Introduction

Integrating MuleSoft with Salesforce (SFDC) allows seamless data exchange between your applications. To ensure secure authentication, using OAuth 2.0 is the recommended approach for Salesforce MuleSoft integration and modern secure API integration. This guide will walk you through the entire process—from setting up a Connected App in Salesforce to configuring MuleSoft with OAuth 2.0 authentication.

You’ll configure secure token flows, manage refresh lifecycle, and build resilient Salesforce-MuleSoft integration with OAuth 2.0 across your enterprise systems ensuring secure token-based authentication and reliable API communication.

Let’s get started!

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

Salesforce:

• Developer Edition or Enterprise Edition org.
• Admin privileges to create a Connected App.

MuleSoft:

1. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform account.
2. Anypoint Studio installed with Mule 4 runtime.
3. Basic knowledge of REST APIs and OAuth 2.0.

Tools:

Postman (optional) for testing the integration.

Step-by-Step Salesforce–MuleSoft OAuth 2.0 Integration Guide

Step 1: Create a Connected App in Salesforce

To enable OAuth authentication, you need to create a Connected App in Salesforce.

1.1: Log in to Salesforce

Go to Salesforce and log in with admin credentials.

1.2: Navigate to App Manager

In the Setup menu, search for and select App Manager.

1.3: Create a New Connected App

Click “Create an External Client App”.

Fill in the following:

App Name: Choose a descriptive name (e.g., MuleSFDCIntegration).

API Name: Auto-populated.

Contact Email: Enter your email.

Click Create.

1.4: Enable OAuth Settings

Go to the Policies tab.

Select OAuth as the Start Page.

Click on the Settings tab.

Check the box for Enable OAuth Settings.

1.5: Set the Callback URL

Add the Callback URL, which Salesforce will redirect to after authentication.

For local testing, use http://localhost:8081/callback. For production, add your MuleSoft app’s callback URL.

1.6: Add OAuth Scopes

Choose the necessary scopes:

Access and manage your data (api)

Perform requests at any time (refresh_token, offline_access)

Full access (for initial testing)

Click Save.

1.7: Go to Policies Tab for OAuth Policies

Permitted Users: Admin-approved users are pre-authorized

OAuth Start URL:https://[your-salesforce-domain].my.salesforce.com/services/oauth2/authorize

Select Profiles: System Administrator

1.8: Get Consumer Credentials

Go to Manage Consumer Details.

Copy the:

Consumer Key

Consumer Secret

You’ll use these credentials in MuleSoft.

1.9: App Authorization

Refresh Token Policy: Expire refresh token after specific time.

Step 2: Set Up the OAuth 2.0 Connection in MuleSoft

Next, you’ll configure MuleSoft Integration Solutions to use the Salesforce Connected App.

2.1: Create a New Mule Project

Open Anypoint Studio.

Go to File > New > Mule Project.

Name your project.

2.2: Add the Salesforce Connector

Go to Anypoint Exchange.

Search for and add the Salesforce Connector to your project.

2.3: Configure the Salesforce Connector

Drag and drop the Salesforce Config component onto the canvas.

Set the Connection type to OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Grant.

Fill in the following details:

Authorization URL:https://[your-salesforce-domain].my.salesforce.com/services/oauth2/authorize

Access Token URL:https://[your-salesforce-domain].my.salesforce.com/services/oauth2/token

Client ID: Paste the Consumer Key from Salesforce.

Client Secret: Paste the Consumer Secret.

Callback URL: Use the same Callback URL configured in Salesforce.

Scopes: Use the same OAuth scopes selected in Salesforce.

Step 3: OAuth 2.0 Authorization Flow

Now, let’s understand how the OAuth Dance works:

User Authorization: The Mule app redirects the user to Salesforce’s Authorization URL.

Grant Access: The user logs in and authorizes the connection.

Redirect with Code: Salesforce redirects the user to the Callback URL with an Authorization Code.

Token Exchange: MuleSoft integration solutions exchange the Authorization Code for an Access Token and a Refresh Token.

Token Usage: The Mule app uses the Access Token to make authenticated requests.

Step 4: Token Management in MuleSoft

MuleSoft’s Salesforce Connector automatically handles token generation and refresh. Here’s how it works:

1. After the initial authorization, MuleSoft receives an Access Token and a Refresh Token.
2. The Refresh Token is used to obtain new Access Tokens when they expire.
3. For advanced handling, you can store the tokens in Object Store in mulesoft for reuse.

Step 5: Create a Sample Account in Salesforce

Let’s create a test record in Salesforce integration using MuleSoft.

5.1: Add the Salesforce Create Operation

Drag and drop the Salesforce Create operation into your flow.

5.2: Configure the Operation

Select the Account object.

Add a Transform Message component before the Create operation.

Use the following payload: { "Name": "MuleSoft Account", "BillingCity": "Anytown", "BillingCountry": "USA" }

5.3: Add an HTTP Listener

Add an HTTP Listener to trigger the flow.

Set the Path to /create.

5.4: Deploy and Test

Deploy your Mule application.

Use Postman or your browser to access:http://localhost:8081/create

Verify that the new account is created in Salesforce.

Conclusion:

By following this guide, you’ve successfully:

1. Created a Connected App in Salesforce.
2. Configured MuleSoft with OAuth 2.0.
3. Set up a sample flow to create records in Salesforce.

OAuth 2.0 provides secure authentication, enabling MuleSoft Partners to work with Salesforce efficiently through secure API integration. With that solid integration, MuleSoft Partners can also expand the integration to perform Salesforce integration mulesoft operations like querying records, updating data, or deleting data using the Salesforce API integration with MuleSoft, while ensuring secure token-based authentication across enterprise systems.

Tip: Always test your flow in a development environment before deploying it to production.

Unlock the full potential of MuleSoft with expert integration support. Reach out to us to explore how ProwessSoft can help you achieve seamless connectivity and drive business growth.