SF-Salesforce.WebToLead 0.0.5.7

Summary - Sitefinity → Salesforce Web-to-Lead Integration

Context / Problem

• Platform: Sitefinity 14/15 (ASP.NET Framework)

• Goal: Sync Sitefinity Forms → Salesforce Leads

• Issue: Built-in Sitefinity Salesforce connector is deprecated (SOAP API v28, dead since Sept 2025).

• Progress confirmed they will not update the connector.

• Originally built to solve the gap on Sitefinity 14.4; the integration is also working and tested on Sitefinity 15.

Chosen Solution (Final Architecture)

Custom Sitefinity Forms event handler → Salesforce Web-to-Lead

• Avoids deprecated connectors

• No Salesforce API / OAuth / API versioning

• Uses Salesforce's supported, long-term Web-to-Lead endpoint

• No Sitefinity Service Hooks (because they POST JSON, Web-to-Lead requires form-url-encoded)

Data Flow

Sitefinity Form Submit -> IFormEntryCreatedEvent -> Custom async handler (FormUrlEncoded POST) -> Salesforce Web-to-Lead endpoint -> Lead created

Get Started

1. Install NuGet Package

Package ID: SF-Salesforce.WebToLead

To get started, install package into your Sitefinity project via Nuget. First, check that your Nuget.config is set up correctly:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
    <packageSources>
        <clear />
        <add key="sitefinity" value="https://nuget.sitefinity.com/nuget" />
        <add key="nuget" value="https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json" />
    </packageSources>
</configuration>

In your Sitefinity project, open Visual Studio Package Manager console and run:

Install-Package SF-Salesforce.WebToLead -Version "[latest version on Nuget]"

After install, check for reference in packages.config:

<packages>
   ...
  <package id="SF-Salesforce.WebToLead" version="0.0.5.7" targetFramework="net48" />
</packages>

Also check .csproj file for Sitefinity. Should include a following similar reference:

<Reference Include="Sitefinity.Salesforce.WebToLead">
      <HintPath>packages\SF-Salesforce.WebToLead.0.0.5.7\lib\net48\Sitefinity.Salesforce.WebToLead.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>

2. Add Configuration

All configuration lives in the Sitefinity web project's web.config, not the class library.

<appSettings>
  <add key="Sitefinity-SfW2L:Enabled" value="true" />
  <add key="Sitefinity-SfW2L:WebhookUrl" value="https://webto.salesforce.com/servlet/servlet.WebToLead?encoding=UTF-8" />
  <add key="Sitefinity-SfW2L:OrgId" value="00Dxxxxxxxxxxxx" />
  <add key="Sitefinity-SfW2L:AllowedForms" value="contact-us, request-a-demo" />
  <add key="Sitefinity-SfW2L:AllowedCompanies" value="Acme Inc, Example Corp" />
  <add key="Sitefinity-SfW2L:AllowedLeadSources" value="Website - Contact, Website - Demo" />
  <add key="Sitefinity-SfW2L:CustomFieldPrefix" value="sf_" />
  <add key="Sitefinity-SfW2L:Debug" value="false" />
</appSettings>

Notes per key:

• Sitefinity-SfW2L:Enabled - required; true/false toggle for the hook; empty throws exception
• Sitefinity-SfW2L:WebhookUrl - required; absolute https URL; invalid values throw at startup
• Sitefinity-SfW2L:OrgId - required; Salesforce Org ID; empty throws exception
• Sitefinity-SfW2L:AllowedForms - required; comma-separated list of form slugs, not titles; see Guardrails section below; empty/missing throws at startup
• Sitefinity-SfW2L:CustomFieldPrefix - required; if a field name contains 00N and starts with this prefix, the prefix is stripped before sending to Salesforce
• Sitefinity-SfW2L:AllowedCompanies - optional but recommended; comma-separated whitelist for company
• Sitefinity-SfW2L:AllowedLeadSources - optional but recommended; comma-separated whitelist for lead_source
• Sitefinity-SfW2L:Debug - optional; when true, sends debug flags to Salesforce

