets picked up by PieSync and is reflected in Zoho CRM.

<Button text="Sync Zoho and Mailchimp" href="https://www.piesync.com/zoho-crm/mailchimp/" />

&nbsp;

## 4. Having your accounting app in sync with your CRM{#accounting}

By [creating a sync between Zoho CRM and Quickbooks](https://www.piesync.com/zoho-crm/quickbooks/), colleagues in accounting can count on the information in Quickbooks to be correct and up-to-date. 

This sync can also automatically send customer information from Zoho CRM to Quickbooks when a deal is closed so that invoicing can begin. Through the power of syncing, your business has only one address book to maintain: Zoho CRM’s.

After closing a deal, sales staff typically identifies to whom invoices should be sent. They will create this contact in Zoho CRM. Through PieSync, the contact information of the invoice recipient can be synced to your accounting team in Quickbooks.

As with the previous setups, you'll have to authorize your apps on the PieSync dashboard and you'll see a default two-way sync between your Quickbooks and your Zoho CRM.

You can use PieSync rules and tags such as “invoice recipients” to personalize your sync from Zoho into Quickbooks. This way, colleagues in accounting can rely on recipients’ address information to be correctly pre-filled out in Quickbooks, no more double checking. Smooth handover!

Maybe sales forgot to handover to accounting? No worries! Even when accounting creates new contacts in their own app, they will be synced to Zoho CRM and identified as invoice recipients there. So make sure you set up a rule that stipulates that PieSync sync contacts from Quickbooks to Zoho CRM if they carry a specific tag such as “invoice recipient.”

The cherry on top: Quickbooks can track whether a contact still has open invoices or not to their name. Since PieSync works two ways, as soon as the invoice gets paid and is logged in Quickbooks, the tag disappears in Zoho CRM. Make sure you switch on the toggle next to “Undo” for this - this toggle is located under the rule on the PieSync dashboard.

![Quickbooks integration with Zoho](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1uLloKFhrnnMNZ7AGgrS09/54edecd2a257cd0f3a76c1827e166d51/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_15.25.26.png)

&nbsp;

In addition, when accounting creates new contacts in Quickbooks, they will be synced to Zoho CRM, along with the information about their payment status (handy for sales and customer care teams who are in touch with contacts).

For this latter feature, simply create a custom field in Zoho so it can store Quickbooks’ information.

Using custom fields in Zoho CRM you can create more nuances:

![Quickbooks integration with Zoho](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6eRqp4pdYrTpPjY4DwTVYz/3eac81a85fa02aa90ec175fbfa1e6081/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_15.26.38.png)

![Quickbooks integration with Zoho](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/36o99f1ldKQBZHeI9ZhYnk/de5b8749e436e34a2bcd733fe3e10897/Screenshot_2020-07-09_at_15.27.03.png)

---

We hope you're all set to start syncing Zoho CRM with the rest of your tech stack! To make the most of two-way syncing for your apps, [get started with a PieSync free trial now](https://app.piesync.com/signup/).

<Button text="Try PieSync for free" href="https://app.piesync.com/signup/" />

Want to integrate Zoho CRM with the rest of your business tools, but don't know where to start? These guidelines will show you how to use PieSync to sync Zoho CRM with your tech stack to be more productive, save time and have a beautifully streamlined contact database.

How to sync Zoho CRM with your app stack: a complete guide

zoho integrations

![connecting data to crm](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/7uzsto7fKXoXtC3XYo2ymb/dbc2e105bf05fc89c48d23b5f31b5473/federico-beccari-ahi73ZN5P0Y-unsplash.jpg)

Your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool is **at the heart of your business**. It's where you store and manage all of your contact data, from your marketing leads to your sales pipeline and customer database. 

When done well, your company's CRM offers a clear trail of all key interactions, purchases and preferences so you can provide the most personalized experience for your customers.

But while your CRM is powerful alone, it's infinitely more powerful when connected seamlessly with your other business apps.

With [effective integrations in place](ttps://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/), you can build the strongest software stack __around your CRM__ and ensure data flows to all the right places, exactly when you need it to.

----

## 5 tips to build the best software stack around your CRM

To help you get set up, read on for some of our best tips to connect your CRM to your other business tools for seamless contact management across your entire organization.

&nbsp;

### 1. Look closely at your CRM and check it ticks all of your boxes

To begin with, make sure that your CRM tool is really the best fit for your business. A good CRM is easy for you to use, fits your budget and takes the stress out of managing contacts and customers.

<RelatedPost slug="best-crms-for-small-businesses" />

&nbsp;

### 2. Power up your CRM by connecting your other apps

Once you're happy with your CRM, it's time to look at which apps to sync with it first. While every business is different, certain apps play an essential role in most software stacks:

#### Customer support software

Whether B2B or B2C, most businesses have some sort of customer support team. With a tool like [Zendesk](https://www.piesync.com/zendesk/) or [Freshdesk](https://www.piesync.com/freshdesk/), you can quickly and efficiently handle customer support tickets, whether they come in via a website form, email, live chat conversation or phone call. 

To ensure that you can see the latest customer status in either tool, set up an integration to connect your customer support software to your CRM. With [a two-way sync](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/customer-support/), you can make sure that custom properties are instantly updated in both your CRM and support platform databases.

For example, you might be using Pipedrive as your CRM and Zendesk as your customer support platform. You can use PieSync to create a real-time [two-way sync between the two tools](https://www.piesync.com/pipedrive/zendesk/). 

For example, by setting up "if-*this*-then-*that*" rules in your PieSync connection, you can make sure to only sync Pipedrive contacts that have the label "Client" with Zendesk. You can also automatically add an "Active" tag to these contacts, so support reps who pick up their tickets know they're subscribed customers at that moment:

![Zendesk and Pipedrive sync](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/RvE7CJR4qpCkkqJv5UEHl/d3c281e3bd2982a4d342fd8d5658fc1c/image__6_.png)

#### Lead generation apps

If you're generating new leads via lead generation tools, you can send new contacts to your CRM along with the latest data and contact preferences for each one. You can customize how the information is synced between apps with a combination of [default and custom field mappings](https://www-preview.piesync.com/solutions/contacts-sync/).

