Select a Record Matching Method

To specify a record matching method:

1. From the Data Set Editor, in Tabs view, click the Element Details tab.
2. Select the Record Matching Method to use during deployment. All records require use of a Release virtual external ID, Release composite external ID, or Salesforce external ID. Refer to the topics below for more information about Prodly’s custom upsert capabilities. The following matching methods are available:
   • None – Instructs Prodly to attempt to insert every record.
   • Virtual External ID – Manages inserts and upserts by tracking IDs through the custom, proprietary Release virtual external ID manager, eliminating the need for standard Salesforce external IDs. The VEID manager works independently for each control org.
   • Standard Upsert – Performs the action of a standard Salesforce upsert. If the SOQL query returns more than one matching record, Prodly generates an error. If one record matches, Release updates the record. If no record matches, Prodly inserts a new record.
   • Match First Found – If the SOQL query returns more than one matching record, Prodly updates the first record. If one record matches, Prodly updates the record. If no record matches, Prodly inserts a new record.
   • Skip Duplicate – If the SOQL query returns more than one matching record, Prodly skips that source record and does not insert or update any of the matching records in the destination org. If one record matches, Prodly updates the record. If no record matches, Prodly inserts a new record.

Determine the Best Record Matching Method for Your Use Case

Prodly provides powerful upsert features which take the standard Salesforce upsert functionality to a whole new level. The following sections describe each approach. In Prodly, you to specify the approach for each data set element independently. 

Virtual External ID 

Manages inserts and upserts by tracking IDs through the custom, proprietary Release virtual external ID manager, eliminating the need for standard Salesforce external IDs. The VEID manager works independently for each control org. When using Virtual External ID as your record matching method, deploying from different installations of Prodly to the same destination org creates duplicate records.

Release virtual external ID (VEID) allows you to upsert records without having to know or define any Salesforce external ID fields or specify fields in Prodly as part of Release composite external IDs. During initial deployment to an empty destination org, the Release VEID manager captures source record IDs and creates associations between source and destination record IDs. Then, the VEID manager tracks any subsequent deployments of the same record IDs between any of your orgs.

New users have a much quicker time to deployment, less ramp up effort, less frustration, and reduced learning curve. Experienced users can simplify their data set model and streamline their deployment performance.

To use VEID, simply select Virtual External ID from the Record Matching Method picklist on the data set Element Details tab, save the data set, and perform a deployment.

Composite External IDs (CEID) / Standard Upsert

Performs the action of a standard salesforce.com upsert. If the SOQL query returns more than one matching record, Prodly generates an error. If one record matches, Prodly updates the record. If no record matches, Prodly inserts a new record.

Prodly allows you to concatenate fields to create composite IDs, rather than rely on traditional Salesforce external IDs. Prodly provides the following expanded capabilities for creating composite external IDs:

• Select any object field to be an external ID, not just fields that are explicitly identified as external IDs in Salesforce.
• Select multiple fields to create a composite external ID. For example, you can uniquely identify an account by combining its name and type.
• Select one or more parent lookup fields as an external ID to uniquely match a record under the parent records instead of the entire org. This technique is useful for records that do not have a unique org-wide identifier.

To use CEID:

1. In the Element view Settings tab, select Standard Upsert, Match First Found, or Skip Duplicate from the Record Matching Method picklist.
2. For each field that comprises the composite ID, on the Fields tab, click the Edit Field gear icon, and select External ID.
3. Perform a deployment.

Salesforce Formal External IDs (FEID)

Prodly supports the standard Salesforce external IDs. For clarity, Prodly refers to these IDs as formal external IDs (FEID). To Prodly, FEIDs are the same as CEIDs. To use FEID, follow the steps for CEID above.

Match First Found

If the SOQL query returns more than one matching record, Prodly updates the first record. If one record matches, Prodly updates the record. If no record matches, Prodly inserts a new record.

Skip Duplicate

If the SOQL query returns more than one matching record, Prodly skips that source record and does not insert or update any of the matching records in the destination org. If one record matches, Prodly updates the record. But if no record matches, Prodly inserts a new record.

Options for Handling Duplicate Records

Prodly record matching methods provide these ways to handle multiple matching records:

• Update the first match found.
• Skip the record entirely.
• Perform a standard Salesforce upsert (that throws errors when more than one record matches).

The methods apply to both FEIDs you define in Salesforce and CEIDs you define in the field properties on the Fields tab.