Best Practices

Recommended setup

Start with Objects for simple exports

Choose the Objects data type to pull full records from a single object (Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities). This is the most straightforward approach and gives you all standard fields by default. Upgrade to SOQL only when you need filtering or joins across objects.

Use Reports for pre-built summaries

If your Salesforce org already has reports that managers rely on, export those reports to keep data in sync. Just confirm the report is in tabular format first—matrix and summary formats won't work.

Specify custom fields explicitly

When exporting Objects, custom fields (those ending in `__c`) won't appear unless you list their API names in the Columns field. Check your Salesforce object's field list to get exact names, then add them to your data flow config.

Add date filters to reduce scope

Use the "Changed after date" filter to export only recently modified records. This keeps your dataset lean and reduces API consumption. Macros like `{{30daysago}}` make this automatic and maintainable.

Data refresh and scheduling

Run a manual test first

Always execute a successful manual run of your data flow before scheduling it. This confirms your filters, fields, and destination mapping are correct and catches syntax errors early.

Schedule during off-peak hours

If you're running multiple data flows or heavy reports, schedule them for late night or early morning to avoid competing with your team's manual Salesforce usage and other API integrations.

Use append mode for trend tracking

If you want to track changes over time, append new data to your destination instead of replacing it. This lets you see how metrics evolve. Add a date column to distinguish each refresh.

Performance optimization

Filter by date range in Coupler.io, not just in SOQL

When exporting Objects, use the "Changed after date" and "Changed before date" fields in addition to WHERE clauses. This reduces the volume of data Salesforce processes before sending it to Coupler.io.

Select only the columns you need

In the Columns field, list only the fields required for your analysis. Leaving it empty pulls all fields, which increases export time and file size. Be selective, especially for large objects.

Split very large exports

If you're exporting millions of records, split the export into smaller data flows by date range or account segment. This makes each flow faster and avoids API timeouts.

Common pitfalls

Do

• Test SOQL queries in Salesforce's Developer Console before adding them to Coupler.io

• Double-check custom field API names (they're case-sensitive and end with __c)

• Use tabular reports only—convert matrix or summary reports to tabular format first

• Run a manual test after changing filters or date ranges

• Monitor your Salesforce API usage to avoid hitting daily limits

Don't

• Export matrix or summary reports directly—they'll fail or produce garbled data

• Leave the Columns field empty unless you truly need every field (it's slower)

• Assume custom fields are included by default—you must specify them

• Write SOQL queries without testing them first

• Schedule multiple large exports to run simultaneously—stagger them to avoid rate limits

Avoid exporting sensitive data unnecessarily. Before setting up a data flow for Contacts, Accounts, or Cases, review what fields you actually need. If you're exporting customer PII to a shared Google Sheet or Big Query, ensure proper access controls are in place in your destination system.