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The Merits and Demerits of Top 5 Salesforce Data Loaders

Anna Harris

February 11, 2016

Previously Salesforce CRM offered only two data loaders namely the Wizards and the Apex Data Loader.  Salesforce administrators are chiefly concerned with getting data in, as well as, out of package. Today there are several options for performing this function. These applications function differently and you need to understand their abilities for determining the best suited to your job requirements and the overall environment. Some of the most effective Salesforce data loaders with special emphasis on their merits and demerits are discussed below.

1) Salesforce Import Wizards

Merits:

• It comes free and was created by Salesforce.
• There is specifically one for contacts, or accounts, that is really wonderful for importing any export outlook file having both in single fell swoop.
• There is also, another one for solutions, leads and custom objects.
• It is undoubtedly, the simplest tool meant for new users or salespeople.
• It is effective in preventing any duplicated data from getting loaded.

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Demerits

• In case you are thinking of importing cases, products or opportunities or some other standard object, you are frankly out of luck.
• It is not able to remember or recall your mapped settings. In case you have forgotten a field in csv file, you would require rerunning the Wizard once more all over again.
• If you are an admin, you would be able to load up to only 50,000 records, while loading csv files. A regular user can load up to 500 records only.

2) Apex Data Loader

Merits:

• It is definitely free and this was created by Salesforce.com.
• It is effective in importing files and loading up to as many as 5 million records.
• It is able to save your mappings.
• It can effectively load data into objects wherever Wizard is non-existent.
• It boasts of exporting and scheduling capabilities.

Demerits:

• It is compatible to only Enterprise Edition & above but is not compatible to Professional Edition or Group Edition. It could work with these if the API is bought separately.
• Though it has been designed especially for Salesforce admins, some admins find that it has a very simple interface.
• You should be downloading the app. Also, it works exclusively for Windows machines.

3) Force.com Excel Connector

Merits:

• It is certainly free.
• It is excellent for people who prefer Excel.
• It is handy for loading small batches of records and bi-directional movement of all the records.
• It is compatible to the Professional Edition & above.

Demerits:

• It is actually an open source. It is not really officially supported.
• Excel 64 Bit and newer editions of Windows could pose problems.
• It is said to have a separate excel add-in and download for each edition.

4) Demand Tools

Merits:

• It boasts of a really powerful tool meant for data loading. However, it also, has an equally effective set of tools just right for data quality.
• It is compatible to the Professional Edition & above only.

Demerits:

• It is not a free app. However, ROI is possible for all those admins requiring effective data quality toolset.
• It is actually an on-premise app exclusively for Windows.

5) Jitterbit Data Loader for Salesforce

Merits:

• It is actually a free tool offered by a third party developer.
• It is compatible to all Salesforce Editions.
• It flaunts a really pretty looking User Interface and has a really powerful toolset.
• It is quite popular. AppExchange has some good reviews regarding Jitterbit.
• It operates on Mac or PC.
• It is known to support org logins.

Demerits:

• It is basically an on-premise app.
• The developer is expecting you to be graduating to the Real-Time Integration Tool offered by them, so you would be part of their marketing endeavors.
• It is actually not supported.

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