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How to integrate LinkedIn Sales Navigator with your CRM via CRM Sync

Your CRM and LinkedIn Sales Navigator sit in separate tabs, forcing your team to copy data manually, re-log activities, and watch prospects disappear into disconnected systems. It’s costing you hours every week.

LinkedIn’s CRM Sync bridges that gap by connecting Sales Navigator directly to Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365, or HubSpot. It automates data flow, logs LinkedIn activities, and embeds prospect insights into your CRM so your team can focus on relationships instead of administrative busywork.

This guide walks you through setup, configuration, troubleshooting, and optimisation for UK-based sales operations teams managing B2B CRM environments.

What is LinkedIn CRM Sync?

LinkedIn CRM Sync is the native integration between Sales Navigator and supported CRM platforms. It automatically synchronises prospect data, logs LinkedIn activities such as InMails and connection requests, and embeds rich profile insights directly into your CRM records.

Unlike manual exports or third-party plugins, CRM Sync provides bidirectional data flow and near real-time updates, ensuring your CRM remains the single source of truth while Sales Navigator surfaces LinkedIn’s network intelligence at the point of decision.

Which CRMs support full CRM Sync?

CRM Sync is available for Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365, both supporting full synchronisation capability. HubSpot is limited to Embedded Profiles only, with no data sync or activity writeback.

Other platforms including Oracle CX Sales, Pega, SAP, and SugarCRM are not supported by native CRM Sync. If you use Zoho CRM or Pipedrive, you’ll need alternative integration approaches covered in our guides for LinkedIn Sales Navigator with Zoho CRM and Pipedrive LinkedIn Sales Navigator integration.

License and subscription requirements

Before you begin setup, verify you have the correct subscriptions on both platforms.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

You need Sales Navigator Team or Enterprise edition to access CRM Sync functionality. Basic Sales Navigator plans only support Embedded Profiles, not full synchronisation.

Pricing for Sales Navigator Advanced or Advanced Plus typically runs around £150 per month per user in the UK market.

CRM platform subscriptions

For Salesforce, you’ll need Professional, Enterprise, or Unlimited edition. Enterprise or higher is recommended for full API access and advanced customisation options. API access must be explicitly enabled, especially on Professional edition where it’s not active by default.

For Microsoft Dynamics 365, you need a Dynamics 365 Sales license with admin permissions to install solutions from the marketplace.

For HubSpot, any Sales Hub tier will work, though remember that only Embedded Profiles are available—activity logging and data sync are not supported through native integration.

Admin access requirements

You’ll need administrator permissions on both platforms to authenticate the integration, configure sync settings, and manage user access. Without admin credentials on both sides, you won’t be able to complete OAuth authentication or configure field mappings.

Setting up CRM Sync: Salesforce

Prerequisites

Before you begin the technical setup, ensure you’ve completed these foundational steps in your Salesforce org. Enable the native LinkedIn Sales Navigator integration in Salesforce settings. Add Sales Navigator components to page layouts for leads, contacts, opportunities, person accounts, and business accounts. Configure InMail and connection request actions for customised layouts.

Missing these prerequisites is the most common cause of sync failures during initial configuration. Getting the foundation right prevents hours of troubleshooting later.

Installation steps

Navigate to Salesforce AppExchange and search for “LinkedIn Sales Navigator.” Install the managed package and assign user access to profiles that need Sales Navigator functionality within Salesforce.

Once installed, access Sales Navigator Admin Settings and navigate to CRM Settings. Select your Salesforce environment—choose Production for live CRM data or Sandbox for testing. Using Sandbox for initial configuration is strongly recommended to prevent data issues in your production environment.

Authenticate by logging into your Salesforce admin account when prompted. The OAuth flow will request permissions to read and write data, manage user access, and perform API calls on your behalf.

Field mapping configuration

Map Sales Navigator data points to corresponding Salesforce fields. At minimum, map First Name, Last Name, Company Name (to Account), Job Title, LinkedIn Profile URL (to a custom URL field), Email, Phone, and Location fields.

Proper field mapping is critical for data integrity. As one Bristol tech firm shared: “We spent three days mapping our data fields properly at the beginning, which saved us three months of troubleshooting later.”

Consider creating custom Salesforce fields for LinkedIn-specific data such as Seniority Level (picklist), Function (e.g., Sales, Marketing, Engineering), LinkedIn Engagement Score (formula field), TeamLink Connection Count, and Last LinkedIn Activity Date.

Enabling Activity Writeback

Activity Writeback automatically logs LinkedIn interactions—InMails, messages, profile views, connection requests—as activities in Salesforce. This feature eliminates manual activity logging and dramatically improves data completeness across your team.

Configure which activity types to sync and set rules for duplicate prevention. You can choose to log all activities or filter by specific types, such as only InMails and connection requests while excluding profile views.

Adding LinkedIn widgets to page layouts

Embed Sales Navigator components on lead, contact, and account page layouts to display full LinkedIn profiles, TeamLink connections and warm introduction paths, recent LinkedIn activity, and conversation icebreakers.

This creates a 360-degree prospect view without leaving Salesforce. Similar to how you’d use HubSpot Sales extensions to unify email and CRM data, LinkedIn widgets bring network intelligence directly into your workflow.

Setting sync parameters

Define sync frequency—choose real-time updates for immediate data availability or scheduled batches for reduced API consumption. Set sync direction as one-way (LinkedIn to Salesforce) or bidirectional depending on your team’s workflow.

Configure record filters to control which leads and contacts should sync. For example, you might only sync UK prospects, only active opportunities, or only records assigned to specific user profiles.

Establish duplicate handling rules that define match logic and merge behaviour. Use email address as the primary match field, LinkedIn profile URL as secondary, and name plus company combination as tertiary to prevent duplicate record creation.

Testing with sample data

Before rolling out to your entire team, test with 10-15 sample records. Create a test lead in Salesforce and export to Sales Navigator. Log InMails and messages on LinkedIn. Verify activities appear in Salesforce within expected timeframes. Check field mappings and data accuracy across all configured fields.

This testing phase catches configuration errors before they affect your production data or disrupt your sales team’s workflow.

GDPR and UK data considerations

When configuring sync for UK-based teams, ensure a Data Processing Agreement is in place with both LinkedIn and Salesforce. Implement consent management to track which prospects have agreed to data processing under GDPR. Configure retention policies that automatically delete prospect data per GDPR timelines. Set data access controls that restrict who can see synced LinkedIn data based on role and need.

Our comprehensive guide on CRM integration for sales teams covers GDPR compliance in more detail, noting that “with integrated systems, you’re only as compliant as your weakest link.”

Setting up CRM Sync: Microsoft Dynamics 365

Installation process

Navigate to the official LinkedIn Sales Navigator for Dynamics 365 page and select “Get it now” to download the solution package. This initiates the download of a managed solution that you’ll import into your Dynamics 365 environment.

In your Dynamics 365 admin centre, go to Settings, then Solutions. Import the downloaded LinkedIn Sales Navigator solution, accept the terms, and complete the installation wizard. The wizard will guide you through dependency checks and configuration options.

Enabling LinkedIn controls

Navigate to Settings, then Business Management, then LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Enable LinkedIn controls on forms, CRM Sync, and Activity Writeback. These three settings form the foundation of the integration and control what data flows between platforms.

Log into Sales Navigator Admin Settings, navigate to CRM Settings, select Microsoft Dynamics 365, and authenticate with your Dynamics 365 admin credentials. The OAuth flow will request necessary permissions to read and write data.

Setting up form controls

Add LinkedIn Sales Navigator controls to lead, contact, account, and opportunity forms. These controls display enriched LinkedIn data directly within Dynamics 365 records, providing your team with profile insights, connection paths, and engagement history without leaving the CRM.

Define which user roles can access LinkedIn insights and perform actions like saving leads or sending InMails from within Dynamics 365. Proper permission configuration ensures data security while maximising utility for your sales team.

For a complete walkthrough with UK-specific GDPR considerations, see our detailed guide on integrating LinkedIn Sales Navigator with Dynamics 365.

HubSpot limitations: Embedded Profiles only

HubSpot supports Embedded Profiles but not full CRM Sync. This means you can view LinkedIn profiles within HubSpot contact records and access Sales Navigator search from HubSpot.

However, you cannot automatically sync LinkedIn data to HubSpot fields, log LinkedIn activities such as InMails and messages as HubSpot engagements, or export HubSpot contacts to Sales Navigator in bulk.

For HubSpot users, consider complementing LinkedIn with native HubSpot Sales extensions to unify email tracking and CRM logging, or explore platforms like Sera to automate lead generation and outreach across channels without relying on native LinkedIn integration.

What data syncs via CRM Sync?

Once configured, CRM Sync handles multiple data types that flow automatically between platforms.

