5 common Salesforce backup pitfalls and how to avoid them

With growing automation and AI integration within Salesforce development, safeguarding your data is more critical than ever. For Salesforce teams, a robust backup strategy is no longer a luxury but a necessity to protect against any unforeseen data disasters. At DevOps Launchpad, we’re on a mission to empower Salesforce professionals with the knowledge and skills to implement DevOps best practices, like backup, within their DevOps lifecycle. That’s why we’re excited to share the following insights from Jolene Mair, a DevOps expert with extensive experience in Salesforce implementation and data protection. In this blog, Jolene will guide you through the common pitfalls of data backup in Salesforce, and offer practical advice on how to avoid them.

Assuming Salesforce’s built-in backup is enough — why relying on Salesforce’s weekly export isn’t sufficient

Salesforce data is constantly changing, which means that relying on Salesforce’s weekly export for backups can expose you to data loss. A week’s worth of changes could be missed, putting your business at risk. Furthermore, Salesforce’s built-in backup doesn’t include metadata, which is crucial for preserving your customizations, workflows, and object relationships. Without these elements, your data becomes increasingly challenging to understand and use, leading to significant disruptions.

Salesforce backup files are often stored in non-approved locations, such as local hard drives or laptops, and must be retrieved within a limited time frame. This introduces potential compliance and security risks, as sensitive data may be stored outside of secure, controlled environments. Relying solely on Salesforce's weekly export is not enough to ensure full data protection. To maintain a reliable, comprehensive backup strategy for Salesforce, it’s essential to supplement this with more frequent and secure backup solutions covering data and metadata.

Imagine… It's been six days and twelve hours since your last weekly export. Your teams have spent three days cleaning and preparing data, only to realise that the "master" file they've been working with is actually a backup from three weeks ago. For the past three days, the business has been using data that was already outdated by three weeks. Now, your only option is to import the most recent backup from six days ago, doubling your data loss from three days to six. Regular and reliable backups are a must, not a compromise.

Not testing backups for recoverability — the risks of backing up data but never verifying restore processes

The time to test your disaster recovery process is not when you urgently need to restore data. Your backup is only as reliable as the recovery process that supports it. Without thorough testing, the complexity of your Salesforce environment can lead to confusion during a data recovery situation. If the recovery process hasn’t been adequately tested and documented, the same issues will likely arise every time, leading to more frustration and longer downtime. Testing your backup process lets you identify critical data that must be recovered first, helping you prioritize recovery steps and minimize disruption. It also highlights potential gaps, such as new objects or fields that may not be backed up properly.

In a data loss incident, time is of the essence. The quicker you can recover, the less impact it will have on your business. The longer the recovery takes, the greater the loss. Regularly testing your backup and recovery process ensures you're prepared when needed, reducing recovery time and minimizing data loss.

Imagine… It's hour three of your first-ever data loss incident. You have file after file of backed-up data ready to restore, but now the questions start piling up. Which object should be loaded first? What about all the validation rules? Should you disable any automation, like Flows? Making these decisions in the heat of the moment only increases the risk and adds unnecessary complexity to the recovery process.

Ignoring metadata backup — why metadata is just as crucial as data in disaster recovery

Picture having all your data restored, but your Salesforce environment is completely unrecognizable. Custom objects and fields are gone, workflows are missing, and all the customizations your business relies on have vanished. This data disaster can happen if you neglect to back up your metadata.

Your metadata is just as critical as your data. It’s the foundation that defines how your Salesforce environment is tailored to meet your business needs. Without a metadata backup, you risk losing the structure and customization that make your Salesforce instance uniquely yours. Backing up metadata ensures deployment security and consistency, allowing you to recover quickly in case of a failed or problematic deployment. It protects not just your data but also the framework that enables that data to thrive.

Imagine… You have all your data but nowhere to put it. Over the years, your Salesforce has been meticulously customized with custom fields, validation rules, processes, and intricate relationships between your data. Without a backup, it would take an overwhelming amount of time to reconstruct everything from scratch. Don't waste days working on a Salesforce instance only to forget to save a backup of the metadata. Treat your metadata like the invaluable asset it is — back it up regularly to protect your hard work.

Failing to automate backup processes — the danger of relying on manual exports and how automation improves resilience

Relying on manual exports for data backup significantly increases the risk of data loss. Manual backup processes are prone to human error, resulting in missed exports, inconsistent backups, and irregular or absent schedules. These inconsistencies make it difficult to guarantee that your Salesforce data is consistently protected.

In contrast, automating the backup process ensures reliability and consistency. Automation guarantees that backups occur regularly, capturing data and metadata without the risk of forgetting or overlooking critical steps. Automating backups can strengthen your resilience and ensure your business is always prepared for data recovery.

Imagine… Disaster strikes, and an erroneous mass data update corrupts all your records. At first, it seems like luck is on your side — it happened just after a manual backup should have been captured. But that luck quickly fades when you realize the employee responsible for performing the manual backup is on leave, and the process was forgotten in their absence. Don’t leave your backup strategy to chance — automate it to ensure your data is always protected.

Neglecting compliance and retention policies — how teams can align backup strategies with regulatory requirements

Regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX impose strict guidelines on how businesses must handle data protection, retention, and recovery. Failing to comply with these requirements can lead to costly fines, legal consequences, and a significant loss of customer trust. Organizations must ensure their Salesforce backup strategies align with these regulatory standards, safeguarding their data and reputation.

Compliance is a team effort, not just the responsibility of one individual — it requires collaboration across multiple teams. To ensure your backup strategies align with regulatory requirements, working closely with business partners, compliance teams, security professionals, and legal departments is essential. These teams collectively ensure that your backup policies are thorough and in line with the specific mandates that apply to your business.

Imagine… Your regulatory requirements mandate that data must be encrypted both at rest and in transit. Relying on weekly exports from Salesforce would not meet these compliance standards. By collaborating with all relevant teams, your organization can ensure that your backup tools and strategy are properly aligned to meet regulatory requirements and maintain data security.

But don’t just imagine! Automate, test, and back up regularly, including both data and metadata. Think creatively and challenge the norm. By doing all of this, you reduce uncertainty and establish a consistent, reliable backup and recovery strategy. Remember, everything is a “what if” until it actually happens. Don’t find yourself on the wrong side of the statistics by falling into any of these top five pitfalls!

Get certified for free

Want to learn even more about developing a robust backup strategy and avoiding common backup mistakes? Become a Salesforce backup expert with DevOps Launchpad’s free Salesforce Backup Certification. This certification covers everything from backup best practices to data recovery strategies — helping you build a rock-solid backup plan with confidence. Enroll for free here.