By Smriti Sharan

Interview Questions on
Integration.
Learn Salesforce Like
Never Before!!!
 By Smriti Sharan

Hello, my Name is Smriti Sharan. I am avid blogger and

youtuber. I am to aim to make learning Fun!!

In this document, you will see Cloudy and Simmy Fun

Interaction regarding complex topic of Integration in
Questions and Answer format which will make your learning
amazing.

Can Learning Be More Fun!!

Let’s Begin!!!
 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: Simmy, I keep hearing about integration. Can

you explain what it really means?

Simmy: Imagine you're at a food court of the Disney Theme

Park where you can order a burger from Burger King, fries
from McDonald, and a Momos from a WoW Momos.
Integration is like having a single table where all these
different food vendors can see and fulfil your complete
order together.

In technology, it means connecting different software

systems so they work as one, sharing data and tasks
smoothly.
 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: Oh, that sounds super useful! Can you give me an

example of how this works in real life?
Simmy: Think of a small bookstore that uses different
software for sales, inventory, and customer relations.
Integration lets these systems talk to each other. So, when
a book is sold, the sales system updates the inventory
automatically, and the customer's purchase history is
updated in the CRM system, all without manual effort.
 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: That makes sense! But why should companies

bother integrating their systems?
Simmy: Good question! Integrating systems boosts
efficiency —no double data entry, fewer errors. It also
improves customer experience by providing consistent
information across all touchpoints, and it supports better
decision making through unified data.

Cloudy: Got it! But then, what’s an API?

Simmy: Think of an API as a waiter who takes your order

and communicates it to the kitchen. It’s a set of rules
different software programs send each other requests and
understand the responses.

Basically, API is software which helps two applications

communicate to each other.

For example, when you check the weather on your phone,

the app uses an API to fetch data from a weather service
and show it to you.
 By Smriti Sharan

One common way to use API is to make payment on

different websites using PayPal. An API is needed to
connect different applications so that they can share data
and work together.
 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: Interesting! And how about a web service? Is

that different from an API?

Simmy: A web service is like a specific restaurant in the

food court. It includes everything from the kitchen where
food is prepared to the system that takes orders and
serves food.

It's an actual place that uses the waiter (API) to interact

with customers. A web service operates over the internet
and uses standard formats to exchange data between
different systems.
 By Smriti Sharan

A web service can perform a variety of tasks, just like a

kitchen can prepare many types of meals. It can handle data
storage, complex calculations, integrating with other digital
systems. All of these services are accessed through APIs,
which ensure the requests and the data are handled
appropriately

Cloudy: What types of web services are there?

Simmy: Mainly two types, Cloudy. SOAP, which is like

ordering a preset meal at McDonald—you get what's
defined and it’s very structured.

It uses a specific protocol, like a strict recipe that the

restaurant (web service) must follow to prepare your meal
(data exchange). This includes a rigid set of rules on how
the data must be formatted and how the web service must
be called.
 By Smriti Sharan

REST, which is more like a buffet where you can choose

what you want—it's flexible and uses web standards. Here,
you have the freedom to choose exactly what you want.

You can fill your plate with a little bit of salad, some pasta
and a dessert. It’s flexible and allows you to pick and
choose.
 By Smriti Sharan

REST uses standard web technologies and methods like

HTTP, URL, XML, and JSON. It's like choosing food items
that you are familiar with and using a standard plate to put
them on.

Cloudy: This is all getting clear now. How does

Salesforce fit into this?

Simmy: Think of Salesforce as the central hub of amazing

food court. It's the place where everything comes together
making sure everything from ordering food to cleaning
tables happens.
 By Smriti Sharan

1. User Interface Integration

Central Menu Board: Imagine Salesforce displays digital

menu application in the food court that displays options
from every stall like Yummy Coffee from ‘Starbucks’. Ice
Cream Menu from Gelanto Vinto, delicious Somosa from
Samosa Singh. It lets you see and interact with various
services from one spot.

2. Business Logic Integration Using APIs

Now, imagine every time you place an order, Salesforce

sends out little electronic notes to the right stalls to
prepare your food. These notes are like APIs. They tell the
soda fountain to pour a drink.
 By Smriti Sharan

Example: When a salesperson updates a deal in Salesforce,

it can automatically update the inventory through an API or
start a billing process in another financial software.

3. Data Integration
Think of Salesforce as having a master screen that tracks
every order placed, meal cooked, and drink served in the
food court. It ensures that all information is updated
across the board. If you change your order, it updates
instantly everywhere it needs to.
 By Smriti Sharan

Example: If a customer buys a product on your e-commerce

platform, Salesforce can immediately update the customer
records, adjust inventory levels, and initiate shipping—
keeping everything in sync across your entire business
operation.

Cloudy: What about keeping things secure, especially

with all this sharing?

Simmy: Great point! That's where authentication and

authorization come in. Authentication is proving who you
are, like showing your ID.
 By Smriti Sharan

Basically, Authentication is a way for the computer to

verify you are who you say you are. To Authenticate, you
can use password, token, biometric scans or even physical
key.
 By Smriti Sharan

When an application needs to access a service from another

application, it sends authentication request along with
credentials.
 By Smriti Sharan

Authorization is what you're allowed to do after you've

proven who you are, like being allowed into the Disney
Theme Park like what all rides you are allowed to take.
 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: And OAuth 2.0? I hear that term a lot?

