(Summit) Getting Started Guide: Linking Redtail Contacts to Orion Households

  • Jul 8, 2026
  • Knowledge

Title
(Summit) Getting Started Guide: Linking Redtail Contacts to Orion Households
Description
This article explains how to link your Redtail contacts to their matching Orion households so that Summit can display Redtail-powered client information, including step-by-step linking instructions and troubleshooting for missing matches or data.
Body

Executive Summary (TL;DR)

Summit displays Redtail-powered client information only after each Redtail contact links to its matching Orion household. Linking is the first step after you connect Redtail as your CRM, and it tells Summit that a Redtail contact and an Orion household represent the same client.

This article covers:
- Why linking matters for your Redtail-powered Summit views
- What linking is and where to find Orion's support article
- How to link a contact step by step, including households that do and do not yet exist in Orion
- How to troubleshoot missing matches and missing data

 

 

What Does This Article Help Solve?

Common Real-Life Questions Summit Users Ask About Linking Redtail Contacts to Orion Households

"Why are my Redtail client details showing up blank in Summit?"
"How do I connect a Redtail contact to the right Orion household?"
"What do I do when no household appears as a match?"
"Which Redtail contact should I link to the household?"
"I linked the contact, so why is Redtail data still missing in Summit?"

 

 

Article Quick Links

Why Should You Link Your Redtail Contacts to Your Orion Households?

What Is Redtail-to-Orion Household Linking?

How Do You Link a Redtail Contact to an Orion Household?

Open the Contact in Redtail

Check Whether the Contact Is Already Linked

If the Household Is Already in Orion

Troubleshooting

No Household Appears as a Match

Redtail Data Still Missing in Summit after Linking

How Redtail Data Enhances the Summit Experience

Client Profile

Client Portal Automation

Advisor Insights and Reporting

 

Why Should You Link Your Redtail Contacts to Your Orion Households?

  • Linking acts as the handshake that tells Summit a Redtail contact and an Orion household represent the same client.

  • Redtail-powered views in Summit — client details, activities, notes, and other Redtail data — stay empty or incomplete until the link exists.

  • Linking is the very first step after you connect Redtail as your CRM.

  • A completed link populates your Redtail-powered Summit views with the right client data, so nothing looks broken or missing.

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What Is Redtail-to-Orion Household Linking?

Linking maps each Redtail contact to its matching Orion household so Summit knows the two records represent the same client. Complete the link once after you connect Redtail as your CRM, and Summit pulls the Redtail data into its views from that point forward.

If linking is not done, Redtail-powered views in Summit appear empty or incomplete. This happens not because anything is broken, but because Summit does not yet know how your Redtail contacts map to your Orion households.

Orion's support article covers the Redtail integration in detail:

Review (Redtail) Integration Partners for the full reference.

 

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How Do You Link a Redtail Contact to an Orion Household?

 Complete this process from inside Redtail.

 

Open the Contact in Redtail

  • Navigate to the client's contact record in Redtail.

  • In the upper-right corner of the contact page, click the puzzle piece  icon

  • Click Orion Advisor from the drop-down menu

 

 

Redtail contact integrations menu  

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Check Whether the Contact Is Already Linked

  • If an Orion household appears in the integration menu with the option to "Unlink Household", that indicates that there is already a linked household.

 

 

 

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If the Household Is Already in Orion

Redtail automatically searches for a match using the Social Security Number (SSN) on the Redtail contact and the SSNs on the registrations inside Orion.

  • When Redtail finds a match, click Select Household next to the client to create the link.

  • When Redtail finds multiple matches, a prompt appears to choose which household to link.

  • When Redtail finds no match, the SSNs may be missing or mismatched. See the Troubleshooting section below.

Best practice: Link the Head of Household contact in Redtail to the Orion household. Only one Redtail contact link is allowed per Orion household, so choosing the head of household keeps the setup clean and prevents issues later.

If the Household Is Not Already in Orion, create the household in Orion using the New Account Wizard. Review the "New Account Wizard" section of the New Accounts Center App Overview article for the steps.

