This article describes the technical implementation and security of Sales Navigator CRM Sync for data source and CRM partners that use Sales and Marketing Systems Connect (SMSC), a suite of APIs that import CRM data into Sales Navigator and writes back select Sales Navigator activity to the CRM.
Important to know
Integration between Sales Navigator and your CRM is only available for Sales Navigator Advanced Plus users.
Sales and Marketing Systems Connect CRM Partners
This article provides information for the following partners:
- HubSpot
- Oracle Sales
What is LinkedIn Sales Navigator CRM Sync?
CRM Sync is a capability that enables a LinkedIn Sales Navigator Advanced Plus account to match LinkedIn members and companies to the leads, contacts, and accounts within a CRM, (dependent on records provided by CRM vendor) enabling a variety of time-saving features:
- Auto-save – Auto-saving accounts and contacts associated with open opportunities for the opportunity owner, removing the manual step and ensuring those owners always get the latest alerts on their most important accounts and contacts.
- CRM badges – Enables links to the CRM from the Sales Navigator interface, and visual cues for when contacts are in CRM, not in CRM, or have out-of-date information, allowing for immediate navigation between Sales Navigator and related CRM records.
- Activity writeback – Offers Sales Navigator admins the ability to enable activity writeback. With one click, Sales Navigator users can log InMails, messages, phone calls, notes, and Smart Links views back to the CRM. And once enabled per user, it remembers the setting for the next InMail or note; it can also be deactivated by the user.
- Important to know - Oracle currently doesn’t support the writeback of phone calls as part of Sales Navigator CRM Sync.
- Search filters – Activates a new search filter that allows you to limit lead search results to just those contacts included in your CRM or those that are not in your CRM.
- Contact information – Displays contact information present in the CRM on Sales Navigator Lead pages, reducing user effort to access this information when working in Sales Navigator.
- Update or create leads and contacts – Allow leads and contacts to be updated directly from Sales Navigator to the CRM with just a few clicks or created as a new contact if not currently in CRM.
- Important to know - HubSpot doesn’t support saving Leads.
- ROI reporting (opt-in) – Allows your LinkedIn account representative to generate customized ROI reports that reveal how usage of Sales Navigator has influenced or sourced opportunities found in the CRM.
- License assignment – Allows Sales Navigator admins to assign licenses based on users found in the CRM.
Current limitations of CRM Sync
- Creation of writeback data in CRM – CRM writeback functionality does not push, update, or create LinkedIn company data into the CRM, it only pushes the activities users perform.
- Single CRM record match limit – LinkedIn profiles and accounts can only be linked to a single CRM record, so if you have intentionally duplicated CRM leads or contacts, our model will only pick the single best scoring match, and all functionality will apply to that one contact.
- Once auto-saves are processed, LinkedIn will not auto-unsave if ownership or other changes occur. LinkedIn will auto-save contacts again as they are associated with new open opportunities for new owners.
- Activity writeback is now enabled by default for all users. Individual users can decide if they want to enable writeback or would prefer to turn it off, but this requires user authentication.
Technical requirements
- CRM Sync through SMSC-enabled partners is only available to Advanced Plus users.
- A Sales Navigator admin account - An admin account is required to enable the integration.
- Partner platform - An admin account is required from the integrating partner platform
- JavaScript-enabled browser with the ability to login or configure in a cookie clear environment. For example, Chrome Incognito, Firefox Private Browsing, and so on.
- You can connect to a CRM Sandbox environment to initially test CRM Sync with Sales Navigator or test new CRM features before releasing to all your users. To learn more, visit this help center article.
How data flow works
The CRM Sync and activity writeback is a bi-directional data flow that relies on secure, dedicated APIs (SMSC) between LinkedIn Sales Navigator and your CRM. Data is encrypted in transit between CRM Partners and LinkedIn, relying on TLS over dedicated APIs. Integrating CRM platforms utilize LinkedIn’s Enterprise Authentication and Authorization flows to create a secure OAuth connection. More details can be found here.
Data import and data matching
SMSC-enabled CRM partners send opportunity, contact, account, lead, and user data from the CRM to Sales Navigator. This data is processed to identify matching people and companies that exist in both LinkedIn and within your CRM. Matches are based on a scoring model that uses a variety of criteria including names, contact information, and geographic information. A listing of all objects and fields downloaded and used in matching is included in the Appendix section of this article.
