Menu
subscribe our youtube channel popup

Salesforce Data Migration – Tips & Tricks

Data migration can be most time-consuming and critical since it directly impacts Business. Imagine your salary being deposited in my account because of a data issue. Don’t worry, but this depicts how critical Data is for business. In this post, we will learn about Salesforce Data Migration-Tips & Tricks.

What is Salesforce Data Migration?

Salesforce Data Migration refers to the process of transferring data from one system to another, specifically into the Salesforce platform. This can involve moving data from legacy systems, databases, or other cloud applications into Salesforce.

Salesforce Data Migration - Tips & Tricks

The data migration process typically includes several key steps:

  • Planning: This involves identifying the data to be migrated, understanding the structure of both the source and target systems, and determining the timeline and resources needed for the migration.
  • Data Mapping: This step is critical as it involves defining how the data fields in the source system correspond to fields in Salesforce.
  • Data Cleansing: Before migration, it’s essential to clean the data to ensure accuracy and consistency. This might involve removing duplicates, fixing errors, and standardizing formats.
  • Data Extraction: The next step is to extract the data from the source system using various tools or techniques.
  • Data Transformation: This might involve modifying the data so that it adheres to the required format for Salesforce.
  • Data Loading: Once the data is transformed, it can be loaded into Salesforce. This can be done using Salesforce’s data import tools, such as the Data Import Wizard or Data Loader.
  • Validation: After the data is loaded, it’s important to validate and verify that the data has been migrated correctly and is functioning as expected within Salesforce.
  • Post-Migration Support: This final step involves monitoring the new system for any issues and providing support to users as they adjust to the new environment.

Learn about Different Data Loader Tools in Salesforce.

Effective data migration is crucial to ensure users have access to accurate and complete data in Salesforce, which is essential for making informed business decisions.

Salesforce Data Migration – Planning

Migrating data to Salesforce can be a complex task, but with the right approach, it can be done efficiently and effectively. Here are some tips and tricks to consider.

1. Every Data Migration is Unique

No matter how many times you do it, your experience will be different. With every data migration, you need to update your learning checklist to be referred for the next one. So, I would advise not to try to fit one pattern to all migrations. Keep your mind open and watch for those surprises.

2. Asking the right questions

Asking right questions before you start thinking too deep is a way to reduce the pain later. Always start with some basic questions and move to medium and high complexity. You can ask these questions to yourself, Stakeholders or Architects. That’s how you learn. Later section lists some of these questions which would help you start.

3. Sign off on the Data Mapping

One of the most important activities you should be spending time on is data mapping between source and target systems. Identifying gaps between systems helps reduce data loss. Even after sign-off, we miss a few things, and it’s perfectly ok. But revise and revise till you get there.

4. Volume & Frequency of the Data Load

Is this a one-time activity, or would it be repeated? How many records are we talking about? These questions will help you understand the right tools to be used. There are a lot of automatons available to perform complex migrations. Depending on the size of the data, you may need to think about ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tools like Jitterbit, Informatica, or Talend or schedule a batch job. Why? Have you ever tried opening an extract of 300000 records in Excel and performing VLOOKUP? You have your answer.

5. Validate the Data Load

We concentrate more on data load and sometimes miss a point that we are equally responsible for validating data in Production. No matter what type of data you are migrating, setup ways to analyse. Validate that data has been correctly migrated. Create reports, validate the # of records for each type of load, perform mock data loads in full boxes prior to live.

The 5 pillars above helped me go through migration’s – simplest to most complex. Now what type of questions we should be asking. I have been keeping these questions as checklist and revise based on my learning. This comes handy every time you have a new requirement of Data Migration and need a quick estimation.

How to Estimate the Salesforce Data Migration Efforts

When you need to estimate the efforts for the data load there are some factors which you should focus on. There are more but I am just listing few of them to get you started.

1. What type of data are we migrating?

Is it from the Legacy system, part of Data Clean-up, Re-alignment of new regions, Dated exchange rates, or anything else? The Source system helps you decide the next course of action and analyze if you need any external ID to create a link between Source and Target records or if there are additional records that need to be created because of target system dependency.

2. What type of objects do you need to Migrate data for?

Identify objects and their relationships. This helps you determine the correct order of execution. Objects may not be directly related, but sometimes they need to be imported in a certain order. Consider OpportunityLineItem—you need a Pricebook with the correct currency.

Salesforce Data Migration – Tips & Tricks

Here are some considerations when importing data into Salesforce via Data Loader or the Data Import Wizard.

What are the Data Types of the Columns from CSV?

1. Lookups/M-D Columns

Identify how many related object columns (lookups or M-D) you have. This has a greater impact on the Data migration efforts. More lookups mean more dependency on data. For each lookup, try different ways to identify the existing records from system. Not all clients have a fully functional duplicate management system and not on all objects. The cherry on the top is – objects that are M-D in the target system. Now, you also need to think about populating data in all such fields before actual migration.

