How To Load Salesforce Sandbox Seed Data

Loading seed data into Salesforce sandboxes is a common practice to populate the sandbox with representative data for testing purposes. Seed data refers to the initial data set required to mimic real-world scenarios and ensure the application behaves as expected.

How To Load Salesforce Sandbox Seed Data
Table of contents

To load seed data into a Salesforce sandbox, you can follow these general steps:

  • Identify the data you want to load into the sandbox. If your seed data includes custom objects or fields that don't exist in the sandbox, you may need to create them before loading the data.
  • Before loading seed data, it's essential to ensure that the sandbox is in a clean state. Salesforce provides several data import tools that allow you to load data into a sandbox. One popular option is the Salesforce Data Import Wizard.
  • You can then map the fields in your CSV files to the corresponding Salesforce fields. Review the imported records to ensure they match your expectations.
  • With the seed data loaded into your Salesforce sandbox, you can now perform testing and development activities.

Loading Salesforce sandbox seed data can be challenging when it comes to the following:

  • Seed data often contains a significant amount of data, which can be challenging to load efficiently.
  • Maintaining data consistency can be difficult when loading seed data. It's crucial to ensure that relationships and dependencies between objects are preserved.
  • Mapping data from external sources to Salesforce objects and fields can be complex, especially when dealing with different data structures and formats.
  • Seed data might include sensitive or confidential information. Proper security measures must be implemented. Validating the loaded data against the expected results is essential to ensure its accuracy and completeness.

Plant Your Sandbox Seed Data With Hutte

Are you looking to load seed data in sandboxes? Do it with Hutte using custom buttons.

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With Hutte, a web UI to SFDX that enables visual Salesforce version control, Salesforce sandboxes become a labor-saving development workflow. Hutte enables developers to easily create, modify, and delete sandbox seed data as needed.

There are free plugins that enhance the importing of Salesforce sandbox seed data, like SFDMU. We have a SFDMU Recipe hosted on GitHub that shows you how to create a script for your custom buttons. It is available for everyone to use – so, be sure to check it out.

Hutte is truly one of the best tools that we use. Product owners, Salesforce solution architects, business analysts — anyone on our team can easily and visually accomplish the tasks that would otherwise take a lot of clicks, time, and coding.

Sebastian Lechner

Product Management Director of IPfolio
Clarivate

Source: Hutte

To understand how Hutte works, start your free 30-day trial, or check out our demo below.

Before you start to load your seed data, you need to first know how to create your sandbox project through Hutte.

Setting Up A Sandbox Project

Connect A Salesforce Production Org

Authenticate your org with your Salesforce user to grant your Hutte project access to sandbox creation and metadata.

Connect A Git Repository With A SFDX Project

It can be an empty project or a local representation of your org's metadata. This is where you'll keep track of your sandbox development work.

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You can now choose an existing sandbox from "Available Sandboxes," or create one by clicking "New."

Developing In Sandboxes

After setting up a sandbox project, you will find all existing sandboxes to your connected production org on the "Available Sandboxes" tab. You can also easily create new development sandboxes from the "New" button.

Before you start to work on a feature, use the "Add to Hutte" link appearing when you hover your sandboxes on the "Available Sandboxes" tab.

Switch to "Features" and hit "New."

Next, login to your sandbox from the "Login" button. Your first login might require setting up a two-factor authentication, following the on-screen instructions provided by Salesforce. You can then perform your work in your sandbox.

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Shortly after performing your changes in the org, they will become visible in Hutte (just remember to refresh your screen).

To carry on with your changes in Git, click "Pull changes." This creates a pull request. You can control its name and message in the "Pull Request" tab. As you continue to perform changes, your pull request gets updated and the timeline shows a chronological history of your changes.

Once you’re finished with your work, hit "Close." This allows a new feature to be created.

To deploy all changes that are part of a feature to your connected production org, use the simple “Deploy to Production" button.

Use Custom Buttons

Leverage the power of automation and loading seed data into new dev sandboxes by making handy scripts available at your team member's fingertips.

This will allow you to configure Hutte Custom Buttons in your sandbox projects.

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All you need to do is click on “Import seed data” in your sandbox timeline to begin the process.

Unleash Sandbox Seed Data Magic

Wave goodbye to the complexities of the intimidating command line. Hutte enhances the way teams engage with sandbox seed data, allowing effortless access anytime, anywhere.

Elevate your sandbox experience with Hutte's Custom Buttons, where automation meets ingenuity. From swift translation downloads to effortlessly creating new users, the possibilities are endless.

Anything achievable with SFDX can now be seamlessly integrated into your customizable buttons.