Syncing Salesforce to QuickBooks: Ditch the Middleware, Own the Sync
- Allison Kaeppel
- Nov 7, 2025
- 3 min read
How I Cut Costs, Boosted UX, and Built a Real-Time Integration for a Small Business
Hey Salesforce & QuickBooks warriors! 👋
I just wrapped up a game-changing integration for a local small business client — real-time customer sync from Salesforce → QuickBooks, no middleware, no monthly fees, and instant user feedback.
They were using Make.com (formerly Integromat) to sync customers, sales receipts, and invoices. It worked… until it didn’t.
Here’s what broke their trust in middleware:
❌ Silent failures — users had no idea when a sync failed
❌ Hidden costs — $50+/month adds up
❌ No control — when the middleware would fail, you are at their mercy to fix
So I ripped out Make.com and built a custom, real-time sync using Salesforce Flows + Apex — and it’s been rock-solid ever since.
Let’s break it down.
Why Real-Time Syncing Actually Matters (For Real People)
Before Salesforce, this client lived in QuickBooks only. But they needed:
Lead Tracking
Opportunity Pipelines
Job Assessments
Custom Workflows
Enter Salesforce. But now? Two systems, one truth — and manual copying was not an option.
Make.com gave them real-time sync… but zero user feedback.
“I can't find the customer in Quickbooks” — Office manager, daily
Now? When a user updates an account:
✅ “Customer synced to QuickBooks!”
❌ “Sync failed: Duplicate name in QB” — with a fix button
That’s the difference between automation and usable automation.
The #1 Sync Killer: QuickBooks Name Conflicts
The primary error?
QuickBooks does not allow Customers and Vendors to share the same name.
If a vendor named “ABC Plumbing” already exists in QuickBooks, and a user tries to sync a customer with the same name — sync fails silently in Make.com.
We could’ve added a pre-check:
Query QuickBooks for existing names
Flag the Salesforce record
Ask the user to rename
But here’s the problem:
>> The user has already moved on — they’re in another record, on a call, or closing a deal.
>> Forcing them to go back and fix kills productivity and trust.
Our solution?
1. Let the sync attempt fail
2. Catch the error in Apex
3. Return a clear, actionable message to the current screen
4. Log full details for admin review
5. Auto-suggest a fix (e.g., “Add ‘(Customer)’ to name?”)
No context switching. No hunting. No frustration.
Bonus: Error Handling That Doesn’t Suck
User gets a message
Admin gets an email
Error logged in custom object with:
Record ID
Payload
Response
Timestamp
Error Type (e.g., `Name Conflict with Vendor`)
No more “Where did it go wrong?”
The Integration: Flows + Apex = Magic
I used Salesforce Flows to trigger an @InvocableMethod Apex class that calls the QuickBooks API.
Why Flows + Apex?
Pass record data easily
Show real-time success/error messages
Reuse logic with subflows
Full control over error logging & alerts
Pro Tips to Steal
TIP | WHY IT MATTERS |
Use `@InvocableMethod`s | Makes Apex callable from any Flow |
Subflows | One sync logic → use in Record-Triggered, Screen, or Scheduled Flows |
Plan Your Field Map | `AccountName' → DisplayName`, `BillingStreet → BillAddr.Line1`, etc. |
Show Feedback | Screen element or toast (in Lightning) = happy users |
Log Errors Smartly | Custom object + email alert to admin |
TEST IN SANDBOX | Both Salesforce & QuickBooks have sandboxes — use them! Postman helped mock APIs. Postman has a Quickbooks API collection with examples that were extremely helpful! |
Let’s Chat!
Have you ditched middleware before?
What’s your biggest sync headache?
Name conflicts driving you nuts?
Need help building this? DM me or comment below!
If you're a small business tired of paying for sync — let’s talk. I help teams like yours own their integrations.
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