Connecting Ovalead to Attio: keep your modern CRM always fresh

Why Attio appeals to modern Sales teams

Launched in 2021, Attio was built for teams that find Salesforce too heavy and HubSpot too generic. Its strength comes from a flexible data structure (every table can be customized like Notion) coupled with a modern, fast UI.

On the tech side, Attio stands out with:

• A public REST API that's very well documented
• A Records and Attributes system that lets you model any object without hacks
• Native webhooks to react to changes in real time
• Native email integration (Gmail/Outlook) that automatically creates People from your correspondence

That last feature is precisely what creates the need for Ovalead: Attio automatically creates People as soon as you exchange messages with someone, but never checks whether their information is still current 6 months later.

The problem specific to Attio users

Because Attio auto-creates contacts from your emails, your base grows fast and silently:

• A 5-SDR team exchanging with 300 people/month → ~3,000 People after a year
• No initial title/company information (Attio doesn't do basic enrichment)
• Records stay empty or stale because nobody fills them in manually
• When you want to use them for a campaign or report, 70% are unusable

Ovalead fills those records in the background: current title, company, industry, size, verified email. Your Attio becomes usable.

Ovalead × Attio integration: where we stand

Today, two options depending on your technical comfort:

• CSV workflow: export from Attio, Ovalead processing, import into Attio (15 min setup)
• API workflow: a Python script that reads Attio, sends to Ovalead, updates Attio (for tech-leaning teams, ~1h setup)

In Q4 2026, Ovalead will ship the native integration via the Attio API (continuous sync via two-way webhooks).

API workflow (recommended for Attio)

Since Attio's API is high quality, you might as well use it. Here's the skeleton of the Python script that many of our Attio users have adopted:

1. Fetch People to scan via GET /v2/objects/people/records/query with a filter (e.g. no job_title, or last_traced_at > 90 days)
2. Send the list to Ovalead via the Ovalead API (CSV in multipart, or JSON via POST /api/jobs/upload)
3. Fetch Ovalead results via GET /api/jobs/{id}/contacts
4. Update Attio via PATCH /v2/objects/people/records/{id} for each detected change

A complete script (Python, ~80 lines) is available on request (folder scripts/attio-sync).

CSV workflow (simpler)

If you'd rather not write a script:

1. Attio → People view → Export to CSV button (top right)
2. Drag-and-drop into Ovalead
3. Run the scan
4. Get the enriched CSV
5. Attio → People view → Import CSV button → match on record_id in "Update existing" mode

Concrete use cases for Attio

Case 1 — Enriching auto-created People (startup RevOps)

Your team sends 200 emails/day. Attio auto-creates People records but they're empty beyond the email. Run a weekly Ovalead scan on People created in the last 7 days with no job_title. Result: ~70-80% of records enriched automatically, your Attio becomes a real database rather than an email directory.

Case 2 — Tracking moves in your network (Sales)

Attio is often used to track a network of relationships (investors, partners, past clients) beyond pure pipeline. A quarterly Ovalead scan identifies who has moved: a former prospect now CEO of another company = a hot opportunity.

Case 3 — Investor or board deck prep (Founders)

Before a board or fundraise, export the active Companies in Attio, push through Ovalead to validate their data (current size, industry, latest round). Your slides reflect today's market, not a 12-month-old snapshot.

Best practices for Attio × Ovalead

1. Create 4 Ovalead attributes in Attio

On the People object: trace_last_scan (Date), trace_status (Select), trace_email_score (Number), trace_job_changed (Checkbox).

2. Build an Attio "Smart List" of records to re-scan

Filter: trace_last_scan is empty OR < today - 90 days. That Smart List becomes your work view.

3. Attio → Ovalead webhook for new People

When a new Person is created in Attio, trigger a webhook that adds the record to a scheduled Ovalead job. Your data is enriched within minutes of creation, hands-free.

4. Lean on Attio's flexibility for grouping

Create a "Cohort" attribute ("Q1 2026 outbound", "Customer renewal H2", etc.) and run Ovalead per cohort. That lets you measure database quality by segment and tune scan frequency accordingly.

Native integration roadmap

In Q4 2026:

• 1-click connection from the Attio marketplace (Apps section)
• Two-way People + Companies sync via Attio API v2
• Attio → Ovalead webhook: auto-enrichment on creation
• Embedded Attio block displaying "Ovalead status" inside record views

FAQ

Is the Attio API available on every plan?

Yes, on Plus and above. The Free plan has no API. For the CSV workflow, every plan works.

Which Attio objects can Ovalead enrich?

Today: People and Companies (the two standard objects). Custom objects (Deal, Project, etc.) are not enriched directly, but the People linked to those objects are.

Does Attio rate-limit API calls?

Plus plan: 1,000 calls/hour, enough for most workflows. Pro plan: 10,000/hour. For very large volumes (> 50k contacts), batch requests in groups of 100.

What if I use Attio as a "PRM" (Partner Relationship Management)?

Perfect use case for Ovalead: your network of partners changes fast, and identifying who has left or been promoted at a strategic partner is worth more than an 18-month-old static record.