Salesforce Data Loader is a powerful data management tool that allows you to import, export, update, and delete large volumes of data in Salesforce. It's particularly useful for FundPanel users who need to manage large amounts of inter-connected data, as is common with fund administration duties.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Installation
- Authentication
- Operations
- DataLoader Process
- Example Use-Cases for the Data Loader
- Conclusion
Installation
DataLoader is a standalone desktop application that needs to be installed on your computer. You can download it from Salesforce Setup by navigating to Data Management > Data Loader. It's available for both Windows and macOS.
- For further information on installing and setting up the Data Loader for your device, please refer to the following article:
https://fundpanel.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/35000190193-using-the-salesforce-data-loader-with-fundpanel-
Authentication
To use DataLoader, you'll need to authenticate with your Salesforce account before performing data operations on your client org (operations are explained in detail below).
The login process is quick, however it is strongly recommended to log in to your client's Salesforce immediately before launching the DataLoader (provided you are not already logged in). This will allow your browser to recognize that you are logged in to Salesforce, thereby greatly speeding up the authentication process.
Operations
Data Loader supports the following operations:
- Insert: Insert new records into Salesforce objects by mapping the source data fields to target object fields.
- Update: Modify existing records in Salesforce by matching the source data with the corresponding record IDs.
- Upsert: Update existing records or insert new ones if they don't already exist. This operation uses external IDs to match source data with target records.
- Delete: Remove records from Salesforce by specifying their record IDs.
- Export: Retrieve data from Salesforce objects and save it to CSV files.
- Hard Delete: Permanently delete records from Salesforce, bypassing the Recycle Bin.
Data Loader supports the following formats for loading, mapping and reviewing data:
- Data Formats: DataLoader works with CSV (Comma Separated Value) files for importing and exporting data.
- Mapping: Before executing an operation, you'll need to create a field mapping between the source data and the target Salesforce object fields. DataLoader provides auto-mapping and manual mapping options.
- Success and Error Logs: DataLoader generates success and error log files for each operation, allowing you to review the results and troubleshoot any issues.
DataLoader Process
The following example uses an "Insert" operation as the example.
- Prepare your CSV file with the data you want to import.
- Open Salesforce DataLoader and click on the "Insert" operation.
- Choose the target Salesforce object (e.g., Account).
- Browse and select your source CSV file.
- Create a field mapping between the source data and the target Salesforce object fields.
- Click "Next" and then "Finish" to start the import process.
- Review the success and error log files to ensure the data was imported correctly.
Example Use-Cases for the Data Loader
Performing an Upsert
Please refer to the following article on performing your first Upsert with the Data Loader:
Conclusion
The DataLoader can be a daunting application. The FundPanel team is here to help and is well-versed in getting you up to speed on installing, using the DataLoader & troubleshooting any issues that may arise.