Tools for Metadata

Metadata is the description of a Force.com application, from the data model to the user interface and everything in between. In this chapter, the focus is on the data model, and there are three tools available from Salesforce for building it.

Force.com App Builder Tools

App Builder Tools are built in to the native Web user interface of Force.com. They are the easiest and most full-featured tools for working with objects and many other features. When new features are added to Force.com’s database, you’ll find them in the App Builder Tools first. To use App Builder Tools, log in to Force.com and click Setup. In the App Setup area, click Create, Objects.

Force.com Schema Builder

The Schema Builder is a drag-and-drop interface for building and maintaining database schemas. It renders objects and relationships in a standard entity-relationship diagram style. The database for the Services Manager sample application, found later in this chapter, is built with Schema Builder. To use Schema Builder, log in to Force.com and click Setup. In the App Setup area, click Schema Builder.

Force.com IDE

The Force.com IDE is a plug-in to the Eclipse development environment. Its strength is developing Apex code and Visualforce pages and managing the metadata for larger deployments involving multiple Force.com organizations. It provides some functionality for working with custom objects, but the objects are presented in raw metadata XML, not in a friendly user interface. For more information about the Force.com IDE and installation instructions, visit http://wiki.developerforce.com/page/Force.com_IDE.

Tools for Data

Data tools enable you to import and export data in bulk. They are usually used in a migration, in which data from an existing system is loaded into Force.com.

Force.com Data Loader

Data Loader has the richest data import features of any Salesforce-provided data tool. To get the Windows version login to Force.com, visit the Administration Setup area, and click Data Management, Data Loader. There is also a community-supported Mac OS X version at http://www.pocketsoap.com/osx/lexiloader.

Import Wizard

The Import Wizard is a tool built in to the native user interface. It allows bulk data to be imported as new or updated records of custom objects. To use it, log in to Force.com and click Setup. In the Administration Setup area, click Data Management, Import Custom Objects. The Import Wizard walks you through a seven-step process for getting the data from a comma separated values (CSV) file into Force.com.

Force.com Excel Connector

Excel Connector is an add-in to Microsoft Excel that allows bidirectional data movement between a worksheet and a Force.com object. You can fill an Excel worksheet with records from a Force.com object. In the worksheet, you can change values by simply editing the corresponding cells. The modified values can then be written back to the Force.com object. If you’re an Excel power user, you will appreciate this tool. You can download it at http://wiki.developerforce.com/page/Force.com_Excel_Connector.