Installing the Backstory Managed Package is a key step in connecting Backstory to Salesforce. The package includes the Salesforce components Backstory uses to collect and display sales insights, such as custom fields, Lightning components, Visualforce pages, reports, permissions, and automation. After installation, you'll configure single sign-on (SSO) and add Backstory components to your Salesforce pages, allowing users to access Backstory insights directly within Salesforce without switching applications.
Note: You must have a Salesforce System Administrator account and a Backstory administrator account to install the Backstory managed package.
What This Article Covers
Installing the Backstory managed package
Setting up Identity Provider-initiated single sign-on
Configuring single sign-on for sandbox environments
Using Service Provider-initiated single sign-on as an alternative
Adding Backstory components to your Salesforce pages
Frequently asked questions
Install the Backstory Managed Package
These steps walk you through installing the Backstory managed package in your Salesforce org. Backstory recommends installing the package in a sandbox before installing it on a production instance.
Log into Backstory as an administrator.
Click the grid icon in the top left corner.
Select Admin Panel.
In the left navigation menu under CRM Sync, click CRMs.
In the top right corner, click + Add Integrations.
Select Salesforce.
The integration wizard will open and walk you through the following steps:
Creating a dedicated integration user in Salesforce
Choosing a Production or Sandbox environment
Choosing the full Backstory package or Sales Solution package
Installing the managed package in Salesforce
Naming your integration
After completing the wizard, you will be redirected to the Salesforce integration page, where your installed package will be displayed.
Set Up Identity Provider-Initiated Single Sign-On
Identity Provider-initiated (IdP) single sign-on (SSO) lets users log in to Backstory apps and widgets automatically without starting the login flow themselves. This is the default method and the following steps are mandatory to complete it.
In Salesforce, navigate to Setup > Identity > Identity Provider.
Click the Enable Identity Provider button. If the Identity Provider is already enabled, skip this step.
Select a certificate from the list if prompted, then click Save.
Navigate to Setup > Apps > App Manager.
Open the menu for the Backstory Canvas App and click Manage.
Click the Edit Policies button.
Change the Permitted Users field to Admin approved users are pre-authorized.
Click Save.
Scroll down to the Profiles section and click the Manage Profiles button.
Select any profile that should have access to embedded applications, then click Save. We recommend enabling all profiles and driving access through the app or components, since users without Connected App access will see an error or an Insufficient Privileges page.
Scroll down to the SAML Login Information section.
Locate the Subject Type and update it to Username.
Locate the Metadata Discovery Endpoint (Metadata URL) and Issuer (Entity ID) values.
In a new window, navigate to the PeopleAI app > Settings > Integrations > Single Sign On.
Click the Add Provider button.
Enter a name for the provider, such as Salesforce Production Organization.
Paste the Metadata URL and Entity ID values.
Click the Next button.
Check the Backstory is Integrated checkbox.
Click Save.
Publish the new provider. The components will not load properly until the Backstory team confirms the IdP configuration is complete on the Backstory side.
Configure Single Sign-On for Sandbox Environments
These optional steps apply only to sandbox environments. Sandboxes affix the sandbox name to usernames by default, which prevents user authentication, so you must change the SAML Subject Type and update user Federation IDs.
In Salesforce, navigate to Setup > Apps > App Manager.
Open the menu for the Backstory Canvas App, click Manage, then click Edit Policies.
Change the Subject Type field from Username to Federation ID. You may also use the Custom Attribute value, in which case you must choose the correct field. If none is available, create a new Custom Field (Text, 255) on the User Object and refresh the page.
Click Save.
Navigate to Setup > Users > Users.
Click Edit for every user who should be enabled.
Copy the username without the sandbox name affix (for example, user@company.com without the .sbname suffix).
Paste the value into the Federation ID field.
Click Save. To update all users at once instead, run the provided Apex script in the Developer Console.
Add Backstory Components to the Salesforce User Interface
Backstory includes several components you can embed into your Salesforce pages to provide different views. Embedding the full Backstory app is required, because it ensures hyperlinks clicked inside Backstory Lightning components open within Salesforce rather than outside of it.
In Salesforce, navigate to Setup > Apps > App Manager.
Choose the app where you want to include the Backstory application, click the caret on the right side, and click Edit.
Open the Navigation Items tab in the left column.
Find the Backstory item and add it to Selected Items.
Click Save.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which single sign-on method should I use?
Identity Provider-initiated SSO is the default and logs users in automatically. Service Provider-initiated SSO is an alternative that requires users to log in manually and does not involve any Identity Provider configuration, only administrative setup by the Backstory team using the Subscriber's Granted Login Access.
Why are the Backstory components not loading after I finish the IdP setup?
The components will not load until the Backstory team confirms that the IdP configuration is complete on the Backstory side. Setup on your end is not enough on its own.
Do I need to do anything special for a sandbox environment?
Yes. Sandboxes affix the sandbox name to usernames, which blocks authentication, so you must change the Subject Type to Federation ID (or a Custom Attribute) and populate each user's Federation ID with their original production username.
Why is a user seeing an Insufficient Privileges or permission error?
Users without access to the Connected App, or sandbox users without a Federation ID set, will receive a permission-related error. We recommend enabling all profiles and driving access through the app or its components.
Is the full Backstory app component required?
Yes. It must be added to the app of any user using the Backstory Salesforce experience, because it keeps Backstory hyperlinks opening inside Salesforce rather than outside of it.
Need Help?
Contact your Customer Success Manager or support@backstory.ai.