Salesforce SharePoint Integration: Options, Setup, and Limits

Salesforce SharePoint integration lets you link Salesforce records to documents in SharePoint or move Salesforce data into workbooks stored there. You can do this using Files Connect, AppExchange apps, Power Automate, middleware, or custom APIs. The best choice depends on whether you want to access files, share documents, or sync Salesforce data.

Salesforce SharePoint integration can refer to connecting documents to Salesforce records or transferring Salesforce data to workbooks stored in SharePoint.

Files: Documents stay in SharePoint, and Salesforce shows links or lets you open them from related records. This reduces Salesforce file storage, prevents duplicate copies, and makes it easier for teams like HR, finance, and legal to share documents. People without Salesforce licenses can still access files in SharePoint if they have the right permissions.

Data: Some teams use this integration to export Salesforce records or reports to Excel workbooks in SharePoint and refresh them on a schedule. Microsoft Power Automate’s Salesforce connector is a Premium connector. It lets you get, create, update, and delete Salesforce records depending on your permissions and connector limits. You can set up a flow to move Salesforce data to SharePoint lists, but this does not create two-way sync. One-way flows work but can be hard to maintain.

If you need Salesforce data in Excel rather than document integration, XL-Connector 365 can pull Salesforce records into workbooks stored in SharePoint or OneDrive and refresh the data on a schedule.

Connecting Salesforce and SharePoint makes it easier for organizations to manage documents and reduces their reliance on Salesforce file storage.

• Storage: Salesforce gives each organization file storage based on its edition and number of user licenses. SharePoint Online offers 1 TB for the whole organization, plus 10 GB for each eligible license. You can buy more storage on either platform if needed.
• File size: Most uploads to Salesforce are limited to 2 GB, including those through the REST API and Connect REST API. The Lightning file upload tool allows files up to 10 GB, but Experience Cloud sites have lower limits. SharePoint supports files as large as 250 GB.
• Access: SharePoint allows organizations to share documents with authorized users who do not have Salesforce licenses. These users’ access is controlled by SharePoint permissions and sharing policies.
• Version history: Salesforce Files lets users upload new versions and see previous ones. SharePoint also tracks version history and lets multiple users edit compatible Office documents at the same time.
• Usability: Admins often mention that sorting options for files attached to records are limited. Without integration, teams using both systems might need to upload the same file twice.

SharePoint vs Salesforce for documents comes down to their primary purposes. Salesforce Files connects files to CRM records, while SharePoint organizes documents for storage and collaboration.

Choose Files Connect if users only need to access existing SharePoint files from Salesforce. The files stay in SharePoint and are only referenced from Salesforce, so nothing is uploaded or moved. 

Choose an AppExchange app or custom integration if they also need to upload files, create folders automatically, or move files from Salesforce storage to SharePoint. For admins without developer support, an AppExchange app is usually the easiest option for these advanced workflows.

Files Connect lets users access and share external files by storing copies in Salesforce or referencing files in SharePoint. However, it doesn’t provide a complete document-management workflow out of the box.

AppExchange apps may add features such as file uploads, automatic folder creation, and Flow automation. Check each vendor’s listing for supported features and pricing.

If users already have access to Salesforce and SharePoint, linking a SharePoint folder to a Salesforce record or embedding a SharePoint page may be enough. These options don’t automatically upload files, create folders, or sync file details. Users still need the required SharePoint permissions.

A custom integration gives you control over how users access and manage SharePoint files in Salesforce. Register an application in Microsoft Entra ID and configure the required Microsoft Graph permissions. In Salesforce, set up an Auth Provider and Named Credentials for authentication and secure API callouts. Use Apex to retrieve and manage files, and a Lightning Web Component (LWC) to display them on Salesforce record pages.

You need the Microsoft tenant ID, SharePoint site ID, and document library’s drive ID. Retrieve these values using Microsoft Graph:

• GET /sites/{hostname}:/teams/hr retrieves the SharePoint site.
• GET /sites/{siteId}/drive retrieves the site’s default document library.
• GET /sites/{siteId}/drives lists the site’s document libraries.

Grant the permissions required for the operations your integration performs.

Before connecting Salesforce to SharePoint Online, make sure you have:

In Salesforce Setup, search for Files Connect, click Edit, and select Enable Files Connect. Then choose a file-sharing mode based on how users need to access SharePoint files.

