If you're a Salesforce administrator, you may have recently received a product notification with the subject line: "ATTENTION: Einstein Activity Capture – Add Users to a Configuration." This isn't a routine update — it's a deadline-driven requirement that demands action before May 2026.
Salesforce is requiring that every Einstein Activity Capture (EAC) user be assigned to an active configuration. Users who aren't assigned will lose access to EAC features, including automatic email logging, calendar sync, and the activity data that feeds AI tools like Agentforce.
The good news? For most organizations, this is a 15- to 30-minute fix. The key is knowing exactly what to do — and doing it before the deadline. In this guide, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process, explain what happens if you don't act, and show why this change actually unlocks significant new capabilities for your Salesforce org.
Einstein Activity Capture (EAC) is Salesforce's built-in tool for automatically syncing emails, calendar events, and contacts between your team's Microsoft or Google accounts and Salesforce CRM. Instead of relying on reps to manually log every interaction, EAC captures this activity and associates it with the right Contacts, Leads, Accounts, and Opportunities.
Organizations using EAC report that reps save approximately 4.5 hours per week on manual data entry. That's nearly a full workday every week redirected from administrative busywork to selling, servicing customers, and building relationships.
EAC also provides the foundational data layer for advanced Salesforce capabilities including Pipeline Inspection, Einstein Email Insights, Einstein Conversation Insights, and — increasingly critical — Agentforce AI agents.
On April 27, 2026, Salesforce began sending product notifications to org administrators with a clear message: all Einstein Activity Capture users must be assigned to an active configuration by May 2026.
This change streamlines EAC management and enables email data to be available in platform tools you already use:
Before making changes, you need to understand your org's current state. Here's how to audit your EAC setup:
The Summary tab will highlight any users who have EAC permissions but are not part of an active configuration. These are the users at risk of losing EAC access after May 2026.
Pro Tip: Export the list of unassigned users so you have a record before making changes. This is especially valuable if you need to justify the update to stakeholders or create an audit trail.
If you already have one or more active EAC configurations, you can simply add the unassigned users:
If you need different sync settings for different user groups, create a new configuration:
For large organizations, the fastest approach is to assign by profile rather than individual users:
If the deadline passes without admin action, Salesforce will intervene — but not in the way most admins would prefer:
| Scenario | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Users assigned to a configuration | ✅ No change — EAC continues working normally |
| Users NOT assigned, admin takes action | ✅ Users are added to your chosen configuration with your preferred settings |
| Users NOT assigned, no admin action | ⚠️ Salesforce auto-creates a default configuration and adds unassigned users |
The bottom line: Spending 15–30 minutes now gives you full control. Waiting means accepting Salesforce's default choices for your org.
This configuration change isn't just about email logging — it's about preparing your Salesforce org for AI-powered automation through Agentforce.
Einstein Activity Capture provides the foundational activity data that Agentforce AI agents need to operate effectively:
Starting with the Summer '25 release, Salesforce introduced the ability to sync captured emails as native Salesforce Activities. This means EAC data is no longer siloed — it becomes fully accessible to:
If your users aren't in an active EAC configuration, none of these capabilities work. The May 2026 deadline is Salesforce's way of ensuring every org is positioned to take advantage of these platform-level improvements.
If your organization is still using Lightning Sync for email and calendar integration, there's an additional urgency: Lightning Sync is being retired.
Important: You cannot run EAC and Lightning Sync simultaneously for the same users. Plan your migration in phases if needed, starting with a pilot group.
Run a complete audit of EAC permission sets and existing configurations before making changes. Know who has access, who's actively using it, and who's been overlooked.
Assign users by profile rather than individually whenever possible. This ensures new hires are automatically included and reduces ongoing maintenance.
Add internal email domains, sensitive vendor addresses (payroll, HR, legal), and any email addresses that shouldn't appear on Salesforce timelines. The org-level exclusion list takes priority over individual user exclusions.
