How to Integrate Your LMS with Salesforce

Juggling tons of Salesforce data is no easy job. It will be quite time-consuming to look into each team member's qualifications, expertise, and skill level in the software!

On top of that, if you're in the field of data entry, the work can quickly become repetitive and time-consuming, and not to forget, it’s highly prone to human error. This slows down productivity and motivation levels, which can impact key business decisions. 

Now, just think, what if we had a tool that automates these processes?

We’re talking about the Learning Management System (LMS). While the Salesforce CRM platform is ideal for managing customer data, customer relationships with your brand, and tracking sales, the LMS system provides the tools and techniques to train team members. 

Now, imagine combining the two systems and think about the possibilities that’ll open up! How to integrate your LMS with Salesforce? Let's find out!

Why Integrate an LMS with Salesforce?

The most important reason to integrate LMS with Salesforce is to track your team’s training needs. At times, it can be difficult to keep tabs on individual employees regarding the type of training or skill development they need. 

Some team members may already have undergone similar training programs you don't know about. With the LMS, you can easily track their progress, experience, and skill sets.

There’s no need to make manual data entries or maintain Excel sheets. 

Benefits of LMS and Salesforce Integration

The LMS system, when integrated with the Salesforce platform, provides many benefits.

Data Centralization 

Statistics show that 40% of organizations cite it as challenging to keep up with local and industry regulations. When companies don't follow rules and laws, they can face penalties, damage to their business reputation, and often legal action. 

Since the Salesforce LMS integration centralizes all processes in one place, it minimizes the risks of data breaches.

You no longer have to switch between two or more systems and can easily manage everything in one place.

Better Training, Happy Employees

The integration also allows Salesforce to track the training program. Since you will have all the sales team and customers’ data in one place, you can design courses, training programs or assessments for them. 

It will be a more personalized experience, and hence, the employees will be more motivated on the job. You can also easily enroll new team members onto the platform and train them according to their requirements via customization.

Check out how it works on Coursebox: AI for Personalized Learning.

Reporting and Analytics

You can also use the LMS software's data reporting and analytics tools to track the course completion rate and award certificates to the learners who have completed it successfully.

The program also measures the ROI of the training program and provides real-time insights and analytics so you can make informed decisions about the employees or learners.

Efficiency

As per a 2022 report, 72% of organizations use customer data to serve their customers.

Again, an LMS platform minimizes, in fact, diminishes the need for manual processing. It takes on all the tasks like enrolling the users, giving them assignments, receiving real-time updates about the training status, and notifying or reminding those on the team who are lagging in the training program. 

LMS also reminds the users about upcoming training programs or modules they are overdue for, saving time and the need for sending constant reminders and human errors in processing.

Sales Performance

Sales is about continuous learning. The market is undergoing so many advances and changes that Salesforce has to stay abreast of them. LMS Salesforce integration enhances their knowledge about the product's usability and helps them develop vital sales skills to market the products. The platform also enables the managers to look up skill gaps and support their team where needed.

It also increases customer satisfaction rates, as the sales team educates customers better about the products. As a result, revenue goes up, and the business thrives.

Scalability

It's easy to manage the team initially when there are a few members. However, as the team size increases, you have to make extra effort to monitor the team members' progress. 

At times, the team structure expands to more than one location or country. In these cases, manual integration becomes increasingly difficult; hence, automated processing is ideal as it provides scalability. 

Whether you have ten employees or a thousand, the LMS platform makes it easy to manage all the members and provides consistent training support to each individual at their pace.

Higher Engagement

Of course, integrating Salesforce with LMS will give you better insights, feedback, and knowledge about your employees.

If you consistently work on filling the gaps in the course structure and helping individuals wherever they lag, you will facilitate their learning journey. This will boost their confidence in the system and organization and improve the engagement rates.

Since blending the two platforms will also manage customer relationships, you will be better able to retain your customers and get them to adopt the new product quickly. 

An AI platform like Coursebox can simplify the process by offering real-time analytics, reporting tools, and other integration features. 