Import and matching strategy
Imported data is stored securely within a Linkedin database.
- Matched Records – Matched CRM Accounts and leads or contacts will have the CRM badge or link displayed and those that are associated with an open opportunity are auto-saved in Sales Navigator for the opportunity owner.
- CRM badge – Users will see a CRM badge within Sales Navigator for all matched records (CRM accounts, contacts, and leads). Clicking this badge saves users time by taking them immediately to the corresponding CRM record in Oracle.
- The CRM badge is displayed for all Sales Navigator users, even if they do not have permission to view the matching object within the CRM (permissions limit access in CRM).
- Unmatched Records – CRM records not matched will show a CRM badge with a No symbol, and users can match the lead profile from Sales Navigator to CRM by clicking the badge, then selecting Create record. Matches made in this way will be stored and visible to all users on the Sales Navigator contract.
- Incorrect matches – If incorrect matches are found, then users can manually re-match to the correct Sales Navigator lead or account from within the CRM, on an individual basis, using the Embedded Profile (display widgets) or Embedded Experiences Find Key People integration, and this match will be stored for all users on the contract. Users may also re-match accounts from Sales Navigator account lists, by clicking on Rematch Account and searching for the correct CRM account.
Match rates for all data are reported in aggregate within the Sales Navigator admin settings.
Frequency of data import
SMSC-enabled CRM partners are required to send updates, changes, or new information no later than 12 hours after creation. Partners can implement a real-time change stream if they plan to support that frequency. Each time new data is received by Sales Navigator, it is processed to add new badges, contact information, auto-save leads or accounts, and update search filters.
Once matched auto-saves are processed, Sales Navigator does not auto-unsave generated lists if ownership or other changes occur. However, contacts will be auto-saved again as they are associated with new open opportunities for new owners.
CRM opportunity display
Sales Navigator displays the basic opportunity fields within account lists, which are, opportunity name, owner, close date, and status. Each opportunity should have a different name.
If users click into the list for more detail, they can access a panel which displays the fields for all opportunities associated with the account that are either active or have been closed in the past year.
Data export (activity writeback)
Sales Navigator admins can enable activity writeback, allowing users to log InMails, messages, phone calls, and notes back to the CRM.
Important to know
• Oracle currently doesn’t support the writeback of phone calls as part of Sales Navigator CRM Sync.
• HubSpot doesn’t support Leads.
• HubSpot doesn’t support Leads.
- For Oracle: Users are able to write back notes to accounts, contacts, or leads. InMail and messages are written back to contacts or leads. There is admin option to associate InMail and messages with a primary account for a given contact within Oracle Sales.
- Writeback primarily works to CRM leads or contacts; accounts writeback only supports notes.
- Sales Navigator admins can choose to enable and test activity writeback for their synced users.
Data writeback strategy
- InMails, messages, connection requests, notes, and Smart Link views are displayed as Activities on the Contact Overview tab. Notes are also logged within the Notes section of the Contact Activity tab.
- Activities are written back by the individual Sales Navigator users.
- To complete an activity writeback, users are first asked to either locate or create a CRM record.
Frequency of export
Activity is written back to the CRM in real time, through a seller's workflow.
Frequently asked questions
The imported CRM data is used as a convenience to the end user to quickly sync their relevant accounts and contacts and power optimal use of Sales Navigator tools with better alerts, search, and easy centralized access to contact information. In addition, the imported CRM data is used to ensure that actions taken within Sales Navigator are properly and immediately recorded to CRM, so that no information is lost and duplicative actions are not required by Sales teams.
Optional: With your approval, LinkedIn may also use your imported CRM data to analyze and provide you with custom ROI reporting. These reports can help you understand the influence LinkedIn or Sales Navigator has on opportunities in your pipeline, the value of those opportunities, and how efficiently your sales professionals are able to close them.
LinkedIn employs strict access control and protection policies to protect customer data. The data is secured on production databases with limited audited access and is encrypted at rest. This ensures that your private data is used only for its intended purposes.
As for data storage, LinkedIn's data centers are located in the United States. Multiple data centers in geographically distributed locations protect against regional catastrophic events. LinkedIn's infrastructure and tooling enable rerouting of traffic between co-location sites.
