Understanding Integrations in CrmLeaf
All editions. Some integrations are core (for example payment gateways and Google Calendar), but most are paid add-on modules that an Administrator must enable for your account before their settings appear.
Availability: All editions. Some integrations are core (for example payment gateways and Google Calendar), but most are paid add-on modules that an Administrator must enable for your account before their settings appear.
Overview
CrmLeaf connects to external services so that payments, accounting records, messages, meetings, documents, files and lead sources stay in one system. Integrations are grouped by purpose: payments, accounting, communications and SMS, email, meetings and documents, file storage, marketing and automation, and AI. This article explains how integrations are structured, who configures them, and where their configuration lives, so you can plan a rollout before opening any individual setup screen.
How It Works
Every integration follows the same lifecycle. The module that carries the integration must be available in your plan and enabled for the account. An Administrator then supplies the credentials or completes the connection with the third-party service. From that point CrmLeaf exchanges data with the service in the background, and the relevant records in CrmLeaf show the connected data.
Confirm plan → Enable module → Obtain third-party account → Connect and authorise → Verify data flow
- Configuration lives either in per-company Settings (self-service and scoped to your account) or in platform / Super Admin configuration managed by CrmLeaf.
- Connection methods differ by service: OAuth authorisation (for example Gmail, Microsoft Graph, Google Drive, OneDrive, QuickBooks Online), per-company API credentials (for example payment gateways and SMS providers), a locally installed agent (Tally), inbound webhook endpoints (Calendly, Meta Lead Ads, Gupshup delivery reports) and mTLS certificates for the machine-to-machine public API.
- Credentials are held per company. Each account uses its own merchant, mailbox and provider accounts, so one company's connection never affects another.
- Once connected, data appears in the module it belongs to: payments on invoices and orders, transcripts on a Lead or Deal, email conversations on a Deal, attachments on records.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Confirm which integrations are included in the account's plan.
- Enable the required add-on module for the account.
- Enter credentials or complete the authorisation with the third-party service.
- Verify that data is flowing and monitor delivery logs where the integration provides one.
This functionality is available only to Administrators.
Prerequisites
- Administrator access to CrmLeaf.
- An active account with the third-party service you want to connect, with administrator rights in that service so you can create credentials or grant access.
- Confirmation that the integration's module is included in your CrmLeaf plan.
For Administrators
Step 1: Identify the integration category you need
What to do: Decide what the integration must achieve, then locate it in the catalogue below. This tells you whether it is core or an add-on module, and whether configuration is in your own Settings or handled at platform level.
| Category | Services | Where configured |
|---|---|---|
| Payments | Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay, Paystack, PayFast, Mollie, Authorize.net, Flutterwave, Square, plus offline methods | Per-company gateway credentials; platform-level configuration for CrmLeaf subscription billing |
| Accounting | QuickBooks Online, Tally, E-Invoice | Per company (OAuth or settings; Tally also needs a local agent) |
| Communications and SMS | Twilio, Vonage, Gupshup for WhatsApp and SMS; OneSignal for push; Slack; Telegram | Per company, in the SMS module settings and in notification, Slack and push settings |
| Gmail and Microsoft Graph two-way sync; SMTP override | Per company (OAuth for sync; SMTP settings for outbound mail) | |
| Meetings and documents | Zoom, DocuSign, Calendly, Fireflies.ai, Google Calendar | Per company |
| Storage | Google Drive, OneDrive | Per company (OAuth) |
| Marketing and automation | Meta (Facebook) Lead Ads, Zapier, outbound and inbound webhooks, WordPress publishing for AI blog content | Per company |
| AI | OpenAI-based inline assistants, Ask AI and blog generation | Per company |
Step 2: Enable the add-on module
What to do: Enable the module the integration belongs to. Until the module is enabled for the account, its settings screen and its menu entries do not appear anywhere in CrmLeaf.
What to verify: The module is listed as enabled, and the integration becomes reachable for the roles that need it.
Step 3: Prepare the third-party side
What to do: Sign in to the third-party service and obtain what CrmLeaf will need. Depending on the service this is an API key or secret from your provider, an application registered in the provider's developer console for OAuth, or a user with rights to approve the connection. Keep these values secure and available before you start the CrmLeaf side.
What to verify: The third-party account is active and the credentials or approval rights belong to an account that will not be deactivated.
Step 4: Connect the integration and confirm data flow
What to do: Open the integration's settings screen and complete the connection, then perform one small real action end to end: send one test message, take one test payment, sync one invoice, or attach one file.
What to verify: The test action appears both in CrmLeaf and in the third-party service. Where the integration keeps a delivery log, confirm the attempt is recorded as successful.
Expected Result
You know which integrations your account can use, which module each one needs, who configures it, and where its configuration lives. Enabled integrations exchange data with their service and their results appear on the related CrmLeaf records.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- Add-on modules are plan-gated. Confirm that an integration is included in your plan before you build a process around it.
- Integration credentials are stored per company. If your account runs several organisations inside one company, confirm with the product team how a connection applies across them.
- Enabling a module makes its screens available; it does not connect the service. The connection step is always separate.
Common Scenarios
Example: planning a finance rollout. A company wants online card payments and accounting sync. Payments are core, so the Administrator configures gateway credentials first and tests a payment on a public invoice page. Accounting sync needs the QuickBooks Online add-on module, so that module is enabled next and connected after the payment flow is proven.
Example: a lead source that needs no user action. Meta Lead Ads and Calendly both deliver data through inbound webhooks. Once configured they create records without anyone in CrmLeaf opening a screen, so the Administrator monitors the pipeline rather than a setup page.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| An integration's settings screen cannot be found | Its add-on module is not enabled for the account, or is not included in the plan | Enable the module in module settings; if it is unavailable, confirm plan inclusion with your CrmLeaf contact |
| A user cannot see an integration's screen although it is enabled | The role does not have permission for that module | Review the role's module access and permission scope |
| Data stops flowing after working correctly | The third-party credential or authorisation is no longer valid, or the third-party account was changed | Reconnect the integration with a valid account and repeat the single-action test |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate account with each third-party service?
Yes. CrmLeaf connects to your own accounts, so you must hold an active account with the service and be able to create credentials or approve access there.
Can a regular User connect an integration?
No. Configuration is an Administrator task. Users work with the results, such as sending email from a Deal or paying an invoice.
Are integration credentials shared between companies?
No. Credentials are per company, so each account brings its own provider accounts.
Does enabling a module cost anything?
Add-on modules are plan-gated. Confirm inclusion and any commercial impact with your CrmLeaf contact before enabling.
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