Data Loader Guide

Data Loader
When to Use Data Loader
Install Data Loader
Configure Data Loader
Using Data Loader
Data Types Supported by Data Loader
Export Data from Salesforce
Define Data Loader Field Mappings
Insert, Update, or Delete Data Using Data Loader
Upload Attachments
Upload Files and Links with Data Loader
Review Data Loader Output Files
Data Import Dates
View the Data Loader Log File
Configure the Data Loader Log File
Run in Batch Mode (Windows Only)
Command-Line Quick Start (Windows Only)
Data Loader Third-Party Licenses
PDF

Note: This release is in preview. Features described here don’t become generally available until the latest general availability date that Salesforce announces for this release. Before then, and where features are noted as beta, pilot, or developer preview, we can’t guarantee general availability within any particular time frame or at all. Make your purchase decisions only on the basis of generally available products and features.

Upload Attachments

Use Data Loader to upload attachments to Salesforce.

Before uploading attachments, note the following:

  • If you intend to upload with Bulk API, verify that Upload Bulk API Batch as Zip File on the Settings | Settings page is enabled.
  • If you are migrating attachments from a source Salesforce org to a target org, begin by requesting a data export for the source org. On the Schedule Export page, select Include Attachments to include the Attachment.csv file in your export. You can use this CSV file to upload the attachments. .

Confirm that the CSV file you want to use for attachment importing contains these required columns. Each column represents a Salesforce field. The CSV file can also include other optional Attachment fields, such as Description.

  • ParentId—Salesforce ID of the parent record
  • Name—Name of the attachment file, such as myattachment.jpg
  • Body—Absolute path to the attachment on your local drive
    Make sure that the values in the Body column contain the full path of the attachments on your computer. For example, if an attachment named myattachment.jpg is the folder C:\Export, Body must specify C:\Export\myattachment.jpg. Your CSV file looks like this example:
    1ParentId,Name,Body
2        50030000000VDowAAG,attachment1.jpg,C:\Export\attachment1.jpg
3        701300000000iNHAAY,attachment2.doc,C:\Export\files\attachment2.doc
4        50030000000VJowBBG,attachment_word_document.doc,C:\Export\attachment_word_document.doc

Proceed with an insert or upsert operation (see Insert, Update, or Delete Data Using Data Loader). For the select data objects step, select Show all Salesforce objects and the attachment object name in the list.