<RelatedPost slug="12-of-the-best-lead-generation-practices-for-2020" />

#### Email marketing platform

How are you managing your email marketing? You might be sending email campaigns and automating email workflows in an all-in-one marketing platform and CRM like [HubSpot](https://hubspot.com), or with a a separate email tool like [Mailchimp](https://mailchimp.com) or [GetResponse](https://getresponse.com). 

Your email marketing platform is [one of the best apps to sync bidirectionally](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/marketing/) with your CRM. Why? Because you need the most up-to-date contact data before you send any email campaigns. Otherwise you're at risk of sending to contacts that have unsubscribed or no longer require the product or service you're promoting. 

In addition, your CRM stores valuable customer data that can come in handy when creating [personalized email marketing campaigns](https://www.piesync.com/blog/why-marketing-personalization-is-so-important-and-how-to-use-it/). By syncing both tools two-ways, you ensure that your marketers have the most enriched and relevant customer data at the tip of their fingers.

<RelatedPost slug="how-to-sync-data-in-your-crm-and-marketing-apps-with-zero-hassle" />

#### Marketing automation tool

Automation can be an [extremely powerful addition to your business](https://www.piesync.com/blog/how-automation-benefits-your-customers-and-how-to-ensure-it/) – and your CRM. 

Some teams choose a CRM like HubSpot that has built-in automation features. If you're using a standalone automation tool like [ActiveCampaign](https://www.piesync.com/activecampaign/) or [GetResponse](https://www.piesync.com/getresponse/), make sure to integrate the app with your CRM. You can use a native integration for this, or better still, [an iPaaS sync](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/) to let the tools share data bidirectionally and in real time.

Another advantage of using an iPaaS like PieSync to sync data with your marketing automation tool is that it **makes your contact data the most up-to-date it can be**. This enables your automation workflows to deliver five-star personalization and relevance to exactly the right contacts at the right moment. 

To make your contact data more up-to-date, use PieSync to ensure that the latest changes are reflected in every app, whether it's a list opt-in, email address update, or new communication preference.

<RelatedPost slug="12-ways-to-improve-customer-experience-with-automation" />

#### Billing & invoicing apps

If you need to send invoices to customers, it's important to sync the right data to your invoicing tool – and record invoices and processed payments in your CRM. 

Some data you might want to sync across your software stack include contact details for a key contact person, billing date and renewal frequency. 

&nbsp;

### 3. Collaborate with other departments

A CRM isn't a tool for a single team to use. It should span your entire organization, especially your sales, marketing and service teams. Anyone in your company should know how to log in to your CRM and find answers to questions they have about a lead, contact or customer.

To make sure that your CRM is at the operational center of your business, take time to:

* Make sure all the right people have access to your CRM.
* Give all employees basic CRM training for key tasks, such as finding contacts and unsubscribing them from your mailing list.
* Understand the go-to apps used in each department's software stack that should be [synced with your CRM](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/).

&nbsp;

### 4. Fix any data silos

The number one enemy of effective contact management? Data silos. Simply put, a data silo is a collection of data that one department has access to but others do not. 

Data silos quickly lead to a lack of transparency, efficiency and trust within your organization. They can also throttle your business performance and drain resources while you deal with wasted time and lost productivity.

By [integrating your organization's data](https://www.piesync.com/why/) and fixing silos, you can equip your teams with the data and collaboration they need to do their best work and help your company thrive.

&nbsp;

### 5. Keep everything synced!

There's no one app that takes care of every single business need. Your business relies on a multitude of different [SaaS tools](https://www.piesync.com/blog/the-saas-guide-the-tools-and-trends-shaping-tech-in-2020/), each with their own advantages. 

To make your business operations shine, it's about choosing the right combination of apps and letting your software stack work together for the best collaborative results. You can do this with iPaaS solutions like PieSync.

You can think of PieSync as the glue that [holds your app stack together](https://www.piesync.com/why/).

To instantly integrate data between your CRM and other key apps, get set up with a PieSync free trial and [start syncing your data two ways](https://app.piesync.com/signup).

<Button text="Try PieSync for free" href="https://app.piesync.com/signup/" />

No CRM is an island. Here's how to connect it to the rest of your software stack for streamlined collaboration and data syncing across your org.

How to build the best app stack around your CRM

connecting data to crm

How to build the best software stack around your CRM

![Connecting SaaS data with PieSync](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2jnK6Wd6j1XPJtQVgMghst/cf7563867c0d14491bf4b33e8b439e61/fabio-oyXis2kALVg-unsplash.jpg)

SaaS is mentioned a lot in the worlds of tech and business. But what does it actually mean?

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software distribution model that gives customers access to applications over the internet rather than requiring a physical installation. You don’t need to download anything to use a SaaS product, you simply log in via your web or mobile browser.

You're likely using products from a lot of SaaS companies already. You could be using [Mailchimp](https://www.piesync.com/mailchimp/) as your email marketing provider, [HubSpot](https://www.piesync.com/hubspot/) as your CRM and [QuickBooks](https://www.piesync.com/quickbooks/) for accounting. These are all examples of popular SaaS tools.

Because SaaS apps are centrally hosted and maintained by a provider, they update automatically and instantly – without you needing to download anything or make any manual changes. The result? A lot of saved time and hassle.

<RelatedPost slug="the-saas-guide-the-tools-and-trends-shaping-tech-in-2020" />


However, to get the best results from your SaaS stack there are a few things to put into practice...

### Top SaaS best practices

* **Looking at your business tools holistically**, rather than as disconnected. Your tools need to work together and complement one another.
* **Cleaning up your data regularly**. With regular [data cleanups](https://www.piesync.com/blog/top-4-clean-data-tips-for-your-database/), you can avoid messy databases.
* **Upgrading tools you have grown out of**, or using integrations to give them more power.
* **Syncing your contact data** between your SaaS tool with accurate segmentation and filtering.

Let's dig into how to get these best practices right and build the strongest tech stack.

#### How can you integrate your SaaS tools and sync your contact data?

You have three main options to integrate your SaaS apps. These are:

1. With a native integration, such as those in [Mailchimp's Integrations Directory](https://mailchimp.com/integrations/).
2. With a custom integration, but these are very costly and time-consuming to build.
3. With iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) solutions, like [PieSync](https://www.piesync.com/why/).

If they're available for the apps you want to connect, native integrations can be a great solution that's quick to set up.