Quick Tip: If you don’t know how VLOOKUP works in excel, high time to learn it. You will be needing it quite often.

2. Date fields

Date & Datetime fields need special attention. The tool you are using to import data needs to be configured to follow the same time zone, else you might find incorrect timestamps. This actually happened with one of my projects when I just started my career. Data loader was configured to use the “IST” and the datetime fields were migrated to users with “EST” time zone. Dates were all messed up and we had to redo the migration.

Quick Tip: So consider the time zones when uploading data.

3. Picklists & Multi-Selects

Picklists seem easy to import, right? Well, they can also strike you.

  1. Restricted Picklist = No: If values do not match records will still have these values and will also be added on your actual field as “Inactive”. But once user selects correct value, they no longer are available for selection. This creates confusing system behavior.
  2. Restricted Picklist = Yes: Validate all values match the ones mentioned on field in Salesforce. Avoid the approach to remove it as “Restricted” and upload data. No doubt It will work, but not a best practice. Reason is point 1 above. Value being stored as temporary on record. Creates a lot of confusion for end users.
  3. Global Picklist: Check which objects share the same picklist. Adding new value would reflect in all related objects. Communicate this to Businesses and Architects as well.
  4. Record Types: Enable only on the record types which are relevant. While upload check if values are enabled on the record type you are using.
  5. Dependent Fields: Confirm if this field is controlling or dependent on another field. This might create issues with upload if dependency is not defined or is incorrect.
  6. Multi-Picklist: Confirm if you need to override existing values on records or need to append. If you need to append, extract and add the new values and then upload. Else you will be overwriting existing values in multi-picklist. e.g.  Assume we have a multi-picklist field “Skills” and we need to scenario mentioned below. Then you need “Append” action to be performed. -Existing values: Apex, LWC , -New Values should be: Apex, LWC, JAVA

4. Required fields

I am referring to fields marked as required in the Target system but not in the Source system. Analyse which ones are required on FLS and which are on Page Layouts.

Key thing to remember here is: “Field Level” required flag acts on Database level while the “Page Layout” required flag acts on UI level. So, if field is required on Page Layout and you perform Data Load, no error will be thrown. But when users will try to edit records in Salesforce from UI, error will be displayed.

5. Validation Rules on individual objects

You may not be able to figure out all the required ones but at-least try to identify the ones which will stop you. Deactivating Validation rules is not my personal favorite as we are defying the basic purpose of creating them – “Keep the Data Clean”. But there are some validation rules which might need to turn off. Check with leads or architect’s before you deactivate.

6. Automation to be Disabled

List all the possible triggers and other automations you may need to deactivate for data load. Critical ones would be like sending emails. One instance was when one of my team members performed a data load and missed the step to deactivate the workflow. Thousands of emails were triggered to end users. Now you can imagine what we were doing for next few days. Pay attention to integrations. Check if any of the fields might trigger integrations to the external system, and do we really need to trigger these? The volume of data might hit the callout limits if it is not handled gracefully by integrations.

7. Record Types

Identify the correct record types for the objects you need to import data for. Mapping incorrect record types would result in incorrect assessment of all the above points.

So, confirm before you proceed.

8. Record Ownership

Who would be the owner for new records? Is that user Active in Salesforce and configured with correct permissions. Record ownership has direct impact on the visibility of records and affects reporting. You may need to decide whether you need immediate OWD (organisation Wide Defaults) re-calculation or Deferred Re-calculation to avoid record locking. So, add few checkpoints with specific business users to validate these points.

You should also prepare a “Data Migration Plan” listing all the activities and owners for each activity. This helps to track all tasks and reduces # of steps being missed. But don’t worry for now. Architects in your team usually take care of this. But it’s important to understand correct flow.

Sample Data Migration Checklist In Salesforce

Here is the data migration checklist for Salesforce.

Sample Data Migration Checklist In Salesforce

Now you are geared up for your next Data Migration, so all the best. Feel free to share your feedback and comments.

Summary

I hope these quick tips will help you understand the impact of Data Migrations on the Salesforce ecosystem. There is much more complexity, but these are ground rules, and every time you perform Data Load, you will be adding a few more 🙂

sheetal chougule
sheetal chougule

Sheetal is a Salesforce Application Architect and carries over 13 years of experience in the Salesforce ecosystem with Sales / Service/ Experience Cloud.
She is 13x Salesforce Certified and started her journey with SControls in 2007. Have played diverse roles in industry as a developer, Project Lead, Architect, Scrum Master and IT Project Manager.
Passionate Trainer and a great Mentor. Loves contributing to Animal Welfare and enjoys reading all sorts of books. Looking for ways to give back to Salesforce Ohana

Articles: 1

One comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *