Salesforce Data Import, Export, and Data Loader
Every Salesforce org needs to move data in and out — importing customer lists from spreadsheets, exporting reports for finance teams, or migrating records from an old CRM. Salesforce provides multiple tools for data management, each suited to a different volume and complexity level. Knowing which tool to use in each situation saves significant time and prevents costly mistakes.
Why Data Management Matters
Bad data is worse than no data. Duplicate records, missing fields, and incorrect formats break automation, skew reports, and frustrate users. A good data import strategy starts with clean source data, uses the right tool, and validates results immediately after loading.
Tool Overview
DATA VOLUME: Small (up to 50,000) Large (50,000+) USE TOOL: Data Import Wizard → Data Loader EXPORT DATA: Reports / List Views → Data Export (full org backup)
Data Import Wizard
The Data Import Wizard is a browser-based tool built into Salesforce. It requires no installation. You access it from Setup → Data Management → Data Import Wizard. It works for Accounts, Contacts, Leads, Campaign Members, and custom objects.
How to Use Data Import Wizard
- Step 1: Prepare your file — create a CSV file with one row per record and one column per field. The first row must contain column headers (field names).
- Step 2: Choose the object — select what type of records you are importing (Contacts, Leads, etc.).
- Step 3: Choose the action — Insert new records, Update existing ones, or Upsert (insert if new, update if exists based on a matching field).
- Step 4: Upload the CSV — the wizard analyzes the file and shows you a preview.
- Step 5: Map fields — match CSV column headers to Salesforce field API names. The wizard auto-maps common names; you manually map custom fields.
- Step 6: Import — click Start Import. The wizard processes records and shows a completion report with success and error counts.
Limits
- Maximum 50,000 records per import
- Works only on supported objects (not all objects are available)
- No scheduled imports — every run is manual
Data Loader
The Data Loader is a desktop application you install on Windows or Mac. It handles larger volumes — up to 5 million records — and supports all standard and custom objects. It also supports all four operations: Insert, Update, Upsert, and Delete.
Data Loader Operations
| Operation | What It Does | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Insert | Creates new records from the CSV file | Loading brand-new data (no existing records) |
| Update | Updates existing records using their Salesforce ID | Modifying existing records in bulk |
| Upsert | Inserts if not found, updates if found (based on an external ID field) | Syncing data from an external system |
| Delete | Deletes records whose IDs are listed in the CSV | Bulk cleanup of old or duplicate data |
| Hard Delete | Permanently deletes records, bypassing the Recycle Bin | Irreversible cleanup — use with extreme caution |
| Export | Extracts records from Salesforce into a CSV using a SOQL query | Data backup or analysis outside Salesforce |
| Export All | Exports records including those in the Recycle Bin | Full audit including deleted records |
Using External ID for Upsert
An External ID is a custom field marked as a unique identifier from an outside system — for example, the customer ID from your old CRM. During Upsert, Data Loader matches incoming records against existing ones using this External ID instead of the Salesforce record ID. This makes re-loading data from external systems safe and reliable.
Preparing a Good Import File
A well-prepared CSV file prevents most import errors. Follow these rules:
- Use UTF-8 encoding — prevents special character corruption (important for Indian languages and symbols)
- Remove trailing spaces from field values
- Format dates as YYYY-MM-DD (e.g., 2025-06-15)
- For lookup fields, use Salesforce record IDs — not names — whenever possible
- Remove duplicate rows before importing
- Include the Salesforce Id column when performing Updates
Success and Error Files
After every Data Loader operation, it generates two files:
- Success file — lists all records that were processed successfully, including their new or existing Salesforce IDs
- Error file — lists all records that failed, along with the error message explaining why
Always review the error file. Common errors include: required field missing, picklist value not valid, record ID not found (for updates), or duplicate external ID.
Data Export: Getting Data Out of Salesforce
Reports and List Views
For small exports, run a report or a list view and click the Export button. This downloads a CSV or Excel file of the report data. Quick, simple, no setup needed.
Scheduled Data Export
For full org backups, use Setup → Data Management → Data Export. This generates a ZIP file of CSV exports for every object in your org. You can schedule this weekly or monthly. This is a critical backup practice — Salesforce does not automatically back up your data for you in a recoverable format.
Duplicate Management
Salesforce includes built-in Duplicate Rules and Matching Rules that prevent duplicate records from being created — whether through the UI or through data imports. Matching Rules define how Salesforce identifies potential duplicates (by email, phone, company name, and so on). Duplicate Rules define what happens when a match is found — warn the user, block the save, or allow and flag for review.
Key Points
- Use the Data Import Wizard for browser-based imports of up to 50,000 records on supported objects.
- Use Data Loader for large volumes, all objects, or when you need Delete, Hard Delete, or automated scheduled operations.
- Upsert uses an External ID field to insert new records and update existing ones in one operation.
- Always review the Success and Error files generated after every Data Loader run.
- Schedule weekly or monthly Data Exports from Setup as an org backup strategy.