Data Import and Export Tools

Data Import and Export Tools in Salesforce – A Comprehensive Guide for Platform Developer 1 Exam

Why Data Import and Export Tools Matter

Data is the lifeblood of any Salesforce implementation. Whether you are migrating data from a legacy system, performing bulk updates, creating backups, or integrating with external platforms, you need to understand which tool to use, when to use it, and how each tool works. The Salesforce Platform Developer 1 exam tests your knowledge of these tools because developers are frequently called upon to move data in and out of Salesforce orgs during development, testing, and deployment.

Choosing the wrong tool can lead to performance issues, data corruption, exceeded governor limits, or failed migrations. A solid understanding of data import and export tools ensures that you can recommend and implement the right solution for any data movement scenario.

What Are Salesforce Data Import and Export Tools?

Salesforce provides several native and external tools for importing (inserting, updating, upserting, deleting) and exporting data. The primary tools you should know for the exam are:

1. Data Import Wizard
This is a built-in, browser-based tool accessible from Salesforce Setup. Key characteristics include:
- Supports importing data into standard objects such as Accounts, Contacts, Leads, Solutions, and Custom Objects.
- Can import up to 50,000 records at a time.
- Supports CSV file uploads.
- Provides duplicate management through matching rules.
- Supports insert, update, and upsert operations.
- Does not support export or delete operations.
- Does not support all standard objects (e.g., it does not support Opportunities directly or Cases by default).
- Ideal for simple imports by admins or developers who need a quick, guided process.
- Automatically triggers workflow rules, validation rules, and other automation on import.

2. Data Loader
Data Loader is a client-side application (available for Windows and macOS) that supports more advanced data operations. Key characteristics include:
- Supports insert, update, upsert, delete, hard delete, and export operations.
- Can handle up to 5 million records.
- Works with all Salesforce objects (standard and custom).
- Uses CSV files for input and output.
- Supports both an interactive (GUI) mode and a command-line (batch) mode, making it scriptable and automatable.
- Uses the Salesforce Bulk API or SOAP API depending on configuration (Bulk API is recommended for large data volumes).
- Allows field mapping between CSV columns and Salesforce fields.
- Processes records in configurable batch sizes (default 200, max 2,000 for SOAP API; up to 10,000 for Bulk API).
- Generates success and error log files for each operation.
- Requires login credentials or OAuth for authentication.
- Does trigger automation (workflows, triggers, validation rules, processes) unless specifically configured otherwise.

3. Data Export Service (Native Export)
This is a built-in Salesforce feature found in Setup under Data Export. Key characteristics include:
- Allows you to export data from your Salesforce org on a scheduled or manual basis.
- Exports data as a set of CSV files packaged in a ZIP archive.
- Can include all data or only data that has changed since the last export.
- Available in most Salesforce editions (scheduling frequency varies: monthly for some editions, weekly for others like Enterprise and Unlimited).
- Useful for backup purposes.
- Does not support import operations.

4. Salesforce APIs (Bulk API, SOAP API, REST API)
While not standalone tools, understanding the underlying APIs is critical:
- Bulk API: Designed for large data loads (thousands to millions of records). It processes data asynchronously in batches. Data Loader uses Bulk API when the "Use Bulk API" setting is enabled.
- SOAP API: Synchronous API used for smaller data operations. Data Loader uses this by default.
- REST API: Commonly used for integrations and can handle data operations, but is typically used for smaller record sets or real-time operations.

5. External Tools (for awareness)
- Tools like Dataloader.io, Jitterbit, MuleSoft, and other ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) platforms can also be used for data import/export. While the exam focuses primarily on native tools, understanding that external options exist is helpful context.

How These Tools Work – A Deeper Look

Data Import Wizard – How It Works:
1. Navigate to Setup → Data Import Wizard.
2. Select the object you want to import data into (e.g., Accounts and Contacts, Leads, Custom Objects).
3. Choose the operation: Add new records, Update existing records, or Add and Update simultaneously (upsert).
4. Upload a CSV file.
5. Map CSV columns to Salesforce fields.
6. Specify matching criteria for updates (e.g., match by Salesforce ID, Name, or Email).
7. Start the import and receive an email notification upon completion.

Data Loader – How It Works:
1. Download and install Data Loader.
2. Log in using Salesforce credentials or OAuth.
3. Select the operation: Insert, Update, Upsert, Delete, Hard Delete, or Export.
4. Choose the target Salesforce object.
5. Browse and select the CSV file (for import operations).
6. Map fields using the mapping dialog or a pre-saved mapping file (SDL file).
7. Configure settings such as batch size, API type (SOAP vs. Bulk), and time zone.
8. Execute the operation.
9. Review success and error files generated after the operation.

For command-line mode, you configure XML files (process-conf.xml and related files) and can schedule operations using operating system task schedulers (e.g., Windows Task Scheduler or cron jobs).

Data Export Service – How It Works:
1. Navigate to Setup → Data Export → Export Now (or Schedule Export).
2. Select the objects to include in the export.
3. Optionally choose to include images, documents, attachments, and Chatter files.
4. Choose "All records" or "Changed records only."
5. Start the export; Salesforce generates the ZIP file in the background.
6. You receive an email when the export is ready to download.
7. Download the ZIP file containing CSV files for each object.

