Before setting up your CRM integration, you'll need to confirm how your CRM will connect to CollegeVine and whether any additional tooling is required. This decision affects your setup path, timeline, and technical requirements — so it's worth locking in early.
Connection methods
CollegeVine supports two connection methods:
SFTP — Your CRM exports a file to a CollegeVine-hosted SFTP server on a scheduled basis. This is the most common connection method and is supported across all CRM types.
API — A direct connection between Salesforce and CollegeVine via API. This option is only available for Salesforce and is limited to a single Salesforce object.
SFTP
Step 1: Gathering your credentials
CollegeVine hosts the SFTP server and creates your username — your team does not need to set up any infrastructure. Here's what each side is responsible for:
| Who handles it |
SFTP server hosting | CollegeVine |
SFTP username | CollegeVine (we create this for you) |
SSH key pair generation | Your team |
IP address allowlisting | Your team provides IPs; CollegeVine allowlists them |
What your team needs to provide:
Your public SSH key (OpenSSH format, RSA 2048-bit minimum recommended). Note that some systems may generate keys in an alternative format — if so, let your CollegeVine implementation contact know and we can advise on conversion.
IP address(es) your system will connect from. We accept public IP addresses or CIDR ranges.
Step 2: Confirm if you require a middleware
If your CRM does not support a native SFTP connection, you'll need a middleware tool to facilitate the file transfer between your CRM and CollegeVine's SFTP server.
CRM | Connection options | Middleware required? |
Slate | SFTP | No — Slate supports native SFTP |
Salesforce | API or SFTP | API: No. SFTP: Yes — requires a tool such as Informatica (or equivalent) |
Other CRMs | SFTP | Depends — check whether your CRM supports native SFTP export/import |
If you're unsure whether your CRM supports native SFTP, reach out to your CollegeVine implementation contact before proceeding.
API [Salesforce only]
Note: Salesforce API vs. SFTP
If you're using Salesforce, you have can choose either the API or SFTP integration options. Review the differences below and decide which fits your setup before beginning.
| API Connection | SFTP + Middleware |
How it works | Direct connection between Salesforce and CollegeVine via API | Files exported from Salesforce via middleware (e.g. Informatica) and transferred over SFTP |
Middleware required | No | Yes |
Supported objects | Single Salesforce object only (e.g. Contact or Lead — not both) | More flexible — can combine data across multiple objects |
Setup complexity | Lower | Higher |
Best for | Simple, single-object data models | Complex data spread across multiple Salesforce objects |
⚠️ Important: The API connection only supports a single Salesforce object. If your student data spans multiple objects (e.g. you need fields from both Contact and related object), SFTP + middleware will be the better fit.