---
title: "Connecting to a CRM System"
source_url: https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/xp-a---extended-planning-and-analysis/integrating-data/connecting-to-a-data-source/connecting-to-crm
language: en
last_updated: 2023-08-16
---
# Connecting to a CRM System

## Overview

You can establish a direct data connection to a CRM system to pull in CRM data into xP&A.

The following applies:

- All integrations with CRM systems are established using **Merge**, a third-party platform that enables (API) integrations with different systems.
- In order to set up the integration, you must follow individual authentication procedures to link to your CRM system account with xP&A.
- Independent of the system, there is a set of default fields (variables and dimensions) that are pulled in. In addition, the integration of custom fields can be defined during the configuration of the data connection.

## Suppoerted CRM Systems

Currently, Lucanet supports connections with the CRM system **Salesforce.**

A connection to further systems is under development.

## List of Default Fields

The following default fields are pulled in from each CRM system that is integrated via **Merge**:

**Variables**

- Activity
- Amount Closed
- Amount Closed Won by Account
- Amount Created
- Opportunities Closed
- Opportunities Created
- Weighted Amount Closed
- Weighted Amount Created
- Weighted Opportunities Closed
- Weighted Opportunities Created

**Dimensions**

- Account
- Activity Type
- Owner
- Owner Role
- Owner Status
- Stage
- Stage Type

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You can select additional opportunity filters during the configuration process.
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## Prerequisites for the Setup

**Necessary Authentications**

You will need to ensure that you set up all necessary **authentications** that are requested in the connection flow.

These authentications differ slightly by CRM system -- [open this link to see a full breakdown](https://help.merge.dev/collections/4202445872-crm) (by our API provider, **Merge**).

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Choose one of the following options:

- Open the **Data** workspace from the overview on the start page and click **\+ New.**

- Open the model into which you would like to integrate the data, click the **+** sign next to **Data** in the overview, and choose **New data source**.
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In the **Data sources** dialog, open the **CRM** tab and choose the system from which you want to integrate data.

'CRM' tab
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Choose if you want to:

- Use xP&A's **Sales and Pipeline Report**
- Create the data source **manually** and link the data to your models by yourself (**Advanced**)
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**Choose a connection** in the **New Data Source** dialog. If you have not configured a connection yet, configure the following steps to set up a connection:

- Choose if you would like to authenticate using **your credentials** or using your **Security Token** **and Organization ID**.

Select the authentication method

- Check the standard fields that can be pulled in with the integration and click **Next** to agree to the [End User Terms](https://www.merge.dev/legal/end-user-terms) of our third-party provider Merge.

Confirm Merge's end user terms

- Select if you want to use your **Production account** or your **Sandbox account**.

Select account type

- **Enter your subdomain** details to connect to the source system and click **Next**.\
\
A detailed description on how to authenticate with each system can be found in [Merge's Help Center](https://help.merge.dev/collections/4202445872-crm).

Enter the subdomain
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Confirm all following steps to complete the setup of the connection.
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In the **New Data Source** dialog, select the **opportunity filters** you want to use as breakdowns.

xP&A is pulling your opportunities by owner, stage, and account. If you want to use additional break-downs, you can pick up to three more. Note that a large number of items may result in a slower model.

Select the opportunity filters
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