However, you might find your business needs a deeper sync that **updates data in real time and bidirectionally between apps**. This is especially important if you frequently change or update your contact information, and need to see the latest version of the data across your apps. For this, [iPaaS tools](https://www.piesync.com/blog/what-is-ipaas-a-guide-to-getting-started-and-best-practices/) are probably the best solution for you.

With PieSync's two-way customer data sync, you can make sure that you're following SaaS best practices. It works by syncing contacts, leads and companies between all of your key business apps – from your [email marketing platform](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/email-marketing/) to your accounting system and [CRM](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/).

Getting your data in sync means streamlined contact management, stronger collaboration between teams and even improved customer experience.

<RelatedPost slug="data-silos-what-they-are-what-causes-them-and-how-to-fix-them" />


### Here's how you can get the best results from your SaaS tools with PieSync

Once you've [set up your PieSync account](https://app.piesync.com/signup/), here's how to start syncing your SaaS stack to get the best results out of your customer data.

#### 1. Choose how your data will flow between apps

When connecting your SaaS tools, your first question might be: how should the data flow between my apps? If you want the data to sync continuously between two apps, choose a **two-way sync**. If you only want to make changes in a single app and see it directly reflected in another, a **one-way sync** is for you.

#### 2. Decide which contacts will be included in the syncs

PieSync uses **if/then** rules so you can choose which groups of your contacts get synced between your tools. You can use these rules to create segments of your contacts to be synced to and from your chosen apps - this way, you can have more control over where your contacts will go when syncing.


#### 3. Customize which information fields to sync across apps

It's not just about creating carbon copies of contact databases in every tool. You need to attach the right information from different tools to contacts, otherwise you'll lack the clarity you need to give personalized experience to every contact.

Since a lot of your apps can have different names for the same information fields, PieSync helps you map out how you want to sync specific contact information with **default field mappings** and **custom field mappings**.

PieSync automatically syncs common fields across apps - like a ‘first name’ field to another ‘first name’ field. For custom fields and more complex instances, you have freedom to [choose how to sync them between your tools](https://www.piesync.com/blog/announcing-our-biggest-update-to-date-custom-fields-and-customizable-field/).

#### 4. Clean up and avoid duplicate contacts in your apps

To save you from time-consuming contact management, PieSync also helps you avoid duplicate contacts in different apps. It scans your database, using a email addresses as a basis to match contacts across apps - so, if a contact exists in two apps, we enrich both records instead of creating new records for the same person.

For example, you might have Jane's email address and phone number in your email marketing app, and her email address and job role in your CRM. When connecting these tools two-ways, PieSync won't create new contact records for Jane - it will detect that these contact records belong to the same person because the same email address is entered in both apps. As a result, your CRM will have Jane's email address, phone number _and_ job role all in one contact record, and so will your email marketing tool.

#### 5. Collaborate with different teams in your business

Remember that you can add unlimited team members to PieSync. While you don't need to add _everyone_, it might be a good idea to invite someone from each department and collaborate on setting up the right rules and syncs for everyone. This way, you'll ensure the best data flow through your company as contacts move between marketing, sales, accounting and support.

#### 6. Remember to sync all key tools

For the best contact syncing results, make sure to sync all of your most important SaaS apps. A good starting point is connecting your email marketing, CRM and customer support tools - these are usually the apps with the most customer data in them.

![syncing mailchimp and hubspot](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/18jUdtR8dYDUtiBX81guIo/6fcd314dd1cc89dcea852152eb79e35d/Screenshot_2020-02-20_at_15.48.20.png)

----

Ready to get started? Get set up with a [PieSync free trial](https://app.piesync.com/signup/) and start connecting your SaaS apps for better business results.

<Button text="Try PieSync for free" href="https://app.piesync.com/signup/" />

SaaS tools make running a business easier than ever before. But there's one tactic to get even better results: syncing your data.

6 ways to optimize your SaaS stack with PieSync

blue and white cube grids on black background

Connecting SaaS data with PieSync

Freshdesk

Zendesk

HubSpot

![if then rules for a more productive business](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5gMxNVL9Sv6sVTIiQIN25E/df703c31f327e83b7e512751bd0488d4/if_then_rules_for_a_more_productive_business.jpg)

We use conditional if-*this*-then-*that* "rules" all the time in our own lives. 

It means that if A is true, then action B should be taken. Otherwise, action C should be taken.

Think of making plans for your weekend. _If_ it's sunny, _then_ you'll go to the beach. If it's not, you'll stay inside.

![IF/THEN diagram](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4N1mjkUCK4pT3M2meiDJeA/a231871ecfed30b12ca679a60c78f1c8/If-Then-Else-diagram.svg.png)

&nbsp;

If you look for them, you can find IF/THEN rules everywhere in the decisions we make every day.

But what about our businesses?

Setting clear IF/THEN rules in your business is one of the **best ways to boost productivity and streamline processes.**

Instead of having to make decisions on a case-by-case basis, you can determine clear rules that trigger automated actions at the right time without you needing to lift a finger.

This means you can reduce the manual tasks on your plate and free up your time for the most valuable work.

Let's dig into how you can introduce straightforward IF/THEN rules to streamline processes and bring more ease to your business...

----

### How to use IF/THEN rules in your business

&nbsp;

#### Think in terms of workflows

A workflow is the way you get work done, illustrated as a series of steps that need to be completed in sequence.

To implement the most helpful IF/THEN rules in your business, **think about the recurring workflows** that need to take place every day.

As an example, here's a list of emails you might send to marketing leads to nurture them towards becoming customers:

1. Someone finds your business in a Google search
2. They subscribe to your mailing list
3. You send a welcome email instantly
4. You send an email with new content after 1 week
5. You send an email with new content after 2 weeks


With the right tool, you can automate these steps so the right emails are sent at the right time without you having to do anything.

*If* someone subscribes to your mailing list, *then* your email marketing tool automatically sends them a sequence of personalized emails at pre-determined intervals.

This radically reduces the time and cost of acquiring new customers.

