Step by Step Guide to OAuth External Credential with Client Credentials with Client Secret Flow

Here is another guide in the series of guides that we have come up with on how to use different authentication protocols in External Credentials in Salesforce to authenticate with external systems.

(External credentials enable the safe and secure storage of authentication details for external systems. Configured through the declarative, point-and-click features of Salesforce, they significantly reduce the need for custom code that would otherwise be necessary to establish connections and authenticate with external systems.)

In this guide we will learn how to configure & use External Credential with “Client Credentials with Client Secret” to integrate one Salesforce Org with another Salesforce Org. But before we dive into this guide, here is an overview of all the different authentication protocols that external credentials support.

Salesforce External Credential Authentication Protocols – Lay of the Land

External Credentials in Salesforce support different authentication protocols to suit diverse requirements. The diagram below shows the lay of the land regarding the various authentication protocols available within external credentials.

In this post, we will learn how to use the OAuth External Credential with Client Credentials with Client Secret (highlighted by the red arrow in the image below).

Overview of External Credential Authentication Protocols in Salesforce

Begin with the End in Mind

Here is what we will be configuring in this guide: Our end goal is to create an Account record in one Salesforce Org from another Salesforce Org using Salesforce API. And for authentication from source Salesforce org to target Salesforce org, we will be using the OAuth External Credential with Client Credentials with Client Secret.

Create Account Record in Salesforce through API

OAuth External Credential with Browser Flow Configuration Components

Here is a visual representation of all the components that need to be configured for the Client Credentials with Client Secret Flow. While this may seem like a lot (and it is), don’t worry. I have you covered with an exhaustive, step-by-step guide complete with screenshots, so that you don’t get lost.

OAuth External Credential with Client Credentials with Client Secret Configuration Components

And here is a visual representation of the flow between source Salesforce org and target Salesforce org.

OAuth External Credential with Client Credentials with Client Secret Flow

Finally, here is the overview of steps we are covering in this guide. Step by step, with screenshots.

  1. Create Connected App in Target Org
  2. Create External Credential
  3. Create Named Credential
  4. Create/Update Permission Set
  5. Create Screen Flow with HTTP Callout
  6. Test the Flow

NOTE: Certain sections of the guide will appear as locked in the free preview. You can download the unlocked version of the guide in PDF format by subscribing to our “All Access” Pass through the link below.

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References & Useful URLs

2 thoughts on “Step by Step Guide to OAuth External Credential with Client Credentials with Client Secret Flow”

  1. Thank you so much for sharing these steps, Ashish, to POST with Flow.

    I was googling a lot over the weekend on how to connect two SFDC orgs and do POST or GET with flows and Named Credentials, but all I found was the first part and the second was always carried out with code, although I knew it was completely possible to do with flows’ action I did not know exactly how. Now I did it!
    Thanks a bunch!!!
    <3

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