LinkedIn and Salesforce connect officially through LinkedIn Sales Navigator, but only on paid tiers, and the integration syncs leads and accounts and logs activity rather than exporting your personal connection list. To get your actual connections into Salesforce, you use a CSV import or a tool that produces that CSV. Here is every method and what each one is good for.
Does LinkedIn integrate with Salesforce?
Yes, through the Sales Navigator for Salesforce integration. It imports accounts, contacts, and leads from Sales Navigator into Salesforce, logs InMail messages and notes as activities on Salesforce records, shows a LinkedIn widget on lead and contact pages, and syncs your Salesforce accounts and contacts back to Sales Navigator for lead recommendations. What it does not do is export your first-degree connections or the status of the connection requests you have sent.
The methods, compared
| Method | What it moves | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Navigator + Salesforce | Leads and accounts sync, activity and InMail logging, a profile widget | Sales Navigator Advanced and Salesforce Enterprise or higher |
| CSV import (Data Import Wizard) | A snapshot of contacts or leads you map yourself | A CSV of your connections, free |
| Zapier or third-party connectors | Automated field mapping between the two | A paid connector or automation plan |
Method 1: the native Sales Navigator integration
This is the official route and the right one if your team already lives in Sales Navigator. It keeps Salesforce and Sales Navigator in step: activity gets logged automatically, reps see LinkedIn context on the record, and Salesforce data drives lead recommendations. The catch is cost and scope. You need Sales Navigator Advanced or Advanced Plus and Salesforce Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, or Developer edition, and even then it moves leads and accounts, not the list of people you are personally connected to.
Method 2: CSV import into Salesforce
This is how you move your actual connections. Export them to a CSV (see our export guide), then in Salesforce open Setup and search for Data Import Wizard.
- Open the Data Import Wizard. In Salesforce, go to Setup and search for "Data Import Wizard", then launch it.
- Choose Contacts or Leads. Pick the object you want to create, and whether to add new records, update existing ones, or both.
- Upload and map your CSV. Upload the CSV, map its columns (name, company, title, LinkedIn URL) to Salesforce fields, and start the import.
It is free and works on any Salesforce edition, but it is a snapshot: it takes no ongoing status updates, so you re-import when things change.
Method 3: Zapier and third-party connectors
If you want ongoing, automated movement without the Sales Navigator price, Zapier and similar tools can map a trigger (a new lead in Salesforce, say) to an action and keep fields in step. These add a monthly cost and their own setup, but they sit between the one-time CSV and the full native integration.
Getting your real connection history into Salesforce
None of the methods above captures the part that matters most for outbound reporting: which of your connection requests were accepted, which are still pending, and which were declined, with dates. LinkedIn keeps no history of it, and Sales Navigator does not sync it. Outscore tracks that history as you browse and exports a clean CSV, with name, company, status, date sent, and days pending, that drops straight into the Data Import Wizard.
Frequently asked questions
Does LinkedIn integrate with Salesforce?
Yes, officially through LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Its Salesforce integration imports accounts, contacts, and leads, logs InMail and notes as Salesforce activities, and shows a LinkedIn widget on lead and contact pages. It does not, however, export your personal first-degree connection list or your sent-request history.
Is the LinkedIn Salesforce integration free?
No. The native Sales Navigator integration requires Sales Navigator Advanced or Advanced Plus, and Salesforce Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, or Developer edition. The CSV import route, which is how you move your actual connections, is free.
How do I import my LinkedIn connections into Salesforce?
Export your connections to a CSV, then use Salesforce's Data Import Wizard (Setup, then Data Import Wizard) to load them as Contacts or Leads, mapping the columns. The native Sales Navigator sync does not do this, because it moves leads and accounts, not your connection list.
What Salesforce edition do I need for the Sales Navigator integration?
Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, or Developer edition on the Salesforce side, plus Sales Navigator Advanced or Advanced Plus on the LinkedIn side. Lower Salesforce editions and the Core Sales Navigator plan do not support the sync.
Can I sync my LinkedIn connection history into Salesforce?
Not through any native LinkedIn feature. The connection statuses and dates that matter for outreach reporting live only in LinkedIn's UI, which keeps no history. Outscore tracks that history and exports a clean CSV you can import into Salesforce.