Here's an example of an automated email workflow with [ConvertKit](https://convertkit.com/features/automations). It sends the right email to the right people, depending on their subscriptions and interests:

![ConvertKit email funnel](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5yCvnAlPrGIOTcDYe0tHMv/2bf6b4c2c11767efa1ef285a33dd3e2f/single-automation-long.png)
&nbsp;

You can also create **automated internal workflows** for common processes in your organization such as:

* Assigning and distributing tasks to the right team members
* Sending internal emails to notify colleagues when certain actions are taken by leads
* Adding notes to contacts in your CRM
* [Adding contact data to other apps when conditions are met](https://www.piesync.com/why/)


Tools with extensive automation features like [HubSpot](https://www.hubspot.com/products/marketing/marketing-automation) make creating these internal workflows super simple. With a drag-and-drop workflow builder, you can quickly build exactly the right workflow to handle your own IF/THEN rules:

![HubSpot drag and drop automation builder](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6F0dwgHRW3EOtpwgTfc0IT/e14d789d566ab115c0f8ac9a4668f7f8/Screenshot_2020-03-23_at_13.11.09.png)
&nbsp;

#### List the common actions your customers take

Another way to introduce more IF/THEN rules in your business is by thinking about your customer journey.

Even before thinking about automation, it's helpful for any organization to list the common steps most people take before becoming a customer. It allows you to be there for your marketing leads at exactly the right time.

A simple version for an ecommerce store could be: 

1. A person views your website
2. You send them retargeting ads that remind them of your store
3. They return to your store and click the "buy now" button when they're ready
4. You send personalized emails that show other products they might like

Once you understand your customer journey, you can identify areas where you can introduce automations based on IF/THEN rules. 

For instance, *if* a customer orders baby shoes from your online clothing store, *then* your email tool can send them a discount code for other kid's clothes.

----

### 4 examples of IF/THEN rules to use in your business

&nbsp;

#### IF a customer submits a support ticket, THEN alert their account manager

Popular customer support software such as [Zendesk](https://www.zendesk.com/) or [Freshdesk](https://freshdesk.com/) offer built-in options to create workflows that alert the right people when certain conditions are met. 

We love how Freshdesk describes [their automation functionality](https://freshdesk.com/automations) as "A sorting hat for every ticket."

![Freshdesk ticket automation](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/7ML8wPO2Xy7Y7VzBuEe1ux/cb17301fc1e7695136fc8844f756bf81/Screenshot_2020-03-23_at_13.06.09.png)

A common IF/THEN rule for support teams is alerting the account manager when one of their customers submits a ticket, so they can ensure a timely response. 

A similar example is alerting an account manager when a customer submits a negative NPS score, so they can follow up and fix underlying issues.

<RelatedPost slug="how-automation-benefits-your-customers-and-how-to-ensure-it" />


#### IF a new lead enters your CRM system, THEN add them to your mailing list

By [connecting your CRM and email marketing tool](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/), you can ensure that data for new leads immediately syncs to the right places.

PieSync is designed to solve IF/THEN rules like this. For instance: *if* a contact is in HubSpot, *then* sync the contact two-ways between HubSpot and Mailchimp:

![HubSpot and Mailchimp two-way integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/0xpGilIBIZWCt13L9G1P9/f74a854695271ef171667fcf86ebcea3/image__7_.png)

&nbsp;

#### IF a customer completes an order, THEN give them a discount code

If you're using a popular ecommerce platform such as [WooCommerce](https://woocommerce.com/posts/post-purchase-email-automation/#) or [Shopify](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/discount-codes/create-discount-codes), you benefit from a built-in option to send automated emails via your integrated email service provider. 

Sending automated discount codes is an easy IF/THEN rule to reward your store customers and encourage them to come back. Here are some more ideas to automate your ecommerce business:

<RelatedPost slug="15-ways-to-automate-your-ecommerce-business" />

#### IF a contact does not wish to be contacted, THEN change their subscription status in other tools

When you [connect your email marketing tool with your other marketing apps](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/email-marketing/), you can keep subscription status updated between them in real time.

For instance: *if* a contact is marked "Do not contact" in Pipedrive, *then* update their subscription status in Mailchimp. This provides an easy way to adhere to GDPR policies and respect your audience's contact preferences.

Here's an example of using PieSync to only sync contacts that want to be contacted with Mailchimp:

![Pipedrive and Mailchimp sync for GDPR](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1mK2jKpq1Mlf38viJxLalP/db2d34fab7769e680a07e645031d27a5/image__8_.png)

----

**Integrate your apps with PieSync to use IF/THEN rules that boost productivity**

What's PieSync? It's a two-way syncing solution that keeps the right data perfectly connected between your favorite business apps, like your CRM and email marketing platform.

With IF/THEN rules that determine how your apps sync, PieSync lets your business tools talk to each other and exchange data based on clear conditions you set. 

[Get started with a free trial](https://app.piesync.com/signup/) to automate more of your day-to-day workflows and create a more productive business with customer data syncing.

<Button text="Try PieSync for free" href="https://app.piesync.com/signup/" />


We use "if-this-then-that" rules everywhere in our daily lives and decisions. But what about our businesses? Here’s how to use them for max productivity.

How to use IF/THEN rules for a more productive business

if then rules for a more productive business

![api code](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1TdXC1We4GC645Lmtnf1FO/4e62bb62f0911b61498b8b1fc40b08c8/markus-spiske-Skf7HxARcoc-unsplash.jpg)

You don't need to be a programmer to use an application programming interface (API). In fact, we're using them every day, even if we don't realize it.

For example, if you use [Skyscanner](www.skyscanner.com) to find cheap flights, the platform uses APIs to pull in flights, prices and availability from their connected partners. This is constantly updated, so you always see the latest flight offers.

![skyscanner api](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/7gjMp04dUdqymVAs9xTzsR/c36073787052ee937aae8066b76d0391/skyscanner_api.png)

&nbsp;

If you look for APIs, you'll find them everywhere. Any time one tool brings in data from another tool – like Facebook comments, Google Maps locations or YouTube videos – there's an API in place. 

As another simple example, Airbnb uses the Google Maps API to show you the location of a property or activity on their platform:

![airbnb google maps api](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4HDwWTpSlp2gxCxEpJiakJ/6ce1fca122eb4e5aa76f439d4cd07bcd/airbnb_google_maps_api.png)

&nbsp;

Although APIs can get complicated, they don't have to be. You can use other tools to implement simple Web APIs in your business without needing a lot of tech knowledge – which is what we'll show you in this post.

* [What is an API?](#api-definition)
* [What are APIs used for?](#apis-used-for)
* [How do you use an API?](#how-to-use-api)
* [How do you use APIs without being a programmer?](#non-technical-apis)
* [The best APIs to use in your business](#best-apis)

---


### What is an API?{#api-definition}

The most basic definition of an API is that it **enables one piece of software to talk to another piece of software**. 

