How to Set Up Waterfall Enrichment for Your CRM in 5 Steps

If you've ever spent hours manually enriching leads only to end up with incomplete data, you're not alone. Most sales teams lose 20-30% of their pipeline to bad data - bounced emails, wrong phone numbers, outdated job titles.

Waterfall enrichment solves this. Instead of relying on a single data provider (and accepting their gaps), waterfall enrichment queries multiple sources in sequence until it finds complete, verified information.

In this guide, you'll learn how to set up waterfall enrichment for your CRM. By the end, you'll have automated data enrichment that pulls from 15+ sources - no manual work required.

What is Waterfall Enrichment?

Waterfall enrichment is a multi-provider data strategy that queries premium data sources in sequence until it finds the best match. Think of it like a cascade - your input record flows through Provider 1, then Provider 2, then Provider 3, collecting verified data at each stop.

The key difference from traditional enrichment:

• Single-source enrichment: Query one provider → accept whatever they return (gaps and all)
• Waterfall enrichment: Query multiple providers → merge the best data from each into one complete record

The result? A "golden record" with verified emails, direct dial phone numbers, and complete firmographics - all from one API call.

Cleanlist's waterfall enrichment connects to 15+ premium data sources and handles the cascade logic automatically. You get complete records; we handle the complexity.

Step 1: Prepare Your Input Data

Before running enrichment, clean up your input file. The waterfall algorithm matches records based on the data you provide, so better input means better output.

Required fields (at least one):

• Full name + company name
• LinkedIn profile URL
• Work email address
• Company domain

Optional fields that improve match rates:

• Job title
• Location
• Phone number (for verification)

Export your contacts from your CRM as a CSV. Remove any duplicates and fix obvious formatting issues (all caps names, special characters in email fields).

Expected result: A clean CSV with 50-100 test records ready for enrichment.

Step 2: Upload to Cleanlist and Configure Enrichment

Log into your Cleanlist dashboard and navigate to Waterfall Enrichment.

1. Click New Enrichment Job
2. Upload your CSV file
3. Map your columns to Cleanlist fields (the system auto-detects most formats)
4. Choose your enrichment level:

For most sales teams, start with partial enrichment to validate emails, then run full enrichment on your highest-priority accounts.

5. Click Start Enrichment

The cascade begins. Each record flows through our provider network - typically completing in under 30 seconds per record for partial enrichment.

Expected result: Job status shows "Processing" with a progress bar.

Step 3: Understand the Cascade Logic

Here's what happens behind the scenes when you run waterfall enrichment:

Sequential Query: Your input record is sent to Provider 1 (our highest-confidence source). If they return a match with verified data, we capture it. If not, we cascade to Provider 2, then Provider 3, and so on through 15+ sources.

Response Validation: Every response is validated before acceptance:

• Email syntax check
• Deliverability verification (is the mailbox active?)
• Company data cross-reference
• Freshness scoring (when was this data last updated?)

Best-Match Merge: If multiple providers return data, our algorithm selects the highest-quality value for each field. Provider 1 might have the best email, Provider 3 the best phone number - you get the best of both.

Golden Record Output: The final record includes 25+ fields:

• Contact: verified email, phone, LinkedIn, job title, department
• Company: name, domain, industry, employee count, revenue, headquarters
• Metadata: confidence score, sources used, last verified date

This cascade approach typically achieves 98% data accuracy - far higher than any single provider can deliver alone.

Step 4: Review Results and Export

Once processing completes, review your enriched data in the Cleanlist dashboard.

Key metrics to check:

• Match rate: What percentage of records found matches? (Aim for 80%+)
• Fill rate per field: How complete is each data point?
• Confidence scores: Higher scores = higher accuracy

Filter your results by confidence score. Records scoring 90+ are ready for outreach. Records below 70 may need manual verification.

Export options:

• Download as CSV (for spreadsheet analysis)
• Push to HubSpot, Salesforce, or Outreach via native integrations
• Access via API for custom workflows

Expected result: Enriched CSV with complete contact records, ready for your sales team.

Step 5: Automate with CRM Integration

Manual uploads work for one-off projects, but the real power comes from automation. Connect Cleanlist to your CRM for continuous enrichment.

HubSpot Integration:

1. Go to Settings → Integrations → Connect HubSpot
2. Authorize Cleanlist to access your contacts
3. Configure triggers: "Enrich new contacts automatically" or "Enrich when contact enters [list/workflow]"
4. Set enrichment rules: partial for all leads, full for accounts matching your ICP

Salesforce Integration:

1. Install the Cleanlist managed package from AppExchange
2. Configure field mappings in Setup → Cleanlist Settings
3. Create a Process Builder flow to trigger enrichment on lead creation
4. Map enriched fields back to standard or custom Salesforce fields

API Integration: For custom workflows, use the Cleanlist API directly:

POST /api/v1/enrich
{
  "records": [
    { "name": "John Smith", "company": "Acme Corp" }
  ],
  "type": "full"
}

Response includes all 25+ fields with confidence scores and source metadata.

Expected result: New CRM records automatically enrich within minutes of creation.

Verify Your Setup

Run these checks to confirm everything works:

1. Test record: Add a new contact to your CRM with just name + company. Verify it enriches automatically within 5 minutes.
2. Spot check accuracy: Pick 10 random enriched records. Manually verify emails (send a test) and phone numbers (call them).
3. Check coverage: Review your match rate. Below 70%? Your input data may need cleanup.

Troubleshooting common issues:

Next Steps

You've set up waterfall enrichment. Here's how to get more value from it:

1. Build an ICP scoring model: Use enriched firmographics to score leads automatically with ICP Scoring
2. Clean your existing database: Run enrichment on your full CRM to fill data gaps
3. Set up enrichment triggers: Automate enrichment for webinar signups, demo requests, and inbound leads

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does waterfall enrichment take?

Most records enrich within 30 seconds. Large batches (10,000+ records) complete in 5-15 minutes depending on complexity. Full enrichment (with phone lookup) takes slightly longer than partial.

What if a record doesn't enrich?

The waterfall queries all 15+ sources before giving up. If no data is found, you're not charged for that credit. Common reasons for no match: personal email used as input, very small companies, or executives with limited online presence.

Is waterfall enrichment better than single-source providers?

Yes - by definition. Single providers have data gaps. Waterfall enrichment fills those gaps by combining the best data from multiple sources. Most customers see 20-30% higher fill rates compared to single-source tools.

How fresh is the enriched data?

We prioritize sources with recently verified data. Each record includes a "last verified" timestamp so you know exactly how fresh it is. For email deliverability, we run real-time verification before returning results.

Can I use waterfall enrichment for GDPR compliance?

Cleanlist pulls from commercially-licensed data sources that comply with GDPR and CCPA. However, you're responsible for having a lawful basis to process the contact data in your jurisdiction. Consult your legal team for specific compliance questions.

Waterfall enrichment turns incomplete lead lists into actionable sales data. One API call, 15+ sources, one golden record. Start your free trial and see the difference complete data makes.