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Fin Messenger: How is data synced with Salesforce?

Understand how data is pulled from and pushed back to Salesforce when using the Fin Messenger channel

Diagram showing data flowing from Salesforce into Fin, representing the pull data direction

This article explains how data flows between Fin Messenger and Salesforce. Use it to understand which Salesforce fields Fin pulls in, how to push data back when Fin resolves a conversation or hands off to an agent, and how to control Contact and Account updates from the Push data to Salesforce settings.

Fin Messenger: Pulling your fields from Salesforce

When you set up the Fin Messenger channel and connect to Salesforce, Fin will pull all of your Contact, Case, and Account fields from Salesforce.

Fin Settings > Salesforce data page showing three sections: Record matching (with Contact record matching ID and Account record matching ID dropdowns), Pull data from Salesforce (listing synced Contact, Case, and Account fields), and Push data to Salesforce (describing case creation and data push behavior)

This allows you to use those fields when you build your workflow, where you can create branches (so certain users are handled differently), or set data on your fields.

Fin keeps these fields in sync with any changes in Salesforce by checking for any updates when:

  • A customer opens the Fin Messenger

  • One of your agents responds to a conversation when Fin hands off (because it can't answer)

Field settings panel for the Name system field, showing format as String and the message 'This is a system attribute and will always be synced', with only a Cancel button — confirming system fields cannot be removed

System fields

System fields such as ID and Name will always be synced and cannot be removed from the Fin platform as they're required.

Field settings panel for the Engineering Req Number custom Salesforce field, showing format as String and a Remove button — indicating custom fields can be removed from the Fin platform if not needed

Custom fields

Custom fields that you've created in Salesforce can be removed from the Fin platform if you don't need them.

Salesforce data field list showing User attributes (Id, Name, Email) and Case attributes (Id, Subject, Description, and others), with a '+' button highlighted to add and sync additional Salesforce fields into Fin

Syncing new fields

You can sync new fields from Salesforce using the "+" button.

Manually re-sync Salesforce data

You can also manually trigger a re-sync for list fields with multiple options:

  1. Scroll down to the Pull data from Salesforce section.

  2. Select a list field and click Re-sync. The field’s options will refresh immediately, and the updated values will be available the next time a customer opens the Messenger.

Fin Settings > Salesforce data page with the Status field detail panel open, showing field format (List), options with descriptions for Fin auto-detection, and a Re-sync button at the bottom for manually refreshing list field values

Note: The Re-sync button only appears for list fields with multiple options (such as picklists and multi-selects). If you don't see it, the field type doesn't support manual re-sync — Fin will pull the latest values automatically the next time a customer opens the Messenger.

How Salesforce fields map to Fin's attributes

Fin has its own data system with similar objects to those in Salesforce.

Salesforce Contact fields = Fin People data

Salesforce Contact fields are synced into Fin as People data

Fin Settings > People data page listing synced Salesforce Contact attributes including name, email, phone, and custom fields. Fields synced from Salesforce are indicated with a cloud icon next to the field name.

You can manage them by going to: Settings > People data.

Fields that are synced from Salesforce are indicated via the Salesforce cloud icon.

Within the People data settings page, you'll notice that there's other attributes as well as those that you've synced in from Salesforce. These are default attributes that Fin collects from your users and can be passed back into Salesforce, if you choose (see "Push" section below). You can also create new people attributes within the Fin platform.

Salesforce Case fields = Fin Conversation data

Salesforce Case fields are synced into Fin as Conversation data

Fin Settings > Conversation data page listing synced Salesforce Case attributes including Case Number, Case Type, Subject, and custom fields. Fields synced from Salesforce are indicated with a cloud icon next to the field name.

You can manage them by going to Settings > Conversation data.

Fields that are synced from Salesforce are indicated via the Salesforce cloud icon.

In the Conversation data settings page, you can also create new attributes within the Fin platform. These can be passed back into Salesforce, if you choose (see "Push" section below).


Diagram showing data flowing from Fin to Salesforce, representing the push data direction

Fin Messenger: Pushing data back to Salesforce

Fin pushes data back to Salesforce differently depending on the way you choose to configure it.

Fin resolves the conversation: Create a Salesforce case

When Fin resolves a conversation, you can set it to create a Salesforce case. This helps your team in Salesforce keep track of customer queries that are being resolved, without needing to go into the Fin platform.

