Record matching for import updates and upserts
Key Takeaway
Choosing the right match type is the main way to avoid creating duplicates or updating the wrong records.
When you load a file into Salesforce, each row in the file is either an existing record to update or a new record to create. Record matching is how the import tool decides which. You choose the match type, such as Salesforce ID, external ID, name, or email. The match types you can choose depend on the tool, and in the Data Import Wizard they also depend on the object.
Data Import Wizard, Data Loader, and upserts
You can load data with the Data Import Wizard or with Data Loader. The two tools differ in what they are and how many records they handle:
| Tool | What it is | Number of records |
|---|---|---|
| Data Import Wizard | An in-browser tool | Up to 50,000 |
| Data Loader | An external application for bulk work | Between 5,000 and 5 million |
If a row in your file matches an existing record...
The import tool updates that record with the values in your file.
If no match is found for a row...
The import tool creates a new record.