How do I connect CRM and support tools?

TL;DR: Ballet connects to CRM and support tools in two ways — inbound webhooks (the service pushes events into a playbook) and outbound API / MCP (Ballet pulls data or takes action). Use the service guides below to set up Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot, ServiceNow, or Genesys Cloud, then share the checklist with your Ballet contact.

Two connection patterns

1. Inbound webhook

The external system sends events to a Ballet playbook trigger URL.

• Use when a ticket, case, or deal change should start a playbook
• Setup usually lives in the provider (webhook, Flow, Business Rule, Architect)
• Ballet verifies each request with a shared secret or bearer token stored in Secrets

See also: How do I trigger and react to playbooks with webhooks?

2. Outbound API / MCP

Ballet calls the provider to read or write data during a run.

• Use when a playbook must fetch live records (for example Opportunity, Contract, or ticket details) that are not in the webhook payload
• Setup is typically a Connected App, OAuth client, or MCP connector plus credentials in Secrets
• No interactive user login is required for server-to-server flows

See also: How do I connect an MCP server? and How do I store credentials with Secrets?

Service guides

Tip: Many playbooks use both patterns — a webhook to start the run, then an API or MCP call to enrich with live data.

What to send Ballet

For any service, your admin typically shares:

1. Environment (production or sandbox / test)
2. Auth credentials (Client ID/Secret, API token, or bearer token) via a secure channel
3. Host or My Domain URL when required
4. Objects, fields, or events Ballet should access
5. Confirmation that the integration user or token has the right permissions

Never hardcode credentials in playbook steps — store them in Secrets.