A Complete Guide for Salesforce Metadata API

Many Salesforce developers and system administrators use Salesforce Metadata API to manage the modification and release process for complex organizations. This blog covers guide about Salesforce Metadata API, Salesforce metadata types, Salesforce metadata backup Salesforce metadata report, and export salesforce metadata to excel.

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Salesforce Metadata API is used to assist developers in retrieving, creating, deploying, updating, or deleting customized information. This can be such a thing that is done using custom object definitions and page layouts for the organizations. The Salesforce Metadata is meant to be used for management to make customizations and build tools to assist management at the mode of metadata.

The easiest and simplest way to access the functionality in Metadata API is to use the IDE of Force.com or Ant Migration Tool. To simplify the work with Metadata API, both tools are built on top of Metadata API and use Ant tools and Standard Eclipse respectively.

Metadata API enables you to access some entities and feature settings that you can customize in the user interface and manage the setup. Such as-

• Migrate configuration changes between organizations
• Export the customization in your organization as XML metadata files
• Manage customizations in the organization programmatically
• Modify existing customizations in the organization using XML metadata files

You can make changes in the metadata in test organizations on Developer Edition or sandbox, and then employ tested changes to production organizations on Enterprise, Unlimited, or Performance Editions. You can also create code snippets or scripts to populate a new organization with your custom objects, custom fields, and other components.

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Both managed and unmanaged packages can be employed with the Metadata API. The only difference comes in the process of working with unmanaged data. When you call for unmanaged packages, use of an asterisk (*) is prohibited in the package.xml file.

Thumb Rule: Asterisks work great for retrieving assets, but it’s better to not use them for deployments

Employing a managed package is also possible with metadata API, but the method is different. A metadata type named Installed Packages is used to do this. These are named after the namespaces of the currently installed packages. If you employ any one of them or even only one, then the managed package will be installed in the target organization. You will receive an email, just like somebody clicked “Get It Now” on the AppExchange. This is the only metadata type that sends out emails; and the only asset that must be deployed alone.

With Great Power: The Metadata API solves very difficult problems.

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Here is a detailed list of Salesforce Metadata types that can be used to prepare Salesforce metadata reports, salesforce metadata backup, and export salesforce metadata to excel.

