---
schema_version: "1"
id: 9dc640106453ebde90d1924563807f8da7a3a610731091d0f7102e357216785a
title: Define Matching Criteria for Salesforce for Outlook (Retiring)
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/sales/264-0-0/outlookcrm_config_matching_criteria.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.outlookcrm_config_matching_criteria.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 0b29605bd074e929795df90126c82e618512342e2b78f32fc7596f9d6d18ff39
description: Define how Salesforce for Outlook handles multiple matching Salesforce contacts when a contact first syncs from Outlook.
products:
  - Sales Cloud
  - Cross Cloud
  - Service Cloud Voice
release: "264"
---
# Define Matching Criteria for Salesforce for Outlook (Retiring)

Define how Salesforce for Outlook handles multiple matching Salesforce contacts when a contact first syncs from Outlook.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Salesforce Classic</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Lightning Experience, if <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=000351596&amp;type=1&amp;mode=1&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">Salesforce Classic is available in your org</a>.</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available with the purchase of Sales Cloud or Government Cloud in: <strong>Personal</strong>, <strong>Contact Manager</strong>, <strong>Professional</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
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            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;" id="d35379e95">User Permissions Needed</th>
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            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d35379e95 ">To view configurations:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d35379e95 ">View Setup and Configuration</td>

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            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d35379e95 ">To create, edit, or delete configurations:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d35379e95 ">Manage Email Client Configurations</td>

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![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sales-sales_productivity-264-0-0-production-enus/b2f6c36a-fa61-4a3c-9752-032ce1818a69/images/icon_important.png)

Important Full product retirement for Salesforce for Outlook is scheduled on January 30, 2027. See [Salesforce for Outlook Retirement](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=000393445&type=1&mode=1&language=en_US). To keep integrating Microsoft Outlook with Salesforce, check out our next-generation products: the Outlook integration and Einstein Activity Capture. See [Move from Salesforce for Outlook (Retiring) to the Next-Generation Products](https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=outlookcrm_sfo_move_parent.htm&language=en_US).

If we don’t find a matching contact in Salesforce, we create one that syncs with the Outlook contact. We then either assign the synced contact to a Salesforce account, leave it unassigned, or place it in your sales rep’s My Unresolved Items page.

1. From Setup, enter Outlook Configurations in the Quick Find box, then select **Outlook Configurations**.
2. Edit a configuration, and select one of these matching criteria options under Data Settings for contacts.
    - Most recent activity—Choose the Salesforce contact that shows the most recent activity (such as a phone call or email), as shown in the contact’s Activity History related list. This option is the default matching criteria.
    - Last updated—Choose the Salesforce contact that was most recently modified.
    - Oldest—Choose the Salesforce contact that has the earliest creation date.
3. Click **Save**. All changes take effect the next time data syncs for the users in this configuration.

#### See Also

- [Create Salesforce for Outlook (Retiring) Configurations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.outlookcrm_config_create.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Before reps can start using Salesforce for Outlook, you define their experience by creating Outlook configurations. Outlook configurations define Salesforce for Outlook settings for reps, like which features reps have access to, and how reps’ records sync between Outlook and Salesforce. If you want to define unique settings for a subset of your sales team, create multiple Outlook configurations, and assign reps accordingly.")
- [Salesforce for Outlook (Retiring) Configurations and Email Application Publisher Layouts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.outlookcrm_config_about.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "To set up your Salesforce for Outlook users with the settings they need, create Outlook configurations and email application publisher layouts.")
- [Customize the Fields That Sync Between Salesforce for Outlook (Retiring) and Microsoft® Outlook®](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.outlookcrm_config_map_fields.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Customize fields in the records that your sales reps sync using Salesforce for Outlook. Also add custom Outlook or Salesforce fields you want your reps to sync.")