Prospect and account data

New contacts created in Sales Navigator automatically create corresponding CRM records. Profile updates such as job changes, company moves, and profile edits sync to your CRM, keeping contact information current without manual intervention.

Company information including firmographic data enriches account records, while TeamLink connections reveal mutual connections and warm introduction paths directly in your CRM interface.

Activity logging

Sent and received InMails log as CRM activities with full message content and timestamps. LinkedIn messages appear in activity timelines, providing a complete conversation history. Connection requests—both sent requests and acceptances—sync automatically, and profile views track when prospects view your profile if you’ve enabled that feature.

Notes created in Sales Navigator sync to your CRM, ensuring that insights captured during prospecting are available to the entire team.

Smart Links and content tracking

When you share Smart Links—trackable content links—via Sales Navigator, engagement data flows to your CRM. You can see who viewed the link, how much time they spent on content, which pages they visited, and whether they completed download events.

This creates a complete engagement picture for lead scoring and follow-up prioritisation. A London SaaS company reported: “We use Smart Links to share product demos. When a prospect watches 80 per cent or more of the video, it triggers a CRM task for same-day follow-up. Our conversion rate on those leads is three times higher.”

Field mapping best practices

Effective field mapping prevents data silos and duplicate records. Standard mappings should connect First Name, Last Name, Company Name, Job Title, LinkedIn Profile URL, Email, Phone, and Location fields between platforms using consistent field types and naming conventions.

Custom fields to consider

Create custom CRM fields for Seniority Level (decision-maker, manager, individual contributor), Function (Sales, Marketing, Engineering), LinkedIn Engagement Score (custom formula based on profile views, InMail opens, content clicks), TeamLink Connection Count (number of mutual connections), and Last LinkedIn Activity Date (when prospect was last active).

These custom fields enable more sophisticated lead scoring and routing workflows that leverage LinkedIn’s unique data points.

Preventing duplicates

Configure match rules to identify existing records before creating new ones. Use email address as the primary match field, LinkedIn profile URL as the secondary match, and name plus company combination as the tertiary match.

One CRM admin noted: “We match on email first, then LinkedIn URL. This prevents duplicates while still catching prospects who change companies and keep the same LinkedIn profile.”

Run regular deduplication processes to merge any duplicates that slip through, and standardise naming conventions across your team—for example, always use “Ltd” rather than “Limited” for UK companies.

Sync behaviour and limitations

Understanding sync mechanics helps you troubleshoot issues and set realistic expectations for your team.

Sync frequency

Real-time sync delivers new activities within 5 to 15 minutes of occurrence. Batch sync performs full data refreshes every 24 hours, updating all records with any changes made since the last sync. Manual sync lets you force-sync individual records on demand when immediate updates are required.

API rate limits

LinkedIn Sales Navigator imposes approximately 200 API calls per user per hour. Salesforce provides between 15,000 and 1,000,000 API calls per 24 hours depending on edition. Dynamics 365 allows 100,000 API calls per user per 24 hours.

Large sync operations or high-volume teams may hit these limits. If you encounter rate limiting, schedule syncs during off-peak hours, reduce sync frequency for less critical records, and prioritise syncing active prospects over cold leads in your filters.

Data retention

Synced data follows your CRM’s retention policies. Configure activity retention to define how long to keep InMail and message logs, stale contact removal to auto-archive contacts with no activity for 12 or more months, and GDPR deletion processes to automatically remove prospect data upon request.

InMail logging

When Activity Writeback is enabled, all InMails—both sent and received—log automatically to your CRM. Each InMail appears as an activity record with subject line, message body, timestamp, response status (opened, replied, ignored), and a link to the LinkedIn conversation thread.

This eliminates the need for sales reps to manually log outreach, saving up to five hours per week per rep according to UK sales directors who’ve implemented the integration.

Smart Links let you share trackable content with prospects. When shared via Sales Navigator and synced to your CRM, you gain visibility into who clicked the link, what content they viewed, how much time they spent engaging, and the device and location data in aggregated form to maintain GDPR compliance.

Use Smart Links data to score lead engagement based on content interaction, trigger automated follow-up workflows when prospects engage, identify high-intent prospects for immediate outreach, and personalise next conversations based on which topics or products generated the most interest.

Troubleshooting common CRM Sync errors

Unable to authenticate CRM connection

This error typically stems from an expired OAuth token or insufficient admin permissions. Log out of both Sales Navigator and your CRM, clear browser cache and cookies, then re-authenticate via Sales Navigator Admin Settings and CRM Settings. Verify admin permissions on both platforms. If using Salesforce Professional, confirm that API access is explicitly enabled in your organisation settings.