• Account Settings
• AccountRelationshipShareRule
• ActionLinkGroupTemplate
• AnalyticSnapshot
• ArticleType
• ApexClass
• ApexComponent
• ApexPage
• ApexTestSuite
• ApexTrigger
• AppMenu
• ApprovalProcess
• AssignmentRules
• Audience
• AuraDefinitionBundle
• AuthProvider
• AutoResponseRules
• Bot
• BotVersion
• BrandingSet
• CallCenter
• CampaignInfluenceModel
• CaseSubjectParticle
• Certificate
• ChatterExtension
• CleanDataService
• CMSConnectSource
• Community (Zone)
• CommunityTemplateDefinition
• CommunityThemeDefinition
• ConnectedApp
• content assets
• CorsWhitelistOrigin
• CspTrustedSite
• CustomApplication
• CustomApplicationComponent
• CustomFeedFilter
• CustomHelpMenuSection
• CustomLabels
• Custom Metadata Types (CustomObject)
• CustomObject
• CustomObjectTranslation
• CustomPageWebLink
• CustomPermission
• custom site
• CustomTab
• CustomValue
• Dashboard
• DataCategoryGroup
• DelegateGroup
• Document
• DuplicateRule
• EclairGeoData
• EmailServicesFunction
• EmailTemplate
• EmbeddedServiceBranding
• EmbeddedServiceConfig
• EmbeddedServiceFieldService
• EmbeddedServiceFlowConfig
• EmbeddedServiceLiveAgent
• EntitlementProcess
• EntitlementTemplate
• EscalationRules
• EventDelivery
• EventSubscription
• ExternalDataSource
• ExternalServiceRegistration
• FeatureParameterBoolean
• FeatureParameterDate
• FeatureParameterInteger
• FlexiPage
• Flow
• FlowCategory
• FlowDefinition
• Folder
• GlobalPicklist
• GlobalPicklistValue
• GlobalValueSet
• GlobalValueSetTranslation
• Group
• HomePageComponent
• HomePageLayout
• InstalledPackage
• KeywordList
• Layout
• Letterhead
• LightningBolt
• LightningComponentBundle
• LightningExperienceTheme
• LiveChatAgentConfig
• LiveChatButton
• LiveChatDeployment
• LiveChatSensitiveDataRule
• ManagedTopics
• MatchingRule
• Metadata
• MetadataWithContent
• MilestoneType
• MlDomain (Beta)
• ModerationRule
• NamedCredential
• Network
• NetworkBranding
• Package
• PathAssistant
• PermissionSet
• PermissionSetGroup (Pilot)
• PlatformCachePartition
• PlatformEventChannel
• Portal
• PostTemplate
• PresenceDeclineReason
• PresenceUserConfig
• Profile
• ProfileActionOverride
• ProfilePasswordPolicy
• Queue
• QueueRoutingConfig
• QuickAction
• RecommendationStrategy
• RecordActionDeployment
• RemoteSiteSetting
• Report
• ReportType
• Role
• RoleOrTerritory
• SamlSsoConfig
• Scontrol
• ServiceChannel
• ServicePresenceStatus
• Settings
• SharedTo
• SharingBaseRule
• SharingRules
• SharingSet
• SiteDotCom
• Skill
• StandardValueSet
• StandardValueSetTranslation
• StaticResource
• SynonymDictionary
• Territory
• Territory2
• Territory2Model
• Territory2Rule
• Territory2Type
• TopicsForObjects
• TransactionSecurityPolicy
• Translations
• UserCriteria
• WaveApplication
• WaveDataflow
• WaveDashboard
• WaveDataset
• WaveLens
• WaveTemplateBundle
• WaveXmd
• Workflow

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There are some things that you can customize in a Salesforce org but are not available or invalid in the Metadata API. The following components can’t be retrieved or deployed with Metadata API, and changes to them must be made manually in each of your organizations. Also, if you are willing to increase your domain knowledge then learn how to install and use Salesforce ANT Migration Tools and gain a complete understanding of Salesforce Metadata API.

Here is a detailed list of invalid Salesforce Metadata types that can be used to prepare Salesforce metadata report, salesforce metadata backup, and export salesforce metadata to excel.

• Account Teams
• Activity Button Overrides
• Analytic Settings
• Automated Case User Settings
• Auto-number on Customizable Standard Fields
• Calendars
• Campaign Influences
• Case Contact Roles
• Case Feed Layouts
• Case Team Roles
• Console Layouts
• Multiline layout fields for contract line items
• Currency Exchange Rates
• Data Category Visibility Settings
• Delegated Administration
• Divisions
• Fiscal Year
• File Upload and Download Security Settings
• Lead Settings
• Live Agent chats routed with Omni-Channel
• Mail Merge Templates
• Mobile Administration
• Mobile Users and Devices
• Multiline layout fields for opportunity teams
• Offline Briefcase Configurations
• Opportunity Big Deal Alerts
• Opportunity Update Reminders
• Organization-Wide Email Addresses
• Outlook Configurations
• Partner Management
• Predefined Case Teams
• Product Schedule Setup
• Quote Templates
• Salesforce to Salesforce
• Self-Service Portal Font and Colors
• Self-Service Portal Settings
• Self-Service Portal Users
• Self-Service Public Solutions
• Self-Service Web-to-Case
• Service report templates
• com
• Social Account/Contact Settings
• Social Business Rules
• Social Customer Service Settings
• SoftPhone Layout
• Solution Categories
• Solution Settings
• Standard fields that aren’t customizable, such as auto number fields or system fields
• Tag Settings
• Territory Assignment Rules
• User Interface Settings (except calendar features, which are supported in ActivitiesSettings)
• Web Links on Person Account Page Layouts
• Web-to-Lead

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