Integrating and managing social networking information in an on-demand database system

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing program code executable by a processor in a computer to integrate information from a social network into a database system, the program code including instructions to:

• receive a message;
• automatically search existing contact records and lead records in the database system and determine that the message was sent by a correspondent who is not associated with any of the existing contact records or lead records;
• extract correspondent-identifying metadata from the received message without operator assistance;
• populate a new contact record or lead record with the extracted correspondent-identifying metadata;
• associate the message with the new contact record or lead record;
• and
• store the new contact record or lead record in the database system.

A system for integrating information from a social network into a database system, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• a network interface;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable medium embodied with instructions to:
• receive a message, using the processor and the network interface;
• automatically search existing contact records and lead records in the database system and determine that the message was sent by a correspondent who is not associated with any of the existing contact records or lead records;
• extract correspondent-identifying metadata from the received message without operator assistance;
• populate a new contact record or lead record with the extracted correspondent-identifying metadata;
• associate the message with the new contact record or lead record;
• and
• store the new contact record or lead record in the database system.