Conga technical guide
Everything an engineer needs to connect Conga to Salesforce: architecture, the exact build steps with real code, field mapping, the data model, security, monitoring, and the pitfalls we design out.
Conga Composer and Grid for document generation and in-place data editing. We have shipped it across 5 client projects and 190 build tasks.
The value is that the action happens automatically from the record your team already works in, with the result tracked back in Salesforce.
We deploy the managed package the right way: sandbox first, licenses and permission sets assigned, templates and layouts configured, and automation wrapped around it so it fits your process.
Every Conga build is delivered by a senior Salesforce architect on a fixed price, tested end to end in a sandbox, deployed to your org, and backed by 30 days of hypercare. You own the result: documented, source-controlled, and free of black-box middleware lock-in.
How Conga connects to Salesforce
The real connection surface: how it authenticates, what it is built on, the endpoints and events in play, and where the reference docs live.
- Connects via
- Two AppExchange managed packages: Conga Composer (doc generation) and Conga Grid (native inline grid editing)Classic Composer solutions launched from a record via a URL button passing SessionId + Partner ServerUrlLightning requires an OAuth-enabled Conga button (Connected App)Newer Conga Composer REST API for server-side generation
- Package
- Conga Composer and Conga Grid (separate packages)
- Authentication
- Classic URL button authenticates the callback with the running user SessionId + Partner ServerUrl; Lightning uses OAuth via a Connected App. The Composer REST API uses OAuth 2.0 client_credentials returning a Bearer token
- API type
- REST
Composer REST: https://coreapps-rlsprod.congacloud.com/api/ingress/v1/ (classic: https://composer.congamerge.com)- Reference
- Official developer docs
Key endpoints
POST /Merge (generate document)GET /status/{correlationId}download via presigned serviceclassic URL button with SessionId, ServerUrl, Id, TemplateIdBuild this with AI agents
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Loading the Conga playbook...What we build for a Conga integration
Conga Composer and Conga Grid used for document generation and in-place tabular editing of Salesforce data, with templated output bundles and parameter-driven solutions across many sprints.
Document generation
Built and iterated Conga Composer templates and reporting bundles, adding parameters and components so documents render exactly to spec.
In-place grid editing
Used Conga Grid for fast tabular viewing and editing of Salesforce records without a page-by-page click-through.
Real components we ship
What you will need
What we confirm on both sides before writing a line of code.
From trigger to record, end to end
The production runtime flow, with what happens in each system.
- 01
Trigger in Salesforce
In SalesforceA record change or a button starts the Conga action.
$A record-triggered flow or a Quick Action fires the process. - 02
Payload is built
In SalesforceA flow or Apex assembles the request and maps the Salesforce fields.
$Serialized with JSON.serialize; the callout is queued to run asynchronously. - 03
Call Conga
In transitThe request is sent to Conga.
$HTTPS callout via callout:NamedCredential over Managed package, with no secrets in code. - 04
Result written back
In SalesforceConga performs the action and the status is written back.
$Response parsed; status and external ids stored on the record for audit.
How the data actually flows
Left to right: sources, the integration layer, Salesforce, and the outcomes it drives.
// sources feed the integration layer, Salesforce persists, outcomes ship
The objects behind the integration
The Salesforce objects we read and write, what each one is for, and the fields that carry the load.
| Object | Purpose | Key fields |
|---|---|---|
document | The primary Salesforce record Conga data maps onto. | External_Id__c, Name, Status |
Account | Matched or created for the customer or company behind the record. | Name, External_Id__c |
Error_Log__c (custom) | Captures every request, response, and failure so anything can be replayed. | Payload__c, Status__c, Related_Id__c |
Salesforce objects typically in play for Conga
Build the Conga integration
Every step we follow to ship a production-grade build, with the code that matters.
Plan the integration and prerequisites
We line up licenses and access before installing anything.
- A Salesforce edition compatible with the package, and a sandbox to install into first
- A Conga account and admin rights on both systems
- The records, templates, and outcomes agreed up front
Install the managed package
We install Conga the safe way.
- Install from AppExchange into a sandbox first, choosing Install for All Users
- Approve the third-party access it requests, and note the API or remote endpoints it uses
Pro tip: sandbox first
Install the managed package in a sandbox first and choose Install for All Users, so you can configure and test safely before anything touches production.
Assign licenses and permission sets
We give the right users the right access.
- Assign the package licenses and its permission sets to the integration user and the end users who need it
Authenticate to Conga
We connect the package to your Conga account securely.
- Authenticate Conga via OAuth and configure the org-wide and per-user settings
- Confirm any Named Credential or Remote Site the package relies on is configured
Configure objects, templates, and layouts
We set Conga up around how you actually work.
- Configure the Conga-specific pieces such as templates, gateways, or components
- Add the Lightning components and actions to the right page layouts
- Map Salesforce fields into Conga so documents and records are accurate every time
Build automation around the package
We make Conga fire from the right place and write results back.
- Record-triggered flows or Quick Actions invoke the package's invocable methods
- Status and results are written back onto the Salesforce record automatically
public class GenerateDocument {
@InvocableMethod(label='Generate document via package')
public static void run(List<Id> recordIds) {
// a record-triggered flow calls this; it hands off to the managed package
for (Id recId : recordIds) {
pkg.DocumentService.createFromTemplate(recId, 'Order Form');
}
}
}Test in a sandbox
We validate the full flow before go-live.
- Run real scenarios end to end and confirm the records, documents, and callbacks
Deploy and monitor
We ship it and support it.
- Deploy configuration via change sets and assign permission sets in production
- Monitor callbacks and errors, with 30 days of support
Example field mapping
How Conga data lands on your Salesforce records. We tailor the full mapping to your org.
| Conga | Salesforce | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Salesforce document | Conga record | Direction: Salesforce to Conga |
| Record id | Conga external reference | Stored back on the record |
| Key fields | Conga fields | Mapped per template |
| Status | Conga status | Written back on completion |
| Created / updated at | LastModifiedDate | Enables delta sync and audit |
| Owner or rep | document.OwnerId | Assignment rules or a default owner |
Rate limits and governor limits
The platform constraints we design around, so the integration stays fast and never falls over at scale.
Specific to Conga
Salesforce platform limits
Secure by design
How we keep the integration safe, least-privilege, and compliant.
Monitoring, retries, and reliability
What keeps the integration trustworthy in production, and how you know the moment something needs attention.
How we test, deploy, and hand it over
The quality gates every build clears before it touches your production org.
Common pitfalls we design out
The mistakes that quietly break integrations, and how we avoid each one.
Config lost between orgs
Deploy configuration via change sets and document the setup.
Users cannot see the feature
Assign the package license and permission set to the right users.
Vendor limits hit unexpectedly
Confirm the API and volume limits on your plan before go-live.
No visibility when it breaks
We log every call and surface failures on a dashboard with alerts, so an issue never goes unnoticed.
Reporting drifts from reality
External-id keys and a delta timestamp keep Salesforce and the source reconciled, so reports stay trustworthy.
Gotchas specific to Conga
Conga integration: technical FAQs
How do you authenticate Conga with Salesforce?
We connect Conga using the managed package with OAuth and store every secret in Salesforce Named Credentials with a permission set, so nothing is hard-coded or shipped in metadata.
Does the Conga integration handle bulk volume?
Yes. All Apex is bulkified, volume moves to Queueable or Batch Apex, and we respect the Salesforce governor limits (SOQL, DML, and callout caps per transaction).
How do you prevent duplicate records?
We upsert on a unique external-id field, so a retried or duplicate payload is idempotent and never creates a second document.
How is the integration tested and deployed?
Apex tests with HttpCalloutMock cover the success, failure, and a 200-record bulk case (75 percent plus coverage). We deploy via change sets or an SFDX and CI pipeline.
What happens if Conga or Salesforce is briefly down?
Failed calls retry with backoff and land in an Error Log object with alerting, so nothing is lost and any event can be replayed.
Do we still need custom code?
Usually only a thin layer: record-triggered flows or a small invocable Apex method to fire the package and write results back. The heavy lifting is the managed package.
Want us to build your Conga integration?
Skip the build. In a free 30-minute call we will map your Conga flow and hand you a clear, fixed-price plan.