&nbsp;


### What are APIs used for?{#apis-used-for}

When people talk about APIs today, they are usually referring to Web APIs for data retrieval. Millions of companies use these to...

* Tap into publicly accessible content that's already been created and show the most updated version in their own app (e.g. sharing locations on Google Maps). 
* Access hidden information that doesn't exist on the normal web.
* Automate an app that needs more complex, up-to-date information, such as the latest Instagram posts tagged at Wimbledon Stadium for a tennis news page.
* Get their apps to interact, e.g. their mailing list with their CRM.

For many companies, APIs keep life simple and reduce the need to repeat the work that someone else has already done. Why would you try to create your own version of Google Maps when you can use the Maps API to include customized maps on your own web platform?

&nbsp;

### How do you use an API?{#how-to-use-api}

To create a new connection between apps with an API, you need to consult the documentation of the tool you want to connect and fetch data from. You might check, for example:

* [Twitter's developer documentation](https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs)
* [Facebook's developer documentation](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/)
* [Reddit's developer documentation](https://www.reddit.com/dev/api/)

To make sense of developer docs and use an API, you'll need to have some tech knowledge or work with someone who does. It can get a bit tricky otherwise. (But a bit further down we’ll talk about how to use APIs and get the benefits **without being a programmer**.)

Making use of an API often requires an API key, which gives you permission to set up the connection and make the API call. An API key essentially identifies you as a user of the application - you will only be able to access the data of a given user if you have the exact API key of that user.

Each API's documentation will include details on how to get access to the API's data (an API key, for example), an overview of all the operations you can do (such as create data, update data and list data) and often some examples of API calls.

Once you have the access requirements, you can choose to use a tool like [Postman](https://www.getpostman.com/) or [Runscope](https://www.runscope.com/) to manually interact with an API. These are "API clients", or third-party systems that allow you to make one-off requests to API endpoints without needing to input any code.

![postman apis](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/10gCYC64gv0sU0xgbuDzQ8/2e89b71a7853847aae71314839b8913d/postman_apis.png)

After downloading Postman, here's how you can [send your first request](https://learning.getpostman.com/docs/postman/launching-postman/sending-the-first-request/). To start with, you can also use postman-echo.com, their [sample API](https://docs.postman-echo.com/?version=latest), to get to grips with setting up an API.

&nbsp;

### How do you use APIs without being a programmer?{#non-technical-apis}

Not a programmer? You can benefit from APIs without needing to make sense of technical documentation by **finding solutions that do the hard work for you**. Two of the best ways for beginners to use an API are...

__Native integrations__

Native integrations enable you to create an instant connection between your tools, as the API work is already done. For instance, [Mailchimp's integration with Canva](https://mailchimp.com/integrations/canva/) lets you easily create stunning graphics for your newsletter with zero tech knowledge or set-up required.

Most SaaS (software as a service) tools have their own integrations library that offers plug-and-play free API connections between popular apps. Here's ActiveCampaign's example:

![activecampaign marketplace](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2Cy1dv4XwRBNHZMt9XA4Oe/f985b02cda7583bb2b850f36704a20ea/activecampaign_marketplace.png)

__External integrations__

In addition to native integrations, [there are also external platforms that build connections between apps for you](https://www.piesync.com/blog/what-is-ipaas-a-guide-to-getting-started-and-best-practices/). These include apps like Zapier, which provides one-way data pushes to automate tasks between apps; and PieSync, which syncs data bidirectionally between apps to make sure that your data is always up-to-date in both tools whenever anything changes.

In this case, PieSync has also done all the legwork setting up APIs for you, so you just need to choose the specific connections between your favorite apps and customize the action of the sync. An example of this could be [updating a contact property in Pipedrive when something changes in Intercom](https://www.piesync.com/pipedrive/intercom/).

If you're curious about how PieSync works, it starts with our team building a connection to an app using their API. PieSync then acts as a middleman between apps to 1) request the information and 2) translate the information so that the other API can understand it. You can read more about how two-way syncs work here:

<RelatedPost slug="what-is-a-bi-directional-sync-and-how-does-it-work" />

[Check PieSync's connections between your go-to tools](https://www.piesync.com/connections/) to see how it could work in your business.

&nbsp;


### The best APIs to use in your business{#best-apis}

The best APIs for your business depends on which tools you need to connect. Look at the tools you need to integrate: this could be your analytics suite and a dashboard tool to visualize your company's performance data, or integrating Google Maps data with your web app.

Whatever your integration and connection needs, look for the simplest way to tick your boxes. Instead of using an API directly, check native integrations or if PieSync can create the results you want by [syncing your contact data in two directions](https://piesync.com/) and updating in real time.

[Get started with a PieSync free trial](https://app.piesync.com/signup/) and sync your apps – no tech knowledge or complicated documentation required.

API newbie? Here’s our beginner’s guide to API technologies so you can get the benefits without needing to be a programming expert.

What is an API? A guide to getting started as a total beginner

api code

EspoCRM

![EspoCRM key benefits of syncing customer data](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3VMqBQCLXHxMFiLV3ydzRJ/d9d1ade25c56e42e4564cb223bb417c9/PieSync-EspoCRM.png)

*Editor’s note: The following is a guest blog post by our integration partner [EspoCRM](https://www.piesync.com/espocrm/)*

---

In the modern business environment, efficient data management is the backbone of building any successful company, and CRM systems have become indispensable tools for that. 

However, apart from CRM tools, many companies use several extra apps for effective data collection, each fulfilling a wide range of diverse functions and used by various departments. 

![espocrm dashboard](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5OghjFZFHbFjLwWPEPzofJ/fbd901d9b850a137f230414a3863cdd7/espocrm_dashboard.png)

&nbsp;

Although each of the used platforms has its advantages, their parallel utilization usually causes a lot of problems with data consistency. As a rule, the source of these “data problems” lies in the fact that these apps are not integrated with your CRM instance. In the end, your employees find themselves in a situation when they have to daily import and export customer data manually in order to keep it complete, accurate, reliable and - what is even more important - up-to-date. 

The best way to deal with this situation is to implement software that helps to synchronize customer data automatically. In case you’re using EspoCRM as the main tool for customer data management, PieSync is the software you need to sync EspoCRM with 200+ cloud apps, two ways and in real time. 