Key Comparisons for the Exam

Feature	Data Import Wizard	Data Loader	Data Export Service
Record Limit	50,000	5 million	All records
Operations	Insert, Update, Upsert	Insert, Update, Upsert, Delete, Hard Delete, Export	Export only
Supported Objects	Limited standard objects + custom objects	All objects	All objects
Command Line Support	No	Yes	No
Scheduling	No	Yes (via CLI + OS scheduler)	Yes (built-in scheduling)
Duplicate Handling	Yes (matching rules)	Manual (via External ID or Record ID)	N/A
Triggers Automation	Yes	Yes	N/A
API Used	Internal (browser-based)	SOAP API or Bulk API	Internal

Important Concepts to Remember

- External ID: A custom field marked as an External ID can be used for upsert operations. If a record with the matching External ID exists, it is updated; otherwise, a new record is inserted. This is critical for Data Loader upsert operations.
- Hard Delete: Data Loader supports hard delete, which permanently removes records without sending them to the Recycle Bin. This requires the "Bulk API Hard Delete" permission.
- Bulk API vs. SOAP API: Use Bulk API for large volumes (typically over 50,000 records). It processes asynchronously and is optimized for throughput. SOAP API is synchronous and better for smaller operations.
- Batch Size: In Data Loader, you can configure batch size. Smaller batches reduce the risk of hitting governor limits per transaction but may take longer overall. Larger batches are faster but increase the risk of errors per batch.
- Triggers and Automation: Both Data Import Wizard and Data Loader fire Apex triggers, workflow rules, process builder flows, validation rules, and assignment rules. Plan accordingly when importing large data sets to avoid hitting governor limits in triggers.
- Record Ownership: When importing records, you may need to specify the Owner field. If not specified, the running user typically becomes the owner.
- Date and Number Formats: CSV files must use the correct date format and locale settings compatible with Salesforce expectations (e.g., yyyy-MM-ddTHH:mm:ss.SSSZ for datetime).

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Data Import and Export Tools

1. Know the Record Limits:
The exam frequently tests whether you know when to use Data Import Wizard (up to 50,000 records) versus Data Loader (up to 5 million records). If the scenario mentions a large volume of records (e.g., hundreds of thousands or millions), the answer is almost certainly Data Loader or Bulk API.

2. Know Which Operations Each Tool Supports:
Data Import Wizard does NOT support delete or export. If a question asks about deleting records in bulk, the answer is Data Loader. If the question is about exporting data, it's either Data Loader, the Data Export Service, or a report export – never the Data Import Wizard.

3. Pay Attention to Object Support:
Data Import Wizard has limited object support. It does not support all standard objects. If a question mentions importing Opportunities or Cases, Data Loader is the appropriate tool.

4. Command-Line and Automation Scenarios:
If a question mentions scheduling data loads, automating imports, or running data operations from the command line, the answer is Data Loader in command-line (CLI) mode. The Data Import Wizard has no CLI capability.

5. External ID and Upsert:
Understand that upsert operations rely on an External ID field or the Salesforce Record ID to determine whether to insert or update. Questions about preventing duplicates during import often point to using upsert with an External ID.

6. Understand Bulk API Characteristics:
If a question describes a need for high-performance, asynchronous processing of large data sets, the answer involves the Bulk API (often used through Data Loader with the Bulk API setting enabled).

7. Think About Governor Limits:
When importing data, Apex triggers and automation fire on each batch. Questions may test your understanding that large imports can cause governor limit issues in triggers. Adjusting batch size or optimizing trigger code (bulkification) is the recommended approach.

8. Data Export Service for Backups:
If the question is about periodic backups of org data, the Data Export Service is the native solution. Remember the scheduling limitations (weekly vs. monthly depending on edition).

9. Hard Delete Permission:
If a question mentions permanently deleting records (bypassing the Recycle Bin), remember that Data Loader's hard delete feature requires a specific system permission and uses the Bulk API.

10. Elimination Strategy:
Many questions provide four options. Quickly eliminate tools that don't support the required operation. For example, if the question asks about importing 100,000 records, eliminate Data Import Wizard (limit is 50,000). If the question asks about deleting records, eliminate Data Import Wizard and Data Export Service.

11. Read the Scenario Carefully:
Exam questions often include subtle details like the number of records, the type of operation, whether automation should fire, whether the process needs to be scheduled, or which object is involved. These details are designed to lead you to the correct tool.

12. Practice with Real Tools:
Hands-on experience with both Data Import Wizard and Data Loader in a Developer Edition org will solidify your understanding. Import, update, upsert, and delete records to see how each tool behaves, how field mapping works, and what the success/error logs look like.

Summary

For the Salesforce Platform Developer 1 exam, focus on these core distinctions:
- Data Import Wizard: Simple, browser-based, up to 50K records, limited objects, no delete, no export, no CLI.
- Data Loader: Powerful, client application, up to 5M records, all objects, supports all CRUD operations plus export, CLI mode available, configurable API (SOAP or Bulk).
- Data Export Service: Native backup tool, export only, schedulable, generates CSV/ZIP files.
- Bulk API: Asynchronous, high-volume, used by Data Loader for large data sets.
- External ID: Essential for upsert operations to prevent duplicates and match records.

Mastering these tools and their differences will help you confidently answer data import/export questions on the exam and apply this knowledge effectively in real-world Salesforce projects.