• Reference: Keeps files in SharePoint and follows SharePoint’s access permissions. Users need the required SharePoint access to download files, and file previews aren’t available.
• Copy: Stores a separate copy of each file in Salesforce. Choose this mode when sharing files with external customers or partners. Chatter group members can access shared copies without needing access to the original SharePoint files.

Next, create a permission set or edit a profile and enable the Files Connect Cloud system permission. In a permission set, find it under System Permissions. In a profile, find it under Administrative Permissions. Assign it to users who need access and administrators who configure data sources.

Files Connect lets Salesforce users access documents stored in SharePoint Online without leaving Salesforce. Setup requires an authentication provider in Salesforce, an app registration in Microsoft Azure, and an external data source.

Azure requires a Salesforce callback URL, while Salesforce needs credentials from Azure. To resolve this dependency, create a placeholder authentication provider in Salesforce, register the Azure application, and then update the provider with the actual credentials.

Keep a temporary text file to store the callback URL, application ID, and client secret during setup.

On the provider’s detail page, copy the Callback URL into your text file.

Register the Application in Microsoft Azure: Sign in to the Microsoft Azure portal and open App registrations. Click New registration.

Sign in to the Microsoft Azure portal and open App Registrations. Click New registration, enter a display name for the application, and click Register to create it.

On the application overview page, copy the Application (client) ID into your text file.

Open Certificates & secrets, click New client secret, enter a description, and select an expiration period.

Click Add and copy the secret’s Value immediately. Azure displays it only once.

Open API permissions, click Add a permission, and select SharePoint. Add the permissions required by your integration. Avoid broad permissions such as AllSites.FullControl unless necessary.

Return to Salesforce Setup and open Auth. Providers. Click Edit beside your SharePoint provider and replace the placeholders.

Replace [TENANT] with your SharePoint tenant name. Verify that the endpoints match the authentication configuration supported by your Salesforce and Microsoft setup.

Click Save.

In Salesforce Setup, search for External Data Sources and create a new data source. You need the Customize Application permission.

In Salesforce Setup, open External Data Sources under Integrations. Click New External Data Source.

Configure the external data source with a label, a unique name, and Files Connect: Microsoft SharePoint Online as the type. Enter your HTTPS SharePoint site URL. Set Identity Type to:

• Per User: Each user signs in with their own Microsoft credentials.
• Named Principal: All users access the source through the same credentials.

Set the authentication protocol to OAuth 2.0. Leave Scope blank if no value is required, and enable Exclude Other Site Collections if you want to restrict access to the specified site collection.

Select Start Authentication Flow on Save and click Save. Review the requested permissions and click Accept. If prompted, click Confirm.

After synchronization, SharePoint should appear under Connected Sources in the Salesforce Files tab. Users can access documents according to the configured permissions.

Files Connect lets Salesforce users access files stored in SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business. However, it has several limitations.

The Microsoft app registration requires admin consent for one or more permissions. In the Microsoft Entra admin center, open App registrations, select the app, go to API permissions, and click Grant admin consent for [your organization] if you have the required administrator role.

This can indicate an incorrect SharePoint Site URL or a permissions issue. In Salesforce Setup, open External Data Sources and check the Site URL, then verify the user’s access to the external data source and the Microsoft app’s permissions.

Microsoft’s Sites.Selected permission restricts an app to explicitly authorized SharePoint sites, but Salesforce compatibility depends on the Files Connect configuration. Confirm that Salesforce supports this permission for your setup before replacing the documented permissions.

AppExchange apps extend Salesforce file management with features such as uploading files from records, creating SharePoint folders through Flow, mapping Salesforce fields to SharePoint columns, displaying documents in Experience Cloud, and moving Salesforce files to external storage. Check each app’s listing for supported features.

Experience Cloud provides a customer-facing portal, while SharePoint stores and manages documents. Integration apps can connect the two, allowing customers to access SharePoint files through an Experience Cloud site.

Salesforce file-management apps

Use Files Connect to access SharePoint files from Salesforce. Choose an AppExchange app or custom integration for uploads, folder management, automation, or moving files out of Salesforce to free storage. If you need to work with Salesforce data in Excel, follow the approach described in the first section.