<Widget type="piesync-widget" left="espocrm" size="compact" />

PieSync helps to establish a strong correlation of contact data [between your CRM and the extra tools you use](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/). The platform also allows you to set [if-*this*-then-*that* rules](https://www.piesync.com/blog/how-to-use-if-then-rules-for-a-more-productive-business/) that help to control and segment the data that is synced between EspoCRM and the business tool you use. 

&nbsp;

### What are the key benefits of syncing customer data?

- __It saves time.__ Once set up, the syncing process is performed automatically, so your employees will save a lot of time and effort allotted to manual exporting and importing of customer data. 

- __It ensures data consistency.__ As the data is entered by the employee only once and then automatically synced into other tools, it is always up-to-date, complete, and less prone to human errors or duplicating. 

- __It improves customer service.__ Reliable customer data has always been one of the principal components for delivering first-class customer experience. Empowered with relevant and consistent information, your employees will be able to improve customer relationships and generate more sales within a short time frame. 

- __It increases employees’ productivity.__ Your employees won’t have to look for snippets of various information about the customer in different apps to finish up creating an “invoice puzzle”. Having all the data available at their fingertips will allow spending less time on routine operations. 

Already feel like giving new life to your customer data? Unleash the full potential of EspoCRM and PieSync today!

<Button text="Try PieSync for free" href="https://www.piesync.com/espocrm/" />


If you’re using EspoCRM as the main tool for customer data management, the PieSync platform is the software you need, oroviding two-way real-time synchronization with EspoCRM and 200+ cloud apps. 

The key benefits of syncing customer data

EspoCRM key benefits of syncing customer data

ActiveDEMAND

![ActiveDemand Eliminating-DataSilos](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/22r1oruBWpzn907eDZUmIv/48d19085ecd2cadfa0d45d093c8c05b2/ActiveDemand_Eliminating-DataSilos.png)

*Editor’s note: The following is a guest blog post by our integration partner [ActiveDEMAND](https://www.piesync.com/activedemand/)*

---

Marketing is currently undergoing a revolution: The data revolution. Sales rely on numbers, but for marketing, statistics are not enough. They need more data to provide relevant communication across a customers lifecycle. With so many new digital marketing platforms available, collecting and organizing data is no longer the problem. The new challenge is how to prevent data silos. 

&nbsp;

### Why silos limit insights about customers

Data silos refer to all those pieces of information that are isolated within a platform and, therefore, within a team. Usually, this happens as a result of using several business tools without having a synchronization solution in place. 

Data silos make things difficult for marketing and sales in a number of ways. One of the shocking casualties of data silos is the impossibility to provide customer intimacy in marketing and sales. Without truly knowing and internally communicating about your prospects and customers, marketing and sales make bad assumptions.

&nbsp;

### Buyer journeys

The buyer’s journey typically outlines the way a prospect engages with your marketing before converting to a lead and buying. Buyer journeys help to determine how to build a usable website, what content is relevant, and what customer stories marketing and sales can rally behind. Without solid statistical data on how real users do this, it’s a shot in the dark. You can survey prospects and customers, but they often forget all the steps they took. Great user journeys use verifiable data collected on real prospects.

The most accurate buyer journeys need:

- All marketing touchpoints recorded
- All possible conversion points tracked

This means you should track: email opens, newsletter subscriptions, website visits, live chats, and any other marketing touchpoint. Then, they should be collected to a common prospect database - either by doing it all within a single platform, or, more commonly these days, by [connecting multiple platforms](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/marketing/). Collecting the data of anonymous users adds an unnecessary hurdle because it makes it difficult to determine prospect quality. Prospect quality is easy if you know who it is, like if you can identify that this data belongs to Bob from Acme, our million-dollar prospect.

&nbsp;

### The importance of tracking more than just form submits

Incredibly, many businesses today still create buyer journeys without [tracking inbound phone calls](https://www.activedemand.com/capabilities/call-tracking-numbers/), which can be 40-70% of all conversions. These buyers journeys can be critically flawed by ignoring such a common conversion point for customers. 

To avoid phone call silos, once phone calls are tracked, the conversions and corresponding data need to be integrated with all other tracked conversion points. We need to collect conversions in that centralized prospect database *and* we need to send conversions to each respective ad platform so we can optimize them appropriately.

Once we have all marketing touchpoints and conversion points tracked to a single place, we can build fantastically detailed buyer journeys backed up with real data. These buyer journeys help us understand how and why people choose us, and what we can do to help.

&nbsp;

### Prospect and buyer personas

Once you’ve got all the data for a buyer journey, the next step is to collect all the information necessary to build a buyer persona. This usually means bringing in a CRM and [connecting it with your marketing automation, advertising platforms and other tools](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/_. 

Again, we need to break the data silos and connect these disparate systems because they each hold pieces of the full buyer persona view. Your CRM should include buyer information pulled from sales, while your advertising and marketing automation systems will include information on what kinds of messaging to use for different personas. 

These data points on users, once collected and analyzed, provide a 360-degree view of prospects and customers, and therefore insights on how marketing and sales can better serve them. It gives a common understanding of prospects and how your company is uniquely situated to help them.

&nbsp;

### Optimizing marketing channels

Now that we have great visibility into touchpoints and conversions, we also need that data in each of our advertising and marketing channel platforms. 

By importing conversions into Google, Facebook and other platforms, we can further optimize each of those marketing channels. We need to take our conversions out of the platforms that they’re tracked in, such as call tracking platforms, web form systems, and marketing automation platforms, and send that conversion data over to ad platforms like Facebook Ads and Google Ads.

Some platforms offer anonymous synchronization between platforms based on a user or click ID, but that usually means you don’t know whether it was a great quality lead or not, and it doesn’t help build out user journeys using real customer examples.

&nbsp;

### Bidirectionally synchronize all the platforms!

[ActiveDEMAND’s marketing automation platform](https://www.activedemand.com/) centralizes a lot of marketing data, but some clients need to connect with other marketing or CRM platforms without a native connection. For those platforms, [Piesync synchronizes contact details between them](https://www.piesync.com/why/). Because of Piesync’s focus on integration, there are a lot of great platforms you can “bring into the fold” with a Piesync connection.

&nbsp;

### Breaking data silos

With prospects and clients fully synchronized between marketing automation, CRM and any other platforms in use, the overflow of data becomes easier to analyze and pull insights from. 