3. Initialize in Sitefinity

Initialize in Global.asax - Sitefinity method - Bootstrapper_Bootstrapped

private void Bootstrapper_Bootstrapped(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    // add webhook form submission events after Sitefinity has bootstrapped
    Sitefinity.Salesforce.WebToLead.SalesforceWebToLeadHook.Init();
}

Or under Global.asax - Application_Start:

protected void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    Bootstrapper.Initialized += (s, args) =>
    {
        if (args.CommandName == "Bootstrapped")
        {
            Sitefinity.Salesforce.WebToLead.SalesforceWebToLeadHook.Init();
        }
    };
}

4. Custom Fields (Salesforce + Sitefinity)

Salesforce exposes custom Web-to-Lead fields as IDs like 00N.... Sitefinity does not allow form field names that start with a number, so use a prefix and let the hook strip it before sending.

Example:

• Salesforce field ID: 00NABC123xyz
• Sitefinity field name: sf_00NABC123xyz
• web.config setting: Sitefinity-SfW2L:CustomFieldPrefix=sf_

Only field names that contain 00N and start with the configured prefix will have the prefix removed.

Quick reference: Salesforce Setup → Web-to-Lead → "Create Web-to-Lead Form" shows the field names and the 00N... IDs.

5. Create or Update a Sitefinity Form

Create or update a Sitefinity form so it includes the required Lead fields and uses the correct Salesforce field names.

Required fields (per default Lead validation in this library):

• last_name
• company
• email
• lead_source (use a hidden field with a fixed, allowed value)

For custom Salesforce fields, use the 00N... IDs and apply the configured prefix if Sitefinity blocks leading numbers (for example, sf_00N...).

Key Design Decisions

1. Project Structure

• Separate Class Library (.NET Framework)
  Example name: Sitefinity.Salesforce.WebToLead

• Referenced by the Sitefinity web project

• Initialized during Sitefinity bootstrap (not raw Application_Start)

2. Salesforce Integration

• Endpoint: https://webto.salesforce.com/servlet/servlet.WebToLead?encoding=UTF-8

• Required hidden fields:

  • oid (Org ID)

• Optional:

  • debug=1

3. Field Mapping Strategy

• No internal mapping dictionary

• Sitefinity form editors control Salesforce field names via: Form -> Edit Field -> Advanced -> FieldName

• Field Names must match:

  • Salesforce standard Web-to-Lead names (email, first_name, etc.)
  • OR custom Lead field IDs (00N...)
  • Find and generate correct field names in Salesforce Setup → Web-to-Lead → "Create Web-to-Lead Form"
  • Full instructions: open Salesforce Setup, search for "Web-to-Lead", click "Create Web-to-Lead Form", then copy the generated field names/IDs into Sitefinity form field names
  • If Sitefinity won't accept a leading number, set a prefix (see CustomFieldPrefix) and name the field like sf_00N...

• Hidden field lead_source required in each form

• Unmapped fields will be discarded upon submission

Guardrails Implemented in Code

Required Fields (hardcoded)

The following fields are typically required by default on Salesforce leads lists So the library will require, at minimum these fields string[] RequiredLeadFields = { "last_name", "company", "email", "lead_source" };

Form Whitelist (AppSettings)

Only fires if form slug is explicitly allowed. Find form slugs in Sitefinity → Content → Forms → Form → "Title & Properties" window → Advanced options

Allowed lead_source Values

• lead_source must:

  • be supplied by the form (use a hidden field)
  • match a configured whitelist

  Note: For the lead_source hidden field, the whitelist of allowed values will prevent a user from changing the default value coded for the form

Allowed company Values (optional)

• When configured, company must match a configured whitelist
• Recommend to use a hidden field with a hardcoded default, in the case company is not specifically required for the form data collection
• If you use a hidden field, the whitelist will prevent users from changing the default allowed value

Webhook Endpoint

• Read from web.config
• Default Salesforce web-to-lead endpoint looks like - https://webto.salesforce.com/servlet/servlet.WebToLead?encoding=UTF-8&orgId=00xx

Async Behavior

• Uses fire-and-forget async Task

• Does not block Sitefinity form submission

• Failures are logged only (UX unaffected)

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE.txt for the full license text.

