Id Lookup
Think of Id Lookup as VLookup on steroids — but far more capable. With a simple per-field configuration, you can resolve source values into Salesforce record Ids automatically before saving, cutting what used to take hours of spreadsheet prep down to minutes.
Instead of requiring your input file to contain raw Salesforce Ids, you supply a meaningful identifier — an account number, an external code, a developer name — and Id Lookup finds the matching record for you.
Id Lookup is configured per field in the Field Mapping dialog. Open the mapping entry for a field and expand the Id Lookup section.
How to access
To specify the Id Lookup, click on the Edit (Pencil Icon) of a field mapping entry, which shows the Field Mapping
dialog. There look for Id Lookup section and expand it to see the configuration options.
Lookup Types
| Type | Edition | Description |
|---|---|---|
| None | All | No lookup. The source value is used as-is. |
| Self Lookup | Professional | Looks up a record in the same object being loaded. Only available for Id-type fields. |
| Parent Lookup | Professional | Looks up a record in the parent (related) object of a reference field. The object is set automatically from the field definition. |
| Object Lookup | Professional | Looks up a record in any Salesforce object you choose. |
| External Id | All | Looks up a record in the target object using one of its External Id fields. |
External Id Lookup
Select the External Id field on the target object that matches your source values. Only fields marked as External Id in Salesforce appear in the list. Use the refresh button if a recently created External Id field is missing.
Self Lookup
Self lookup can be used when target field is Id, since you are lookup record's own Id.
Parent Lookup
Parent lookup can be used for either lookup or master/detail fields. For example, if you are loading Contact records
and
want to populate the AccountId
Object Lookup
Object Lookup type is the most flexible and can be used in any situation, but it requires a bit more configuration. You choose the object to query and the field on that object to match against your source value. Id Lookup then runs a SOQL query behind the scenes to find the record and retrieve its Id.
Note that Self and Parent lookups are essentially pre-configured Object Lookups with the Object field set for you and some fields hidden.
Lookup Configuration Fields
These three types share the same set of fields.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Object | The object to query. Set automatically for Self (same object) and Parent (related object); selectable for Object Lookup. |
| Match Field | The field on the lookup object whose value is compared to the incoming source value. |
| Value Field | The field on the lookup object whose value is returned and used in the saved record. Defaults to Id. |
Handling Multiple Matches
When the lookup query returns more than one matching record, use When Multiple Matches to decide what happens.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Throw Error | Fail the record with an error (default) |
| Pick First | Use the first record returned |
| Pick Last | Use the last record returned |
| Pick First Created | Use the record with the earliest CreatedDate |
| Pick Last Created | Use the record with the latest CreatedDate |
| Pick First Updated | Use the record with the earliest LastModifiedDate |
| Pick Last Updated | Use the record with the latest LastModifiedDate |
| Formula Match | Evaluate a formula against the candidates and use the one that returns true |
When Formula Match is selected, a Many Match Filter Formula field appears. Write a formula that evaluates to true for the record you want to use. The formula has access to all fields included in the lookup query.
Handling No Matches
When the lookup query returns no results, use When No Matches to decide what happens.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Throw Error | Fail the record with an error (default) |
| Set Null | Save the field as null |
| Set Default | Use the value from a formula |
When Set Default is selected, a None Match Default Formula field appears where you can provide the fallback value.
Lookup Summary in Field Mapping Grid
After configuring Id Lookup for a field, the Field Mapping grid shows a summary in the Id Lookup column so you can review all lookups at a glance without opening each entry individually.