Selecting an authentication method depends on your Salesforce environment's needs for access control, cost, and audit requirements. Below is a comparison of available methods to help you decide which suits your use case.
Per-workspace authentication
Authenticate the entire workspace using a single set of credentials. All users share access based on the workspace's credentials.
Implications
Audit/History impact: Actions in Salesforce are logged under the workspace connection user, which may not reflect individual activity.
Visibility and access control: Users inherit the permissions of the workspace connection. This may grant access to data outside their typical permissions.
Recommended use case:
When all users need the same level of access.
There are no strict requirements for tracking individual activities.
Watch an overview video on how to connect/disconnect:
Per-user authentication
Each user authenticates with their own Salesforce credentials, ensuring individualized access and activity tracking.
Implications
Audit/History impact: All actions are logged under the individual user's name, providing a precise audit trail.
Visibility and access control: Users can only access data within their Salesforce permissions.
Important: If the per-user connection is not authenticated, the Workflow Runner will default to per-workspace credentials.
Recommended use case:
When detailed activity tracking and precise access control are essential.
Watch an overview video:
Workato per-workspace authentication
Workato recipes use workspace authentication to interact with Salesforce using a shared set of credentials.
Implications
Audit/History impact: Actions appear under the workspace connection user.
Visibility and access control: Permissions of the workspace credentials apply to all actions.
Recommended use case:
For automations like pulling entity schema (template sidebar) or searching opportunities in workflows.
Watch an overview video:
API user (integration user) authentication
An API-only user provides dedicated credentials for integrations without requiring a full Salesforce license.
Implications
Audit/History impact: Integration activities are logged under the API user, distinguishing them from manual user actions.
Visibility and access control: Configurable permissions limit the scope of actions, enhancing security.
Recommended use case:
For integrations requiring minimal user interaction and clear separation between automated and user-driven tasks.