Activities not syncing to CRM

Verify that Activity Writeback is enabled in your CRM Sync settings. Check activity type filters to ensure InMails, messages, and connection requests are selected. Confirm that activities meet any configured filters, such as only syncing activities with UK prospects or specific record types. Wait 15 to 20 minutes, as initial syncs may be delayed while the system processes the backlog. Force a manual sync on a test record to verify the connection is working.

Duplicate records created

This issue usually indicates weak match rules or missing key fields during import. Strengthen duplicate detection rules by using email plus LinkedIn URL matching rather than relying on name matching alone. Run a CRM deduplication tool to merge existing duplicates before they accumulate. Standardise naming conventions across your team—for example, consistently using “Ltd” not “Limited” for UK companies. Enable CRM duplicate prevention workflows that block new record creation when a match is found. Train your team to check for existing records before saving new leads from Sales Navigator.

Field mappings not working

Verify that source and target fields have compatible data types—text fields map to text fields, picklist fields map to picklist fields. Ensure target CRM fields are editable rather than system fields or formula fields that don’t accept external data. Check field-level security to confirm the integration user has edit permissions on all target fields. Test mapping with a single record before attempting bulk sync operations. Review mapping logs in Sales Navigator admin settings for specific error messages that indicate the root cause.

Sync is very slow

Check API usage in your CRM admin console to determine if you’re approaching rate limits that would trigger throttling. Reduce sync frequency for non-critical records to conserve API calls for high-priority data. Schedule large sync operations during off-peak hours such as evenings or weekends when API usage is lower. Prioritise active prospects over archived leads in your sync filters. Contact LinkedIn support if persistent issues occur despite optimisation efforts.

Connection timeouts

Some UK organisations experience connectivity issues due to corporate firewalls or VPNs. Ensure your IT team has whitelisted all LinkedIn domains, your CRM platform domains (Salesforce or Dynamics), and OAuth authentication endpoints required for secure token exchange.

One Manchester firm resolved persistent timeout errors by adding LinkedIn IP ranges to their firewall allowlist, immediately resolving connection issues that had plagued their team for weeks.

Compatibility notes and platform differences

Salesforce vs Dynamics 365 feature parity

Both platforms support core CRM Sync features, but there are meaningful differences in implementation and capabilities.

Salesforce offers more granular field mapping options, better custom object support, a richer ecosystem of complementary apps, and more detailed activity logging with custom activity types. These advantages make Salesforce the preferred choice for organisations with complex data models or extensive customisation requirements.

Dynamics 365 provides tighter integration with the Microsoft ecosystem including Teams and Outlook, a simpler initial setup process that requires fewer configuration steps, and better multi-language support for global teams operating across regions.

For detailed platform-specific guidance, review our guides on LinkedIn Sales Navigator with Salesforce and LinkedIn Sales Navigator with Dynamics 365.

Edition-specific limitations

Salesforce Professional requires explicit API access enablement and offers fewer custom fields available for mapping and lower API call limits. Salesforce Enterprise and Unlimited provide full API access, unlimited custom fields, higher API limits, and advanced workflow automation capabilities that unlock the integration’s full potential.

Dynamics 365 has minimal edition differences for CRM Sync, with all editions supporting full integration functionality without artificial limitations.

Mobile app sync

LinkedIn Sales Navigator mobile apps for iOS and Android sync activities when you’re working remotely or on the go. However, mobile syncs may have a 20 to 30 minute delay compared to desktop due to processing architecture, not all activity types sync from mobile—bulk actions in particular are desktop-only—and mobile-initiated syncs count toward your API limits just like desktop actions.

For time-critical updates, use the desktop application to ensure immediate synchronisation.

Optimising CRM Sync for UK sales teams

TeamLink identifies mutual LinkedIn connections between your team and prospects. When synced to your CRM, this data enables warm introduction workflows that automatically assign leads to reps with existing connections, significantly higher response rates compared to cold outreach, and account-based selling that coordinates multi-threaded outreach across stakeholders using team connections.

A Leeds manufacturing firm reported: “We doubled our response rates by using TeamLink data in Salesforce to assign prospects to reps with mutual connections.”

