Salesforce · 15 min · reviewed 2026-09-06
How do I create a Salesforce API user and get its security token?
Create a dedicated Salesforce user for the integration, give it API access, reset its security token (Salesforce e-mails it), then enter the user, password, token and your instance URL in Settings → Salesforce orgs. Do not share this user with a person: a password change by a teammate locks the integration out.
What you will need
- A System Administrator login in the Salesforce org.
- One spare user licence (Salesforce or Salesforce Platform).
- An inbox for the API user's e-mail (the security token is mailed there).
Steps
- 1
Step 1
In Salesforce, open Setup → Users → Users → New User.
- 2
Step 2
Name it clearly, for example SalesCrew API. Use an e-mail you control. Licence Salesforce, profile System Administrator (or a clone with API Enabled, Modify All Data on Leads and Send Email).
- 3
Step 3
Save. Set the password from the welcome e-mail. Turn Multi-Factor Authentication off for this user only (Setup → Permission Sets → remove *MFA for User Interface Logins*), or the API login fails.
- 4
Step 4
Sign in as the API user once. Open View profile → Settings → Reset My Security Token → Reset.
- 5
Step 5
Salesforce e-mails a 24-character token to the user's address. Copy it.
- 6
Step 6
Find the instance URL: it is the address bar when you are signed in, for example https://acme.my.salesforce.com. Use the my.salesforce.com form, not lightning.force.com.
- 7
Step 7
In SalesCrew: Settings → Salesforce orgs → Add org, connection API. Enter a label, the instance URL, the API user, its password and the security token. Click Test, then Save.
Common errors
- INVALID_LOGIN
- wrong password, an old token (every password reset makes a new token), or an IP restriction on the profile. Reset the token again and paste the new one.
- "user locked out"
- too many failed logins, often a person trying the same user by hand. Reactivate the login under Setup → Users, then reset the token.
- API_DISABLED_FOR_ORG
- the org edition has no API access (Essentials). Upgrade or use manual mode.
How you know it worked
Settings → Salesforce orgs → Test shows Connected. Then run Check senders on the same row to see which addresses this org can send from.
Where this goes in SalesCrew
Settings → Salesforce orgs → Test shows Connected. In your own workspace the same how-to opens beside the field, with your callback URLs filled in.