For most organizations, Microsoft/Google → Salesforce is the recommended direction. Changes sync within approximately 5 minutes, and you avoid the conflict issues that come with bidirectional sync.
If available in your org, enable this feature to unlock reporting, Flow automation, and Agentforce capabilities. This is the direction Salesforce is heading, and early adoption gives you a competitive advantage.
When emails are synced as native Salesforce Activities, they count against your org's data storage. Implement a retention and archival strategy to manage storage costs proactively.
Notify your team about any changes to their EAC experience, especially around privacy settings and new header-only capture options. A brief enablement session can prevent support tickets and confusion.
If you're making significant configuration changes, test in a sandbox environment before applying to production. Remember to remove sandbox users from test configurations before going live to avoid conflicts.
Einstein Activity Capture (EAC) is a Salesforce feature that automatically syncs emails, calendar events, and contacts from Microsoft Outlook or Google Workspace into Salesforce. It eliminates manual data entry by associating captured activities with the right CRM records — Contacts, Leads, Accounts, and Opportunities — giving teams complete visibility into customer engagement without changing how they work.
Navigate to Setup → Einstein Activity Capture → Settings → Configurations tab. Select an existing configuration (or create a new one), click Edit, and add users individually or by profile in the Users and Profiles section. Click Save to apply the changes. Users must also have an Einstein Activity Capture permission set license assigned.
Users who aren't assigned to an active EAC configuration after May 2026 will lose access to EAC features, including automatic email logging and calendar sync. Salesforce will attempt to auto-create a default configuration and add unassigned users, but this uses default settings that may not align with your organization's privacy, sharing, and exclusion requirements. Proactive configuration gives you full control.
Yes — EAC is a critical data source for Agentforce AI agents. EAC provides the real-world engagement data (emails, meetings, activity patterns) that Agentforce uses for lead scoring, lead nurturing, opportunity insights, and autonomous monitoring. Without EAC data flowing properly, Agentforce agents have limited visibility into actual customer interactions.
For most organizations, the process takes 15–30 minutes. This includes auditing unassigned users, adding them to a configuration, and verifying settings. Larger orgs with multiple configurations or complex requirements may need 1–2 hours.
EAC Standard is included with Sales Cloud Starter, Professional, and Enterprise editions for up to 100 users. Unlimited Edition and higher include additional licenses. Full EAC functionality (including extended data retention) requires paid licenses or add-ons like Sales Engagement or Einstein for Sales.
Lightning Sync was Salesforce's older email and calendar integration tool. It's being retired due to Microsoft's deprecation of Exchange Web Services (EWS) in October 2026. EAC is the replacement, offering AI-powered activity capture, native Salesforce Activity storage, Flow-based record matching, and integration with Agentforce. Salesforce recommends migrating from Lightning Sync to EAC by August 2026.
The May 2026 Einstein Activity Capture configuration requirement is a straightforward change with significant implications. In just 15–30 minutes, Salesforce admins can ensure their teams maintain uninterrupted email and calendar sync while unlocking the platform capabilities that are defining the future of CRM — from Flow automation and native reporting to Agentforce AI.
Don't leave it to Salesforce's auto-configuration. Take control of your EAC settings today, and position your organization to fully leverage the AI-powered tools that depend on clean, complete activity data.
Need help navigating this change? Whether you're configuring EAC for the first time, migrating from Lightning Sync, or planning your Agentforce rollout, Vantage Point is here to help. Our Salesforce experts specialize in platform migrations, configuration optimization, and AI readiness — ensuring your CRM works as hard as your team does.
👉 Contact Vantage Point to schedule a free consultation about your EAC configuration and Agentforce readiness.
Vantage Point is a certified Salesforce and HubSpot partner specializing in CRM implementation, integration, and AI-powered automation. We help businesses of all sizes navigate platform changes, optimize their technology stack, and drive measurable results through strategic consulting, MuleSoft integration, Data Cloud activation, and Agentforce deployment. From configuration changes to full digital transformation, Vantage Point turns complex technology into competitive advantage.