> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.conversion.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Contacts and Companies

> Learn how Conversion contacts and companies relate to your Salesforce records.

Conversion maintains a link between your Salesforce records and Conversion records using the Salesforce ID as the primary connection. This is what enables the two-way sync to work reliably.

## Matching Records

When records sync between Salesforce and Conversion, the systems match records using:

1. **Salesforce ID** - The primary way Conversion identifies which contact a Salesforce record belongs to. If a Conversion contact is already linked to a Salesforce ID, that contact is always updated.
2. **Email address** - When no Salesforce ID link exists, Conversion looks for existing contacts with the same email address and links to the most recently updated match (if it doesn't already have a different Salesforce ID).

This matching ensures that:

* Updates go to the right records in both systems
* Duplicates are minimized by linking identifiers when possible
* New contacts are only created when a true conflict exists (the matching contact already belongs to a different Salesforce record)

## Data Flow Overview

Understanding how data moves between Salesforce and Conversion helps you predict sync behavior and troubleshoot issues when they arise.

### Sync Direction and Timing

Conversion syncs with Salesforce in both directions, but the two directions work differently:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Salesforce → Conversion">
    **How it works:** Conversion periodically checks Salesforce for new and updated records, then pulls those changes into your Conversion database.

    **What triggers a sync:**

    * Scheduled sync intervals
      * Runs every 5 minutes, and after the previous sync is finished
    * Records are synced based on their last modified date in Salesforce

    **What gets synced:**

    * New Leads, Contacts, and Accounts created since the last sync
    * Existing records that have been modified since the last sync
      * If a record's `updated_at` timestamp is more recent than the Conversion field's `updated_at` timestamp, the field will attempt to sync. Then configured [field sync preferences](/product-docs/sync/salesforce/setup/field-sync-preferences) apply.

    **Records that don't sync:**

    * Leads and Contacts without an email address
    * Leads that have already been converted to Contacts (the Contact record syncs instead)
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Conversion → Salesforce">
    **How it works:** When you update a contact or company in Conversion, those changes are pushed to the linked Salesforce record almost immediately -- typically within a few seconds. (Conversion batches updates in short intervals to use your Salesforce API efficiently.)

    **What triggers a sync:**

    * Field value changes on contacts or companies
    * New contacts created in Conversion (if configured to create Salesforce records)

    **What gets synced:**

    * Field updates based on each field's sync mode settings
    * New records (as Leads or Contacts, based on your configuration)

    **Records that don't sync:**

    * Contacts not linked to a Salesforce record (unless you've enabled automatic record creation)
    * Fields set to "Don't sync" mode or fields not mapped to a Salesforce field
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I control which contacts sync to Salesforce?">
    Yes. When contacts are added to Conversion (through form submissions, CSV uploads, etc.), you can choose to sync them to Salesforce immediately or skip the initial sync. If you skip it, you can always sync them later through workflows or the dashboard.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can the same email exist on multiple contacts?">
    Yes, Conversion allows duplicate email addresses when necessary. For example, when a Salesforce record syncs and the matching email is already linked to a different Salesforce ID.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can a contact belong to multiple companies?">
    No. Each contact belongs to exactly one company at any time. If their company association changes (for example, if a Salesforce Contact moves to a different Account), their company in Conversion updates accordingly.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens to Leads that get converted in Salesforce?">
    Conversion handles this automatically. The contact remains in Conversion and re-links to the new Salesforce Contact record. If the Contact is associated with an Account, the contact will also move to the appropriate company in Conversion.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why do some contacts have a linked company and others do not?">
    Conversion contacts have a linked company if the contact is synced to a Salesforce Contact linked to a Salesforce Account.

    Conversion contacts that don't have a linked company still have company fields to store company-level information.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How does Conversion match incoming data to existing contacts?">
    Conversion uses a strong identifier first (like a Salesforce ID, browser cookie, or userId) to find the right contact. If no strong identifier match exists, it falls back to email address and selects the most recently updated contact. A new contact is only created when there's a true identifier conflict.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I create a contact with an email that already exists?">
    You'll see a warning in the dashboard, but you can still proceed. The new contact will be created as a separate record. You can merge duplicates later if needed.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>