Fin Messenger workflow editor showing the 'Let Fin answer' step expanded, with the 'Create Salesforce case on resolution' section visible. The toggle is enabled and a 'Manage case creation settings' button is shown.

In your Fin Messenger workflow, click "Let Fin answer" and expand the "Create Salesforce case on resolution" section

Here you'll find the toggle to switch this setting on.

Create Salesforce case on resolution settings panel showing an Owner field for selecting a queue or user, automatically populated Case-data fields (Subject, Email, Description, Transcript, AI Summary), and a 'Populate additional data' section with workflow step options for Set data, Collect data, and Fin Attributes

Click "Manage case creation settings"

These settings allow you to select a queue or user as an owner for the cases (if needed), as well as the ability to customise your case Subject and Description, or populate additional data – which must be done via Workflows.

When creating a Salesforce Case for a conversation that Fin resolved, it automatically populates:

  • Subject

  • Description

  • Email

  • Transcript

  • Summary

You can also populate additional data on your case by using Set data, Collect data and use the Fin Attributes detection steps in Workflows.

Fin can't answer: Create a Salesforce case

When Fin can't answer, you can use "Create Salesforce case" in your workflow.

Fin Messenger workflow editor showing a two-path workflow. The right path (C Path) contains an 'Add summary note' step followed by 'Create Salesforce case' and 'Assign Cases Queue' steps, used when Fin can't answer a customer's query

This ends the user's messaging session in the Fin Messenger, and creates a new case in Salesforce.

Create Salesforce case settings panel (for when Fin can't answer) showing Manage Salesforce connection option, Owner field, automatically populated Case-data fields (Subject, Email, Description, Transcript, AI Summary), and options to populate additional data via workflow steps

When creating a Salesforce Case for a conversation that Fin could not resolve, it automatically populates:

  • Subject

  • Description

  • Email

  • Transcript

  • Summary

You can also populate additional data on your case by using Set data, Collect data and use the Fin Attributes detection steps in Workflows.

Fin can't answer: Hand-off to Salesforce agent

When Fin can't answer, you can use "Hand-off to Salesforce agent" in your workflow.

Fin Messenger workflow editor showing a two-path workflow. The right path (C Path) ends with a 'Hand-off to Salesforce agent' step, used when Fin can't answer and a live agent handover is needed

This creates a live chat in Salesforce for one of your agents to pick up, and the user continues the conversation seamlessly in the Fin Messenger.

Hand-off to Salesforce agent settings panel showing a Manage Salesforce connection option, a list of People and Conversation data attributes that Fin will push to Salesforce during handoff, and a 'Learn more to manage data' link

When handing off to a Salesforce agent, Fin will push all People and Conversation data attributes that exist in the Fin platform into Salesforce and you'll need to decide how to use it.

This data isn’t pushed to any Salesforce object — it’s passed as routing attributes (metadata sent alongside the conversation that Salesforce Flows can read and map to fields).

The routing attributes are passed on these triggers:

  1. Create conversation - When we initiate a conversation

  2. Post in app message - Create a conversation entry

  3. Upload a file

Note: Teammates can't interrupt a Fin conversation before an official escalation or handoff to Salesforce. The Fin inbox has no composer, and the conversation doesn't exist in Salesforce until the handoff occurs.

To map the data to fields on your Salesforce live chat, you'll need to use Flows in Salesforce

Salesforce help

Map data using Salesforce Flows

View our complete guide on mapping data with Salesforce Flows:

Creating or reassigning cases

When Fin creates or reassigns a case, it populates data such as Subject, Description, Email, Transcript, and Summary on the case automatically. You can populate additional fields through your workflow. Fin uses your record matching settings to associate cases it creates with Salesforce Contacts or Accounts. You can control how Fin writes data to Salesforce from the Push data to Salesforce section in your Salesforce integration settings.

  • Trigger Salesforce assignment rules — when enabled, Salesforce assignment rules run on every record Fin creates or updates, including Cases. Turn this off and Fin tells Salesforce to skip them.

Handing off live chats

When Fin hands off a live chat, it sends all available data to Salesforce and you must use Flows in Salesforce to map it to your live chat fields.

  • Update Contact and Account data — when enabled, Fin updates the matched Salesforce Contact and Account with new field values when it creates or reassigns a Case or hands off a live chat. Set those values in your JSON Web Token (JWT) — the authentication token passed when the customer starts a session — or set contact fields in the workflow. Turn this off and Fin still links new Cases to the matched Contact and Account, but makes no changes to those records.