- Buyer journeys can be created on a concrete foundation of sample user journeys. 
- Personas can be built with real data.
- Marketing can see the impact of different channels on different personas at different stages of the buyer’s journey.
- Marketing can optimize based on these insights.

So if you’re in marketing, take a look at the platforms you use in your company that include client and prospect information, and consider integrating them. [Using ActiveDEMAND and Piesync](https://www.piesync.com/activedemand/piesync/), almost all popular platforms can be connected and silos are broken down.

<Button text="Try PieSync for free" href="https://www.piesync.com/activedemand/" />

With so many new digital marketing platforms available, collecting and organizing data is no longer the problem. The new challenge is how to prevent data silos. 

ActiveDEMAND + PieSync: Eliminating data silos to achieve customer intimacy

ActiveDemand Eliminating Data Silos

![two way syncing](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3l2lqMqHlJwBOoMT7KZr6A/e460a5d41d4400b194443d5c57176bed/marissa-eric-TcWE0IQatTw-unsplash.jpg)

A bidirectional or two-way sync works by gathering and connecting data from two different systems through their application programming interfaces (APIs).

Every app has an API which acts as a gateway (the technical term for gateways is “servers”) through which data can be extracted, or “pulled”. 

In order to pull this data from the app and share it with a different app, you need a middleman, or client, such as PieSync. This client pulls that data from one API and then transforms and submits this data to the second API. 

&nbsp;

### What is an API?

APIs are a way for computers to talk to one another in a way that they can quickly and easily process information. **Each API has a unique “protocol”, which is like a special computer language**. 

The key thing to note is that **APIs can’t talk to one another directly**. Not only because they use different protocols, but because they are dormant until activated by a request for information. 

**PieSync acts as the middleman to request the information**. PieSync then translates the information so that the other API can understand it.

The problem is, there're not just one or two protocols floating around.  Every developer can develop a new protocol, and this was the case several years ago. Over time, some standards have started to emerge, with protocols like REST and SOAP being popular.

Let’s look at an example, say we have an app named “EmailMarketing” which uses the protocol SOAP, and another app named “EzyCRM” that uses the protocol REST.  We want to sync data between these two apps.

In order for "EmailMarketing" to tell EzyCRM that there is an update on a contact name, you need a middleman, PieSync, to translate the protocol and hand over the data.

You’d think that would be the end of it. But it’s not. Not only does PieSync “translate” the protocols, it also has to manipulate the structure of the data so that the second app can understand how to structure the data it is receiving.  PieSync’s CTO Mattias Putman elaborates:

> “A protocol is a way of communicating data, but it doesn’t say anything about the structure of that data, or the “data model”. The "data model" is defined by the specific API itself, and not by the protocol. For example, some APIs represent emails as lists of an email value associated with a label. Other APIs represent an email with just a single email field.”

The PieSync connector pulls the data from EmailMarketing’s SOAP API and then hands this information to our platform. 

Our platform will then look at the data structure and match it up to EzyCRM’s data structure. 

Our platform then hands this information to EzyCRM via the PieSync connector that communicates in the JSON/REST protocol (JSON is a way of encoding data and is mostly used together with REST). 

> “We talk in SOAP terms with EmailMarketing to get contact data out,” says Putman “This contact data is modeled completely different in EzyCRM, so we have to translate the data to EzyCRMs data model. Then we talk in JSON/REST terms with EzyCRMs API to send the translated data over.”

<RelatedPost slug="what-is-an-api-a-guide-to-getting-started-as-a-total-beginner" />

&nbsp;

### Smart syncing

PieSync does more than just translating protocols and manipulating data structure. PieSync is also about smart syncing.

Basically, **PieSync tracks every mapped field between the two connected apps to see if there are any changes.** If there are changes in one app, PieSync will pull this new data, translate the protocol, manipulate the data structure, and push the change into the second app. 

If there are no changes in either app, PieSync does nothing. 

When we’re scanning for changes, we take fields that are the common denominator between any the apps, and sync those. 

> “If app A has emails and name, app B has name, and app C has emails. We sync the common denominator between each combination of two apps out of A B and C. We always do the most optimal mapping between any pair of apps,” says Putman.

If  PieSync checks the two apps through their APIs, and sees that there are changes on both sides to the same field, it looks to see which app you have configured to “win” in this situation, PieSync then makes the change in favor of the winning app. This ensures that data isn’t overwritten unintentionally.

There are exceptions to the “win” rule, for example if both fields you want to sync are list fields. PieSync can merge all the items without losing any data. This is another reason PieSync is about smart syncing, we’re able to interpret the structure of the data.

Do you want to keep in sync custom fields or create customizable field mapping? [Here](https://www.piesync.com/blog/announcing-our-biggest-update-to-date-custom-fields-and-customizable-field/)'s how!  

&nbsp;

### Intelligent syncing

Every business has its own individual structure and their own unique blend of apps to run the business. That’s why PieSync’s team is developing features that allow you customize your SaaS Stack and workflows. [“Intelligent Syncing”](https://www.piesync.com/blog/introducing-intelligent-syncing/) is the result of these efforts.

This new upgrade works through an intuitive “__if__ -*this*- __then__ -*that*” conditional logic. PieSync users can now synchronize contacts maintaining their segmentation for marketing, communication & support purposes.

By setting up “__if__ -*this*- __then__ -*that*” rules or conditions, the user can accomplish complex automatic workflows across different applications.

![image-for-Intelligent-Sync](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/15ocZzMofaUgkiwkKKiEIa/9fd3af6c64c85429ed9df868a91ee06b/image-for-Intelligent-Sync.png)

It’s indeed an intelligent way of syncing. Passing on the segmentation of a CRM to an email marketing tool means you can now seamlessly create highly personalized emailing campaigns per industry, location, type of contact, list, etc.

<RelatedPost slug="introducing-intelligent-syncing" />

&nbsp;

### How does PieSync know that the data changed?

There are a few ways that PieSync knows data has changed. I will cover the two most popular ones:

**Webhooks** - PieSync says to app “If you have a change in a  record, please submit the fact that it changed to this URL we provide.” In other words, we ask them to send us the information that something has changed. This is the most efficient way, however a lot of APIs don’t support it because it is complicated to implement reliably. 