Please note: The LinkedIn data processing agreement incorporates the most recent version of the EU Commission standard contractual clauses (SCCs) for legal cross-border transfers, in compliance with Art. 46, GDPR. Section 3 of the DPA commits LinkedIn to process Customer Personal Data in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and other legal requirements relating to privacy, data security, and protection of Personal Data.
The data written back to the CRM is specified in the table in the Appendix section of this article.
Yes. You may delete all imported CRM data at any time by clicking Disconnect and Continue. Data will be deleted within 30 days of disconnect.
After contract termination, if required by the customer, data is returned to the customer before its deletion from the system. Some data is self-retrievable through the Admin Center using reporting and dashboard functionality. Otherwise, a data request can be requested through your Account team or the Help Center here. The format that the data is delivered in is generally going to be in Excel, and often through a .zip file.
No. You can enable CRM sync to import CRM data into Sales Navigator, without turning on activity writeback. When you are ready to turn on activity writeback, as an admin you’re able to 1) test the feature by writing a “test” note on a Sales Navigator lead and see if the writeback to the CRM works as expected and 2) choose to enable the specific activities you’d like to be written to the CRM within the Sales Navigator admin settings.
Through a client’s credentials 2-legged OAuth flow and the LinkedIn Enterprise Authorization flow, a secure system-to-system connection is established between the SMSC-enabled partner platform and the customer's LinkedIn Sales Navigator application instance. A system user is not required to utilize SMSC-enabled partner CRM sync integrations. All system-to-system communication between LinkedIn and SMSC Partners is over TLS 1.2.
Yes, LinkedIn has performed internal penetration testing on LinkedIn Sales Solutions, including the CRM Sync feature. Customers can review or download the latest penetration testing report for LinkedIn Sales Solutions by registering for an account with LinkedIn's Trust Center at http://linkedin.safebase.us.
LinkedIn offers the ability to control what users have auto-saving and writeback functionality, whether writeback is enabled at all, and the ability to clarify when deals enter your pipeline and what field revenue information is stored in. For more details, please see the CRM Sync enablement guide for HubSpot and Oracle here.
Customer personal data
- Sales Navigator requires employee name and email unless SSO is used, in which case, name and email are not stored. Customers may also choose to send Sales Navigator CRM data, which may include personal data.
- In addition, Sales Navigator customers will generate the following data within LinkedIn: searches, information inputted by customers’ staff (such as notes, tags and Smart Links presentations) and messages sent to potential sales contacts through LinkedIn’s InMail services. LinkedIn also collects usage data for Sales Navigator users.
Member data
- Members control which messages they receive by adjusting their communication preferences on the Privacy and Settings page or using the unsubscribe options in the footer of messages as applicable, for example, Sales Navigator InMails. These settings allow a user to control which emails, InMails, and other communications the member receives from LinkedIn, our partners, and other members, including the ability to opt-out of receiving InMail messages entirely. Further information can be found here.
Appendix
The following table lists the objects and fields written to the CRM.
| Object | Fields | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| InMail (Interactions) | Subject, Body, actingCrmUser, recipientInCrm, Date | InMail messages written to non-connections |
| Message (Interactions) | Subject, Body, actingCrmUser, recipientInCrm | LinkedIn messages written to 1st-degree connections |
| Notes (Oracle Sales notes) | Subject, Body, actingCrmUser, recipientInCrm | Notes captured against Accounts or Leads in Sales Navigator |
| Smart Links Presentation Viewed (standard activity type) | Subject, Body, actingCrmUser, recipientInCrm | Smart Links Presentation viewed. The subject line will contain the type of task. |
| Contact | actingCrmuser, Country, First Name, last Name, Parent Account Id, Phone, title | |
| Lead | actingCrmuser, Country, First Name, last Name, Parent Account Id, Phone, Stage, title |
Certifications and compliance standards
- LinkedIn maintains ISO 27001 & ISO 27018 Certifications, as well as a SSAE-18 certification, SOC 2 Type II report. More information can be found at https://security.linkedin.com/trust-and-compliance.
- LinkedIn meets the following compliance standards:
- TRUSTe's Privacy Seal
- U.S.-E.U. and U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Frameworks
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- To view our Privacy Policy, visit https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy
- For more information about our security practices, visit https://security.linkedin.com