Using Workflows to populate data

In addition to the data Fin automatically pushes to Salesforce, you can populate additional case fields using three workflow steps: Set data, Collect data, and Fin Attributes. These work for all push scenarios — case creation on resolution, case creation when Fin can’t answer, and live chat handoffs.

Setting data manually

The Set data step in your Fin Messenger workflow lets you manually assign a fixed value to a Salesforce field. It’s most useful on workflow branches where you already know what the field value should be based on the path a customer took.

Fin Messenger workflow editor showing the step type selection menu open, with Set data options listed including Set Case Type, Set Case Origin, Set Engineering Req Number, Set Origin, Set Product, Set SLA Violation, Set Topic, and Set Urgent

  • Go to the workflow for your channel

  • Hit "Add step" at the right part of the workflow

  • Select the "Set data" option

Fin Messenger workflow showing a configured 'Set Case Type to Mechanical' step in the right path, with a 'Hand-off to Salesforce agent' step following — demonstrating how Set data populates a Salesforce field before handing off

  • Pick the field you’d like to populate (Salesforce fields are marked with a cloud icon), then enter the fixed value you want Fin to assign to it

  • The data you set will be pushed to Salesforce when a case is created or the chat is handed off to a Salesforce agent

Collecting data from the customer

Using "Collect data" allows you to ask the customer to enter the information via a form in the Fin Messenger.

Fin Messenger workflow editor with the step selection menu open, showing data collection step options including Collect data steps for various fields alongside other workflow actions

  • Go to the workflow for your channel

  • Hit "Add step" at the right part of the workflow

Collect data configuration panel in Fin Messenger showing a list of available Salesforce fields to collect from the customer, including Case Number, Case Type, Engineering Req Number, Product, Sub-dataset, Team, and a 'New attribute' option

  • Select the "Collect data" option

Fin Messenger workflow editor showing a configured Collect data step in the workflow path, followed by a 'Hand-off to Salesforce agent' endpoint — demonstrating how collected customer data is pushed to Salesforce at handoff

  • Pick the field you’d like the customer to fill in (Salesforce fields are marked with a cloud icon) — the customer will be prompted to enter a value via a form in the Fin Messenger

  • The data you set will be pushed to Salesforce when a case is created or the chat is handed off to a Salesforce agent

Using Fin Attributes to populate data

Fin Attributes means that Fin can populate list fields for you automatically.

Fin Settings > Salesforce Integration page showing the Status list field open, with options to add descriptions to each value (such as 'Beginning/End/Continuous', 'Text', 'Pages') so Fin Attributes can automatically detect and populate the field

To do this, you'll need to enter a description for each list item, so Fin knows which one to select. You can do this by going to:

  • Settings > Data > Salesforce data

  • Click the (list) field that you'd like Fin to populate and enter descriptions

Fin Messenger workflow editor showing the Add action step menu with 'AI category detection' (labeled Beta) highlighted — this is the Fin Attributes step that automatically populates Salesforce list fields based on the conversation

Now to trigger the Fin Attribute detection:

  • Go to the workflow for your channel

  • Hit "Add step" at the right part of the workflow

  • Select "Fin Attributes"

Fin Messenger workflow editor showing multiple configured Fin Attributes steps on the workflow path, with AI-detected Salesforce field values highlighted in color — demonstrating the feature automatically populating case fields
Fin Messenger workflow editor showing a second Fin Attributes configuration view, with a 'Collect category then' step visible that chains category detection with follow-on workflow actions

Now select the field you’d like Fin to populate. You’ll need to have added descriptions to each list value first (done in Settings > Data > Salesforce data) — this is how Fin knows which option to select. Once saved, Fin automatically detects the appropriate value from the conversation and writes it to Salesforce when the case is created or the chat is handed off.

Your case fields will be populated in Salesforce

Whichever method you chose to populate your case fields (setting data, collecting data, or Fin Attributes), once set up, you'll see that Fin enters values on your Salesforce cases.

A Salesforce Service Cloud case record showing fields automatically populated by Fin: Subject reads 'Case from Fin AI Agent with <a href="mailto:joshua.dorrell@intercom.io" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">joshua.dorrell@intercom.io</a>', Description reads 'Created from Intercom Messenger', and custom fields Topic (Billing), Urgent (Yes), and Engineering Req Number (2500) are highlighted — demonstrating successful data push from Fin Messenger to Salesforce

Note: You might need to hit "Edit" in the top right to see these fields unless you've adjusted your default case layout to display them.


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