**Polling Frameworks** - This is where PieSync asks every five minutes - “Hey did anything change? If so give me all that changes that happened in the past five minutes.” This is the one most connectors use. 

&nbsp;

### Maintenance nightmare

Maintenance of these API connections is tough. Developers upgrade APIs, and old APIs fall out of use, or “deprecate”. 

This means that our developers have to continually ensure that the connections to the APIs are up to date, so that PieSync can still pull and submit data. 

If APIs are upgraded or deprecate, our developers then have to re-write our side of things to match up to the upgrades or to the new version of the API. 

Most developers from these apps notify us either directly or through developer blogs, about these changes. But sometimes we only find out when our connection to their API is broken. Our developers then drop everything to fix this connection. 

Putman is an advocate for SaaS companies investing in Developer Experience stating:

> “Next to heavily investing in User Experience, Product companies should equally invest in Developer Experience. This is of critical importance to get developers on board with integrating your product and API's into the massively growing SaaS market"

&nbsp;

### Is PieSync the same as Zapier, Tray.io or Automate.io?

The short answer: **No.** 

Zapier is different from PieSync, in that it is a task runner that transforms data. 

“A big difference is that **we understand data**. Other tools just copy data. We understand how your data is modeled in every app and therefore we can do more advanced transformations and do so more reliably,” says Putman.

For example: someone fills out a webform on your landing page, Zapier will take this information, and transform it into information that makes sense to the receiving app, such as a CRM.  However it is up to the user to make the decision if this transformation makes sense, Zapier doesn’t help you in any way, and it doesn’t look at the data models. 

**Zapier can also unintentionally overwrite information in the receiving app, because it doesn’t look to see if the information is the same**. 

<RelatedPost slug="piesync-vs-zapier" />

&nbsp;

It doesn’t perform syncing operations because quite often it doesn’t make sense to do this between the apps they connect. There is no point syncing your webform and your CRM, they have entirely different functions from one another. 

Tools like Zapier just do what it’s told, while PieSync pulls the data, and sees if any action is necessary, and it only syncs if it needs to.  

As you can see what we do here at PieSync is enormously complex. Very few dare to take this task on, simply because the sheer amount of work involved is formidable. 


A biirectional or two-way sync works by gathering and connecting data from two different systems through their application programming interfaces (APIs). Learn more about how a two-way sync works and when you should use it to sync your data.

What is a two-way sync and how does it work?

two way syncing

[Active Campaign](https://www.activecampaign.com/) is an all-in-one marketing tool with extensive functionality such as email marketing, sales and CRM. Built for SME's, it provides a broad range of tools such as campaign segmentation, dynamic content, and A/B testing for your Marketing.

activecampaign

ActiveCampaign

We updated our ActiveCampaign sync by hooking into their latest API. What's new? 

- Rules with regards to contact scores are available (greater than, less than)
- Improved sync reach: the initial sync now takes into contacts not part of any list
- More field mappings available! Bounce status and create/update timestamps!
- Contact notes in ActiveCampaign can now be mapped read-only to a text box in your other app

activecampaign updated sync

Updates to the ActiveCampaign sync

Mixpanel is an advanced analytics platform for mobile & web. It helps businesses grow by helping them understand how their users behave and use their products by tracking actions people take rather than page views. Mixpanel's mission is to help the world learn from its data.



logomixpanel

Mixpanel

Our connector for Mixpanel has been equipped with the ability to connect to the eu.mixpanel.com - if you happen to have your data stored specifically within the EU territory. 

mixpanel regio

EU based Mixpanel accounts

[HubSpot CRM](http://hubspot.com/piesync) is an all-round customer relationship management tool that offers an incredible range of features for all businesses, from small startups to large enterprises. This complete CRM platform helps companies increase leads, accelerate sales, streamline customer service, and much more.

hubspot logo

[Available since today](https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-contacts), the HubSpot Marketing Hub features __marketing contacts__ - contacts that are able to receive marketing emails and be targeted with ads. In contrast, __non-marketing contacts___ cannot be marketed to... but also do not count against your contact tier. 

This means that you can now, with much greater comfort, store __all of your contacts data__ inside of HubSpot Marketing Hub. 

The PieSync filters & mappings now also reflect this new feature in HubSpot.


hubspotmarketing

HubSpot Marketing Contacts available in filters and mappings

Constant Contact is a marketing platform, giving your team the tools to create highly effective email marketing, social media campaigns, online surveys, and event marketing. Availability of hundreds of templates and extensive resources will make your lists grow!
Don't have Constant Contact, start your [free trial](http://www.constantcontact.com/signup.jsp?pn=piesync) now.


constantcontact

Constant Contact

We've applied a considerable update to our [Constant Contact sync](https://www.piesync.com/constantcontact). 

As Constant Contact are in the process of refreshing their user interface -  rolling this out throughout the next months - we already wanted to make sure the elements in our sync correspond to the new field and naming conventions. 

It's more than a happy accident that this unlocked a whole series of new sync functionality for you! Custom fields and more!

constancontact updated field mappings

Custom fields for Constant Contact and more

Contacts+ is the most powerful fully-connected contact management platform for professionals and enterprises who need to master their contacts and be awesome with people. Contacts+ cross-platform suite of Apps and APIs enhance contacts with 360-degree insights, while keeping them organized, in-sync, up-to-date, and safe.


Phone & E-mail

Sync Phone & Email apps you use everyday to automate your business and be more productive. {{ connectorCount }}+ Phone & Email contact sync integrations currently available. Click on your favorite app to get started.

Contacts+ Logo Mark (1)

Contacts+

Nimble shows you detailed customer profiles in just a single view so you can get to know your customers in person. Sales and marketing features, activity management tools and a responsive social listening system will make sure you have all the insight you need!


nimble

Nimble

For many of its [CRM connectors](https://www.piesync.com/connections/crm/), PieSync applies ownership automatically, [or at least gives you control through the rules as to how it should be transferred in the sync](https://www.piesync.com/help/faq/can-i-sync-contact-owner-source-fields/). 

Two popular supported contact management tools, namely Nimble and Contacts+, featured a concept of ownership since quite some time, but only recently have we updated our sync connectors for you to control this too.

Use the sync rules to control ownership. Set up multiple rules if you need multiple owners synced with one another. [More info](https://www.piesync.com/help/faq/can-i-sync-contact-owner-source-fields/).


The PieSync Blog