Salesforce Data Exporting

Salesforce Data Exporting Options

Data Loader

Export CSV files manually or should configure the tool to automatically run at scheduled times to send out CSV to a destination location (SFTP)

Pros: Easily configurable, supports multiple operations (Insert, Update, Delete, Upsert), and Process large datasets.

Cons: Tool must be downloaded and configured locally on a machine. Not real-time and on-demand data.

Data Export (Built-In)

Salesforce out of the box functionality

Setup > Data Export

Schedule to create export files on a weekly and monthly basis. The tool creates files for downloading and exporting files manually.

Pros: Native Salesforce option to download data as CSV files. Run exports manually or automatically.

Cons: Mostly used for Data backup and files available for download are in Salesforce org. Not real-time and on-demand data.

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Custom Script

Create a custom script in Python/Ruby/Node.js (any other scripts) to connect with Salesforce org and extract data for exporting. These scripts help in creating data extracts in different formats. (Can use Salesforce Bulk API module in custom scripting).

Pros: Real-time data and can schedule to run the script at any point of the day. Can use Salesforce Bulk API for avoiding governor limits when exporting data.

Cons: The source code repository should be hosted on an external platform. Needs resources for maintenance. Includes development and testing time for complete implementation.

Dataloader.io

Creates export files ready for download (CSV format). Can automate the tool to run hourly, daily, weekly, monthly.
As a choice, we can automate the export to any Box account or FTP server.

Pros: Cloud-based tool/no install required. Supports data transfer to Dropbox and Servers and scheduling jobs.

Cons: Not real-time and on-demand data. Slower than data loader when configuring and processing the records.

Rest API

Exposing an endpoint to the external users (Authorized) to query and get Salesforce object data.

Pros: Real-time and on-demand data flow.

Cons: Rest API Service classes should be created in Salesforce Orgs. Includes development and testing time for complete implementation. Different endpoint points are exposed for each org. (Same code different endpoints).

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Workflow Outbound Message

Exports Salesforce record data to any external endpoint in the form of XML based on record DML-based criteria.

Pros: Real-time and record triggered flow. Can filter out the list of fields data that should be sent.

Cons: Data is only sent out in XML format. Needs to be converted to JSON or text or CSV in an external system.

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