Import Wizard and Data Loader Q&A
1. What is Import wizard?
Import wizard is a web based tool to process bulk records. With import wizard we can process maximum of 50,000 records. In import wizard we can’t see few objects (ex: if there is master detail relationship between two objects then child object we can’t see).
2. What is Data Loader?
Data Loader is a client application for the bulk import or export of data. Use it to insert, update, delete, or export Salesforce records.
When importing data, Data Loader reads, extracts, and loads data from comma-separated values (CSV) files or from a database connection.
When exporting data, it outputs CSV files.
3. Which operations we can perform on Dataloader?
- Insert (Inserting brand new records, no need of ID)
- Update (Updating the existing records based on the record ID)
- Upsert (To Upsert we should have one external ID field on the object, based on the external id field if the value already exists it will update, if doesn’t exist then it will insert)
- Delete (Delete the records based on the id provided, to delete we need only id, deleted records can be found in recycle bin)
- Hard delete (Delete the records based on the id provided, to delete we need only id, deleted records can’t be found in recycle bin, Note: If we enable bulk API in data loader settings then only we can perform Hard delete.)
- Export (From any object we can export records based on the SOQL query, Note: We can’t export deleted records which are there in the recycle bin)
- Export all (From any object we can export records based on the SOQL query, Note: Using Export all we can export deleted records which are there in the recycle bin also)
4. Data loader or Import wizard supports which file format?
.CSV (Comma Separated Values)
5. What is the filed mapping file format of the data loader?
.SDL
6. How to insert null values into dataloader?
In Dataloader settings we should enable ‘insert null values’ checkbox otherwise we can’t insert null values.
7. What is external ID?
This is a field that usually references an ID from another (external) system.
For instance:
if the customer has an Oracle Financials system that they will be linking with Salesforce, it may be easier for them to be able to refer to the Oracle ID of account records from within Salesforce. So they would create an external ID in Salesforce and they would load the Oracle ID into that field for each account. They can then refer to that ID field, rather than the Salesforce id.
8. Maximum batch size of data loader?
The maximum value is 10,000 if the Use Bulk API option is selected. In a single insert, update, upsert, or delete operation, records moving to or from Salesforce are processed in increments of this size. The maximum is 200 records.
9. What is default batch size if we enable bulk API?
2,000 records
Enabling the Bulk API in Data Loader allows you to load or delete a large number of records faster than using the default SOAP-based API.
However, there are some differences in behavior in Data Loader when you enable the Bulk API. One important difference is that it allows you to execute a hard delete if you have the permission and license.