Set up engagement alerts

Configure CRM workflows triggered by LinkedIn activity to enable timely outreach. Create alerts for job changes that notify the assigned rep when a prospect changes roles—the first 90 days in a new position create an ideal re-engagement window. Flag high engagement when prospects view your profile three or more times or open multiple InMails, indicating warming interest. Trigger notifications for content interaction when prospects engage with shared Smart Links, signalling active research behaviour.

These alerts help reps prioritise outreach on warming leads rather than chasing cold prospects who aren’t showing buying signals.

Build LinkedIn-CRM lead scoring

Combine LinkedIn engagement with CRM data for smarter lead scoring. Award 10 points for opening an InMail, 20 points for replying to an InMail, 15 points for viewing your profile, 25 points for downloading Smart Link content, 30 points for a job change in the last 90 days, and 40 points for working at a target account with an active opportunity.

This multi-signal approach identifies prospects most likely to convert, similar to how optimised sales workflows unify data for better prioritisation across channels.

Create custom CRM reports

Track LinkedIn-sourced pipeline with custom reports that measure deals originating from Sales Navigator leads, InMail conversion rate as a percentage of InMails that result in meetings, TeamLink ROI comparing revenue from warm introductions versus cold outreach, and engagement by industry to identify which sectors respond best to LinkedIn outreach.

These metrics prove ROI to leadership and guide resource allocation decisions for your team.

Automate follow-up workflows

Design CRM workflows that trigger actions based on LinkedIn activity. For example, when a prospect opens an InMail, wait two days. If they haven’t replied, send an automated email via your CRM. If they still haven’t replied after three more days, create a task for a phone call. If they replied to the InMail, route them to the appropriate rep and create a meeting task.

This ensures consistent follow-up without manual tracking or prospects falling through the cracks during busy periods.

Measuring integration success

Track these KPIs to quantify CRM Sync ROI and justify continued investment.

Time savings

Measure manual data entry reduction in hours saved per rep per week. Track activity logging time by comparing before and after integration. Calculate platform switching time that’s eliminated when reps no longer toggle between tools.

A UK SaaS firm measured: “Our reps save nearly six hours per week from automated activity logging alone.”

Data quality improvements

Monitor CRM completeness as the percentage of records with full profile data. Track data freshness through the average age of contact information. Measure duplicate record rate and track the reduction in duplicate leads and contacts after implementing proper match rules.

Engagement metrics

Track InMail response rates and look for improvement with better targeting enabled by enriched CRM data. Measure meeting conversion as the percentage of InMails resulting in booked meetings. Monitor pipeline velocity through the number of days from first LinkedIn touch to opportunity creation.

Revenue impact

Calculate LinkedIn-sourced revenue from deals originating from Sales Navigator prospecting. Compare deal size between LinkedIn-sourced opportunities and other channels. Measure sales cycle length from initial LinkedIn outreach to closed-won status.

A UK B2B services company reported a 25 per cent increase in qualified leads and 32 per cent faster lead qualification after implementing CRM Sync with proper workflows.

Complementing CRM Sync with AI-powered automation

While CRM Sync automates data flow between LinkedIn and your CRM, AI-powered tools like Sera take automation further by handling the entire SDR workload.

Sera identifies and qualifies high-intent prospects globally using 160 million company profiles and 990 million personal profiles. Its AI crafts contextual messages that convert, supporting more than 100 languages for UK teams targeting international markets. The platform automatically books and confirms meetings, filling your calendar while you focus on closing. Sera works alongside your LinkedIn-CRM setup, preserving data connections while adding intelligent automation.

The combination creates a powerful workflow: LinkedIn provides network access, CRM Sync unifies data, and AI automation handles prospecting, outreach, and scheduling at scale.

As one UK sales director put it: “CRM Sync gave us the foundation, but adding AI automation took us from efficient to unstoppable.”

Making CRM Sync work for your team

LinkedIn CRM Sync transforms how UK sales teams operate by eliminating manual data entry, enriching prospect records, and creating a unified view of customer interactions. When properly configured with careful field mapping, GDPR compliance, and optimised workflows, the integration delivers measurable ROI through time savings, improved data quality, and higher conversion rates.

Whether you’re running Salesforce, Dynamics 365, or exploring alternatives for platforms like HubSpot, the key is treating CRM Sync as a strategic workflow improvement rather than just a technical integration. Pair it with proper training, clear processes, and continuous optimisation to unlock its full potential.

Ready to take your sales automation to the next level? Explore how Sera’s AI-powered platform can complement your CRM Sync setup with intelligent prospecting, personalised outreach at scale, and automated meeting scheduling—helping your team close more deals with less manual effort.