So, whether you are training new employees or working with your current ones, the system easily adapts to your business needs, reduces human error, and gives you more time to work on the strategic part of the business.

How to Integrate Your LMS with Salesforce: Initial Prep

Integrating the LMS with your Salesforce is not as easy as it sounds. Getting your team on board the platform will take some groundwork. So here are a few things you need to do before you get started. 

• Compatibility Check: Check if your LMS is compatible with the Salesforce. Platforms like Coursebox, TalentLMS, Docebo, Moodle, Absorb LMS, etc., offer built-in integrations that allow easy compatibility. 
• Set Goals: Of course, you need to know why you are going for the integration in the first place. Do you want to automate learner enrollment or track their progress? 

What are your goals? 

Put them in writing so you know what you want and expect from the integration.

• Key Features: Next, you must look into the key features, such as SSO, Single Sign-on API support, or real-time data streaming. All of these may be required for a smooth integration.
• User-Friendly: You need to see how user-friendly the platform is. Some LMS platforms, like Coursebox, are so easy to use that even those not tech-savvy can access and use them immediately. 
• Look for Third-Party Tools: If the LMS does not offer integration, other tools like Workato and Zapier can connect it with Salesforce. 
• API Integration: Some systems offer API integration, which can be customized for your business. The only con is that it comes with a hefty price tag and requires a developer to run the program. But when you consider the ease and convenience, it is totally worth it. 

How To Integrate Your LMS with Salesforce: Step-by-Step Guide

As we discussed, not all platforms are compatible with Salesforce. Only a few, like Coursebox, offer easy integration.

Depending on your goals, needs, and technical requirements, here is a generalized step-by-step guide on integrating the LMS with Salesforce.

Step 1: Log In

You will begin by logging into the LMS platform and the Salesforce account. To work on the integration, you will need the admin account on both systems, giving you access to the advanced settings.

Step 2: Locate the Integration Settings in Your LMS

Next, you have to look for the integration settings on the platform. You can often find this in advanced settings or account management. You will get a prompt to integrate the system, such as on Coursebox. 

Step 3: Generate and Input API Keys

API keys are digital passwords that allow the integration of Salesforce and LMS. You can generate an API key in Salesforce settings and copy and paste it into the LMS integration section. 

You may be required to create your API key in LMS, too, which you can copy and paste into Salesforce settings.

Step 4: Configure Permissions and User Roles

Next, you will assign the user data and set the permissions carefully. Align Salesforce to match LMS user roles, like whether the user is a learner, manager, or teacher. 

You will also set the privacy or sensitive data visibility settings, such as sales performance or certification, to only be viewable by the employee and their manager. 

Step 5: Map Data Fields 

Next, you must map data fields and customize the workflow between the two systems. Then, you are all set to perform a test run, and if it's successful, you can go live with the integration.

Post Integration Guidelines

Now, the hard part is done, but this is not it. Integration is a continuous process, and you need to keep it running. Here are some tips for post-integration that can make the process smooth.

• Monitor the systems and the sync regularly, and keep a cheque for any lags or glitches. 
• Update the permission and roles of the team as the number of team members increases. 
• Also, set up audit schedules to check if your data and information on the dashboard are accurate and updated. 

Tips and Tricks for a Smooth Integration Process

• Don't integrate everything instantly. Start with its small group to test run the setup. This way, you can find and fix any issues in the system. 
• While you're planning, get input from your sales and training team. Ask them which features are needed so your integration meets the needs and goals of the entire team. 
• Check with your team regularly after the integration to see if the system is working to meet their requirements or if any gaps need to be filled. 
• Track the effectiveness of the training program via the Salesforce dashboard and check for user completion rates and dropouts to see how well the training program is going.

Wrap Up

Integrating your LMS system with Salesforce will simplify your life. Once you know how to integrate your LMS with Salesforce and connect the dots, you can quickly get your entire team on board. 

Coursebox has specialized integration features like automated enrollment, certificate issuance, and a data reporting dashboard. The system is very user-friendly, so anyone can hop on board easily without any training or expertise.