Changelog

0.0.5.7

• Corrected the assembly version so the published package metadata matches the intended release after the 0.0.5.6 tag/push used stale assembly info.
• No library code changes beyond the release version correction and documentation update.

0.0.5.5

• Disabled the GitHub Actions step that unlisted package versions immediately after publishing to NuGet.org.
• Prepared the next listed NuGet release after the 0.0.5.4 publish/unlist issue.

0.0.5.4

• Improved project documentation and README content.
• Updated the website-facing and technical readmes for clearer installation, release history, and project positioning.

0.0.5.3

• Added support for Salesforce custom Web-to-Lead field IDs using a configurable prefix such as sf_00N..., with automatic prefix stripping before submission.
• Updated documentation for the custom field prefix workflow.

0.0.5.2

• Improved README installation instructions for package consumers.
• No library code changes in the tagged diff beyond the release version update.

0.0.5.1

• Added LICENSE.txt and README.md to the NuGet package.
• Refined package metadata and publish workflow for package consumers.

0.0.5.0

• Updated the NuGet publish workflow for the 0.0.5.x release line.
• No library code changes in the tagged diff beyond the release version update.

0.0.4.9

• Updated the NuGet package identity in the .nuspec.
• Expanded README guidance related to package installation and usage.

0.0.4.8

• Simplified the NuGet publish workflow configuration.
• No library code changes in the tagged diff beyond the release version update.

0.0.4.7

• Refined the NuGet publish workflow again as part of release automation hardening.
• No library code changes in the tagged diff beyond the release version update.

0.0.4.6

• Continued refining the NuGet publish workflow.
• No library code changes in the tagged diff beyond the release version update.

0.0.4.5

• Continued refining the NuGet publish workflow.
• No library code changes in the tagged diff beyond the release version update.

0.0.4.4

• Updated the GitHub Actions workflow to add and refine NuGet publishing support.
• No library code changes in the tagged diff beyond the release version update.

0.0.4.3

• Refined the publish workflow for the NuGet release pipeline.
• No library code changes in the tagged diff beyond the release version update.

0.0.4.2

• Refined the publish workflow for NuGet automation.
• No library code changes in the tagged diff beyond the release version update.

0.0.4.1

• Expanded the GitHub Actions publish workflow for NuGet packaging.
• No library code changes in the tagged diff beyond the release version update.

0.0.4

• Updated the project for NuGet builds.
• Added NuGet.config and packages.config to support packaging workflows.
• Refined the .csproj DLL referencing strategy for Sitefinity builds.

0.0.3

• Initial tagged release of the Sitefinity Forms to Salesforce Web-to-Lead integration.
• Included the core hook logic, README updates, NuGet .nuspec, and publish workflow groundwork.

Sitefinity DLL Referencing Strategy

• Class Library (.NET Framework 4.7.2 / 4.8)

• Reference exact Sitefinity DLL versions used by the site

• Do not install Sitefinity via NuGet

• Recommended approach: /lib/sitefinity/14.4/bin/*.dll/lib/sitefinity/15/bin/*.dll

• Build two binaries from the same codebase:

  • One compiled against SF 14.4

  • One compiled against SF 15

• Deploy matching DLL to matching site version

• Build Release for testing in a real Sitefinity webapp (use Debug only when actively stepping through code)

Why Not Sitefinity Service Hooks?

• Service Hooks POST JSON

• Salesforce Web-to-Lead requires application/x-www-form-urlencoded

• No body templating → requires transformer → defeats “no extra service” goal

Final Outcome

• Replaces dead Salesforce connector

• Zero dependency on Progress maintaining anything

• Minimal infrastructure

• Works on 14.4 and is currently working and tested on Sitefinity 15

• Editor-controlled field mapping with admin guardrails

• Production-safe async behavior

Support

View project page here - https://computerkick.com/sitefinity-forms-to-salesforce-webtolead/