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Troubleshooting

No Household Appears as a Match

 

 

 

 

The most common cause is a missing or mismatched SSN. Check both places:

 

  • In Orion: Orion Connect → Portfolio Audit → Registrations → Edit Registration → SSN / Tax ID

  • In Redtail: Contacts → click the client → TAX ID NUMBER under Contact Details

 

Confirm the SSN is present in both systems and matches exactly, then try linking again.

 

 

Redtail Data Still Missing in Summit after Linking

  • Confirm the linked Redtail contact is the head of household.

  • Confirm no other Redtail contact already links to the same Orion household.

  • Give Summit a moment to refresh after you create the link.

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How Redtail Data Enhances the Summit Experience

The Redtail integration syncs key CRM data in bulk, including: 

Data TypeDescription
AccountsFinancial account records associated with contacts and households, providing account-level information that supports household visibility, client reporting, and advisor workflows within Summit.
Account User Defined Fields (UDF)Custom account-level fields configured in Redtail that provide additional firm-specific data points.
ActivitiesHistorical activity records that support advisor reporting and business intelligence analysis.
ContactsIndividual client and prospect records that become person records in Summit and support Wealth Owner onboarding workflows.
Contact User Defined Fields (UDF)Custom contact-level fields that allow firms to sync additional client information unique to their business.
FamiliesHousehold and family relationships that can be linked to Summit households when properly mapped in Redtail.
KeywordsCategorization and segmentation data used to organize and filter contacts.
OpportunitiesOpportunity and pipeline information that supports business development tracking and reporting.
Professional ContactsCenters of influence and other professional relationships associated with clients and households.
RemindersReminder records that help track upcoming client-related needs.
Tag GroupsLabels and classifications applied to contacts or families that support segmentation, filtering, and automation.
TeamsAdvisor team assignments that can be used to identify internal ownership and support client experiences.
UsersAdvisor and staff user records that support reporting and operational workflows within Summit.
WorkflowsWorkflow definitions and activity data used for workflow reporting, analysis, and operational insights.

 

 

The bulk synchronization process supports advisor reporting, links Redtail families to Summit households, creates contacts in Summit, and helps automate Wealth Owner onboarding by leveraging client and household data already maintained in Redtail.

 

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Client Profile

The Summit client profile automatically displays key information synced from Redtail, including family details, contact information, family tags, notes, meetings, and tasks. Advisors who authenticate their Redtail account gain additional functionality, allowing them to create and manage notes, meetings, and tasks directly within Summit. Changes made in Summit are synchronized back to Redtail through the integration.

 

 

 

Client Portal Automation
Redtail data can power automated client experiences within the Summit client portal. Information tracked in Redtail, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and other important milestones, can be used to populate Wealth Journey content and deliver personalized engagement opportunities based on firm-defined events.


If advisor team assignments are maintained in Redtail, Summit can also display a client-facing team section, helping clients easily identify and connect with their advisory team.

 


Advisor Insights and Reporting
For advisors, Summit provides live access to book-of-business meetings and tasks, allowing them to take action directly from the platform, similar to the client profile experience. In addition, Summit leverages daily Redtail data syncs to deliver reporting and analytics across the business, including:

  • Client segmentation and metadata such as category, status, age range, and referral source.

  • Book-of-business views showing all households, families, and contacts.

  • Workflow analytics, including workflow volume, activity, and time spent within workflows.

  • Task and activity reporting that allows advisors to filter, analyze, and compare activities across their organization to better understand operational trends and workload distribution.

These capabilities help advisors gain greater visibility into client relationships, team activity, workflow efficiency, and overall business performance.

 

 

 

 

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In Summary

  • Connect Redtail as your CRM before you start linking.

  • Link each client's head of household Redtail contact to the matching Orion household.

  • Create any households that do not yet exist in Orion with the New Account Wizard, then link them.

  • Keep SSNs present and consistent in both Redtail and Orion.

  • Allow Summit a moment to refresh, then confirm your Redtail-powered views populate as expected.

 

Last Reviewed
7/8/2026
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https://orionadvisorservices.lightning.force.com/lightning/articles/Knowledge/Getting-Started-Guide---Summit-and-Redtail

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