Data Management
Data Management Overview
Id – first 3 chars identify the object – account ,contact, custom obj, …
can access id through – URL, Report, Web Services API, Formulas
Format of record ids:
15 digit case sensitive
a column in report is displayed as 15 digit
18 digit case insensitive
web services api always return 18 digit
the api always returns 18 digit
the report framework doesn’t expose IDs for all objects
System fields
Created Date, Created By, Last Modified Date, Last Modified By – these fields can be set only during the initial setup
only accessible through API and backward compatible with all SOAP based APIs
available to all custom objects, but restricted to account, opportunity, contact, lead, case, task and event standard objects
for updates, api will accept either the 15 digit or 18 digit
Basics of Upsert & External ID
Upsert – insert + update
External Id
user defined cross reference field
can be created for any custom field of type text, number or email
helps improve report & API SOQL performance
each object can have upto 3 external ids
if the external id is matched multiple times, an error is reported
Data Management Tools
Tools to migrate data
application importing wizards
web service APIs
Data Loader, Partner Tools, Custom-built Tools, Open Source Tools
import wizards
can load upto 50,000 records – accounts, contacts, leads, solutions or custom objects
prevent duplication of data contact, leads, custom objects
API based tools
can load data to any object supported by API
can load more than 50,000 records
can schedule regular data loads
export data for backup
delete multiple supported objects at the same time
Data Loader
can be run from command line
support custom relationships for upsert
supports importing from and exporting data to a CSV file
supports loading from and exporting data to a database through JDBC
available for downlaod in Unlimided Edition, Enterprise Edition & Developer Edition, also available as open source but no support
Export – uses SOQL to export records from SF to CSV
Insert – inserts new records
Update – updates existing records and matches records based on the Salesforce id
Upsert – insert + update, matches based on either Salesforce id or external id
delete – deletes records from, matches based on Salesforce id
Managing Data
command line
can set the config directory
data loader runs whatever operation, file or map that is specified in the config file
runs the current directory if no config diretory is specified
default config file location: c:\\program files\\salesforce.com\\data loader\\version\\samples\\conf
if you use process-conf.xml, setting process.name to the name of a process specifies a process to run. Otherwise, the config.properties file is used for parameter settings
supports extract, insert, update, upsert, delete
offers encryption utility: Run\\bin\\encrypt.bat
Generate a key: key text is generated onscreen from the text provided
Encrypt text: (key file can be provided optionally)
Verify encrypted text
mass transfer tool to upsert mass data – can be used to transfer multiple accounts, leads from one user to another
need ‘Transfer record’ and ‘Edit’ permissions
to transfer a record that a user doesn’t own, the user needs to have the required user permissions and read sharing acces on the record