Upserting Salesforce Data
Upsert is a combination of Updating and Inserting. If a record in a file matches an existing record, the existing record is updated with the values in your file. The record is created as a new entity if no match is found.
Step-By-Step Guide:
Create Upsert Job
From the DataLoader – Basic page, select Create new job.
Choose Upsert as the operation type.
Upload File for Upsert
In the Create upsert process screen, select Choose File or drag and drop to upload a CSV file.
The file will be used for field mapping against Salesforce objects.
Lookup Mapping Initiation
In Fields Mapping, select Lookup via for fields such as
AccountId.
This enables referencing related Salesforce records using specific field values.
Configure Lookup Options
After enabling Lookup via, select the Salesforce object and field to be used for matching records (e.g., Account → LastName).
Additional conditions can be set:
Use first match if multiple results – prioritizes the first match when more than one record is found.
Insert if not found – creates a new record if no matching record exists.
These options provide flexibility in handling relationships and data consistency during the upsert process.
Schedule Configuration – No Schedule
In the Schedule step, select No Schedule to run the upsert job manually.
The job will only execute when triggered directly.
Process Details
Review the object, type of operation, and number of records to be processed.
Confirm the Salesforce connection and enter a process name
Optionally, assign the process to a Job Group for better organization.
Run Job
From the Dataloader Basic page, select the Run (play) icon under Actions for the required job.
The Run Configuration window opens to adjust run options before execution.
Click Run to start the job or Cancel to exit without running.
Run Configuration
The Run Configuration window allows toggling options such as:
Disable workflow rules
Disable validation rules
Insert/update with null values
Use UTF-8 encoding for file operations
Optionally, choose a different data CSV file if required.
Confirm with Run to execute the job.
Dataloader Configuration Options
ConfigurationDescriptionBatch Size
Applies if Bulk API is disabled. Based on SOAP and better for smaller datasets.
Disable workflow rules
Deactivates workflows during operation and reactivates post-process.
Disable Validation Rules
Deactivates validation rules during the process and re-enables afterward.
Insert/Update with null values
Allows null value updates in destination org.
Use UTF-8 file encoding
Required for data containing English alphabets. Disable for non-English content.
Upload New Data File
Select Choose Different Data CSV File to upload an alternate dataset.
The file upload section allows drag-and-drop or file selection.
Upon successful upload, a confirmation message displays the number of records impacted.
Job In Progress
After execution begins, the job status updates to In Progress on the Dataloader Basic page.
This indicates that processing has started but is not yet complete.
Abort Job
While a job is In Progress, select the Abort button under Actions.
This immediately halts the job execution.
Aborting should only be used if the run was triggered incorrectly or requires stopping due to issues.
Edit Configuration
From the Dataloader Basic page, select the ellipsis (three dots) next to the desired job.
Choose Edit to modify the existing configuration.
Update object selections, field mappings, or process details as required.
Edit Process – Select Object
In the Edit upsert process page, log in to the Salesforce Org and fetch available objects.
Select the object to be used for the process.
Proceed to update field mappings or schedule settings.
Schedule Configuration (Screen 35)
From the Dataloader Basic page, select the ellipsis (three dots) next to a job.
Choose Schedule to define when the process should run automatically.
Schedule Process (Screen 36)
In the scheduling window, select the preferred type: No Schedule, Daily, or Weekly.
Confirm the schedule by clicking Schedule.
Delete Configuration (Screen 37)
From the Dataloader Basic page, select the ellipsis (three dots) for a specific job.
Choose Delete to remove the selected configuration permanently.
This action cannot be undone and should only be used when the process is no longer required.
Delete Process Confirmation (Screen 38)
A confirmation dialog appears before deleting the process.
Click Delete to proceed or Cancel to stop the action.
Clone Configuration (Screen 39)
From the Dataloader Basic page, select the ellipsis (three dots) next to the desired job.
Choose Clone to duplicate the selected configuration.
Review the process details and optionally choose a different data CSV file.
Click Clone to create the duplicate job.
Clone Process (Screen 40)
The Clone window displays process details including operation type, object name, and source sandbox.
Enter or update the process name if needed.
Select an alternate data CSV file if applicable.
Confirm the duplication by clicking Clone.
Validation / Workflow Rules Access
From the Dataloader Basic page, select the Validation Rules / Workflow Rules icon under the VR/WFR column for a specific job.
This opens a detailed view of validation and workflow rules configured for the selected Salesforce object.
Use this option to verify if any rules may impact the execution of the job.
Validation Rules
The Validation Rules tab lists all validation rules for the selected object.
Each rule displays its name, previous state, current state, enable status, and any associated errors.
This view ensures data consistency by confirming whether validation rules are active or disabled during job execution.
Workflow Rules
The Workflow Rules tab provides details of all workflow rules for the selected object.
Each workflow rule displays its name, previous state, current state, and enable status.
Reviewing these rules allows proper alignment with business automation before running or scheduling jobs.
View Job Results
From the Dataloader Basic page, select the magnifying glass icon under Results of Last Run for the required job.
This opens the results view for the most recent execution.
Use this option to quickly validate both success and failure counts before downloading detailed logs.
CSV Result View
The CSV Result window displays record-level details from the last job execution.
Each row shows Salesforce fields such as ID, AccountId, FirstName, LastName, and other mapped fields.
This view helps confirm which records were processed successfully and identify any errors or mismatches.
View Failed Records
From the Dataloader Basic page, select the magnifying glass icon under the Failure column for the required job.
This opens the result view specifically for failed records in the last run.
Use it to investigate why certain records failed while others succeeded.
CSV Failed Records
The CSV Result window displays detailed information for failed records.
Fields such as Id, AccountId, LastName, FirstName, and others are shown with their corresponding values.
This view helps identify the root cause of failures by examining data values and constraints against validation or workflow rules.
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