Simmy: OAuth 2.0 is like a VIP pass that lets apps do things
on your behalf without knowing your password. Like using
your theme park ticket to get rides without having to show
your ID each time.

Cloudy: Okay, Simmy, I've heard about these

'connected applications' in Salesforce. What exactly are
they for?
Simmy: Connected apps let external applications access
specific parts of Salesforce. This could be anything from
displaying Salesforce data on a website to allowing
Salesforce to manage logins for other applications you use.
 By Smriti Sharan

For example, if you're running an ecommerce site and you

want to show live inventory updates from your Salesforce
system, you’d set up a connected app. This app would use
Salesforce’s API to pull the data and display it on your site,
ensuring customers see real time stock levels.

Cloudy: What about within Salesforce itself? How do

connected apps work there?

Simmy: Inside Salesforce, connected apps can do cool

things like enabling Single SignOn (SSO).

You are at the Disney Theme Park and there is an unlimited

ride pass available for purchase because otherwise there is
very long queue.
 By Smriti Sharan

You can purchase this pass which allows you to bypass all
queues and access any ride with one single ticket.

So in terms of Salesforce, suppose you have multiple

Salesforce environments or other web apps. Instead of
logging into each one separately, you log in once, and that
single login gets you into all the others, seamlessly.
 By Smriti Sharan

SSO Eliminates the need for user to remember multiple

username and password.

So Basically, SSO is like unlimited ride pass at theme park

 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: That sounds super convenient! But how does all

this actually get set up?

Simmy: Let’s walk through creating a connected app in

Salesforce. Once you’re logged into your Salesforce
environment, you go to Setup. In the Quick Find box, type
'Apps', then select 'App Manager'. Here, you can create a
new connected app by filling out details like the app’s name,
the API access it needs, and security settings.
 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: What about that callback URL you mentioned?

What’s that for?

Simmy: The callback URL is like the address you want your
VIP guests to go to after they've been verified at the
entrance. In tech terms, it’s where users get redirected
after they authenticate with Salesforce, typically where
your application can handle the login response and proceed
with user sessions.
 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: How is OAuth 2.0 super secure?

Simmy: With OAuth 2.0, your Salesforce can act like a

gatekeeper at the Disney Theme Park. It checks if the app
trying to access your data has the right permissions. If
everything checks out, the app gets a token, kind of like a
stamp at a park, which allows access for a limited time.

Cloudy: Simmy, I'm still a bit confused on how OAuth

and connected apps work. Can you explain it again using
simple examples?

Simmy: Imagine each stall in the food court is a service like

Salesforce, Google, or your banking app. OAuth is like a
food court access pass that lets you get food from any stall
without having to give money to each vendor. The pass
proves you’ve been checked at the main counter and are
allowed to make purchases.
 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: Oh, that makes sense! So, what about OAuth

scopes?

Simmy: Think of scopes like meal tickets that are specific

to each food stall. Some tickets let you get drinks, others
let you get desserts, and some only allow appetizers. In
OAuth, scopes control which services or data you can
access. So, if your pass has a 'dessert' scope, you can only
pick up sweets, not the whole meal.
 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: Got it! And what are Consumer Key and Consumer
Secret?
Simmy: These are like your food court pass ID and a
security PIN. The Consumer Key identifies your application
to the service, like a pass number, and the Consumer Secret
verifies that the application requesting access is really
yours, like a PIN that prevents others from using your pass.

Cloudy: How about the different roles in OAuth?

Simmy:

Resource Owner: You own the pass (like having a theme

park ticket).
Client: The app or website you use that wants access to the
theme park.
Authorization Server: The ticket booth that checks your
pass and gives you a stamp.

Resource Server: The actual rides and attractions, the

parts of the park you get to enjoy after your ticket is
validated.
 By Smriti Sharan

Cloudy: I see. What about the different ways to get

the access, or grant types?

Simmy: Grant types are like different ways to get your

theme park pass:
Authorization Code Flow: Like buying a ticket online with a
verification step to pick it up at call. It’s secure because
your credit card info isn’t shown at the gate.
 By Smriti Sharan

It is also called as Web Server Flow. Is a secure method

because it involves an intermediate step where the
authorization code is exchanged for an access token, thus
keeping your sensitive details (like a credit card number)
secure

Implicit Flow: More direct, like buying a ticket at the gate

and walking in. It’s quicker but less secure that’s why less
used.

Client Credentials Flow: Used for B2B where companies

trust each other, like two companies owning parts of the
park and sharing access without checks.
 By Smriti Sharan

Company A owns the roller coasters, and Company B owns

the water slides.

They use the Client Credentials flow because it's like a

special pass that allows them only to access the parts they
manage. This flow is perfect for server-to-server
communication where no user data is involved, just trusted
systems exchanging information.

Resource Owner Password Credentials: It is Also known

as Username Password Flow. Now, imagine you have a Disney
theme park app that you've used for years. You trust it
completely to handle your ticket bookings, store your season
pass, and even make reservations for exclusive park tours.
 By Smriti Sharan

When you use this app, you enter your username and
password directly into it because you trust it entirely. This
Resource Owner Password flow is quick and straightforward
but used only when you fully trust the application because it
handles your sensitive login details directly.

Here we come to the End of this wonderful fun explanation

of basics of integration.
 By Smriti Sharan

If you Liked the Article and it clear your concepts. It takes

lot of efforts in creating articles like this so feel free to
comment to provide any feedback.

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By Smriti Sharan