We, at Sastorm Software, know the importance of data that you have gathered in your Salesforce CRM. Now, for whatever reason you want to mass download files from Salesforce, it is crucial to know about all the ways in which you can safely take a backup of Salesforce data.
In this blog, you will get to know native Salesforce solution and advanced automated tools to mass download files Salesforce –
Manual Method
- Data Export feature of Salesforce
- Custom coding
Automated Method
- Data Loader & Apex Data Loader
- Salesforce Files Downloader
How to use Data Export feature of Salesforce
It is a native Salesforce method to export data and the most basic solution out there.
When I say basic, I mean, this manual way of exporting Salesforce comes with its own drawbacks:
- It WON’T permit you to download particular files that you really need.
- It does NOT maintain the originality of the files format and produces all the files in CSV format.
- It does NOT maintain the metadata of the downloaded objects.
- User-created objects will also lose their originality.
Steps to use Salesforce Data Export Feature
Step-1: Navigate to ‘Data Export’ under the option ‘Data’ on the left hand side of the interface. Another way is to go to ‘Setup’. Enter ‘Data Export’ in the Quick Find box and select ‘Data Export’.
Step-2: Choose the files and attachments.
Once export is completed, it will generate a link and an email will be sent to you containing the link.
Step-3: By clicking this link you can download Salesforce Files and Attachments on your system.
Download Files From Salesforce Using Custom Coding
Another method to download Salesforce files and attachments is using Custom Code. You need to write your own code to export the files OR attachments from salesforce. For this, you have to hire a coder who has Salesforce expertise.
Mass Downloading Files From Salesforce Using Data Loader
Step-1: Download and install Data Loader from the Salesforce website.
Step-2: Open Data Loader and login using your Salesforce credentials.
Step-3: Select Export or Export All (to include deleted and archived records).
Step-4: Choose the object you want to export data from.
Step-5: Specify the SOQL query or use the query builder to define the data to export.
Step-6: Select the directory where you want the CSV file to be saved.
Step-7: Click Finish
Important Note: But the biggest drawback of using the Data Loader tool is that it does not maintain the originality of the documents. By originality, I mean ‘filetypes’, ‘format’, ‘file path’, or ‘file size’. It will give you documents in a CSV format. There will be no parent-child object specified.
Best Automated Tool to Safely Mass Download Files from Salesforce
Sastorm Software file downloader allows you to use filters to download files, also maintains the originality of the documents and also gives you a report of how many files downloaded and what is their actual path.
I would recommend you to use the Sastorm software File downloader. it is the most safest and best option to mass download files from Salesforce
Steps:
Search & download all files & attachments using “Search Record” Tab – If the user wants to download all Standard/Custom object records Files and Attachments directly click the Search Record tab and choose the object and click Search all Records button and it will display all record Files and attachments.
Watch the full steps here;
Features of the File Downloader
- Download Multiple Files by Searching for them in Salesforce in your own Unique Way!
- Filter your Search for Files by Name, Date, OR Even a Letter & Download them at once.
- In just 2 mins, configure the “File Download” Component within any Standard or Custom Object forever.
- The tool also provides a summary of downloads.