Systems and records
Salesforce weekly export: what it includes and what it leaves out
By SourceX Editorial · Updated
Short answer
Salesforce's weekly export, the Data Export Service, produces zip files of CSVs holding your object records and, if selected, attachments and files. It leaves out metadata and configuration, formula field values and every change between runs. It runs weekly only on Enterprise, Performance and Unlimited Editions, and files must be downloaded quickly. Treat it as a snapshot, not a backup.
Key takeaways
- The Data Export Service exports record data as CSV files per object, with optional attachments and files.
- Metadata, configuration and formula field values are not part of the export.
- Enterprise, Performance and Unlimited Editions can export every 7 days; Professional and Developer Editions every 29 days.
- Export files are deleted soon after the notification email, reportedly 48 hours, so downloads need an owner.
- Records arrive as separate files linked only by IDs, so relationships must be rebuilt before history makes sense.
- Pair the export with metadata retrieval and field history pulls if you need a usable archive.
What the Salesforce weekly export produces#
The Salesforce weekly export, run through the Data Export Service in Setup, produces a set of zip files containing one CSV file per selected object. An admin chooses the objects, whether to include images, documents and attachments, whether to include Salesforce Files, and the encoding, then runs it immediately or schedules it.
When the files are ready, Salesforce sends an email and posts download links in Setup. Large orgs receive many zip files, and each must be downloaded before its link expires. Nothing lands in your own storage automatically; someone or something has to fetch the files every time.
Included versus not included#
The line between included and not included follows one rule: the Data Export Service copies record data, not the logic and configuration that give it meaning. That is why a restore or a long-term archive needs more than these files.
Field history deserves a specific check. Tracked field changes live in their own history objects, so confirm which of them appear in your files before assuming the export shows how records changed over time.
| Item | In the weekly export? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard and custom object records | Yes | One CSV per object, with record IDs |
| Lookup and master-detail relationships | As IDs only | Rebuild links by matching IDs across files |
| Attachments, documents and files | Optional | Adds substantially to size and download time |
| Field history tracking | Check your files | Confirm which history objects are present |
| Formula and roll-up summary values | No | Recalculate from source fields and definitions |
| Metadata and configuration | No | Page layouts, validation rules, flows, code and report definitions |
| Records deleted before the run | Do not rely on it | Treat anything deleted before a run as missing from that snapshot |
| Changes between runs | No | Each run is a point-in-time snapshot |
Which objects to select if history matters#
The objects you select decide whether the weekly export holds operating history or just a list of accounts. Default selections often favor core sales objects, while the records that explain what happened sit in related objects that are easy to leave unchecked.
For support history, select cases together with case comments, email messages and case history. For sales history, select opportunities with opportunity history and field history, plus tasks and events. Add knowledge articles if your support team wrote them, and content versions if files matter, accepting the larger download.
- Case, CaseComment, EmailMessage and CaseHistory for the support thread and its status changes
- Opportunity, OpportunityHistory and OpportunityFieldHistory for stage movement and outcomes
- Task and Event for calls, meetings and follow-ups linked to accounts, cases and deals
- Knowledge article versions, where your team maintains them
- ContentVersion and attachments when files are needed, scheduled so downloads finish in time
How often it runs and how long downloads last#
How often the Salesforce export runs depends on your edition. According to Salesforce Trailhead, Enterprise, Performance and Unlimited Editions can export once every 7 days, while Professional and Developer Editions can generate backup files only every 29 days. The zip files do not wait: a Salesforce platform partner's guide says they are deleted 48 hours after the notification email, so a scheduled export that nobody downloads is effectively lost. Confirm the window on Salesforce Help for your org.
The cadence creates a gap. A record created and deleted between runs never appears, and a field changed several times between runs shows only its value on export day. For history that matters, field history tracking or an API-based extraction captures what the weekly snapshot misses.
Why the weekly export is not a backup#
The weekly export is not a backup because it cannot restore an org on its own. Reloading CSV files means recreating records in the right order, remapping every ID and relationship, and rebuilding automation and configuration that the export never captured.
Salesforce and third-party vendors sell backup products for restore needs. For a company preparing an archive before a migration or a contract end, the more useful route is often an API extraction plus a metadata pull, documented so someone outside the Salesforce team can read it.
| Need | Weekly export | Backup product | API and metadata extraction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restore deleted or corrupted records | Manual and slow | Designed for it | Possible with scripting |
| Recover configuration | No | Often included | Yes, through metadata retrieval |
| Capture changes between runs | No | Frequent snapshots | Yes, with field history and incremental pulls |
| Readable long-term archive | Partial | Tied to the vendor's tool | Yes, if documented |
| Effort to run | Low, but someone must download | Subscription and setup | Engineering time |
Turning the export into a usable archive#
A usable Salesforce archive keeps records, relationships, history and meaning together. The weekly export supplies the records; the steps below add the rest.
- Retrieve metadata for objects, fields, picklists, record types, validation rules and flows with the Metadata API or Salesforce CLI.
- Pull field history objects for opportunities, cases and any other tracked objects.
- Export case comments, email messages and activity records alongside cases and opportunities.
- Keep every record ID and write a relationship map showing which fields link which objects.
- Recalculate or document formula fields so their logic is not lost.
- Reconcile record counts per object against Salesforce before access ends.
- Store the archive in company-controlled storage with access logging and a retention period.
Illustrative: a SaaS company consolidates two Salesforce orgs#
Illustrative: a fictional analytics software company acquires a smaller competitor and plans to fold the competitor's Salesforce org into its own. Only active accounts, open opportunities and open cases will move, and the IT lead is told the weekly export will cover everything else.
A review of the export shows gaps. A renewal risk score built as a formula field is missing, case history shows only final statuses, and the support team's flows and assignment rules are absent. The team adds a metadata retrieval, pulls case and opportunity field history, and exports case comments and email messages with their parent IDs.
The acquired org is retired on schedule. The archive explains how the competitor's support team triaged and resolved cases, which helps the combined support team and leaves the company a well-documented history to assess later for licensing.
How SourceX approaches Salesforce history#
SourceX approaches Salesforce history by separating operational records from contact data. Service Cloud cases with comments, emails and resolutions, and opportunities with stage history and loss reasons, can carry decisions and outcomes; contact and lead lists rarely do.
Scoping starts from a short description of objects, years, edition and how the archive was built. Any package that proceeds follows the SourceX five-step transaction, and the SourceX Evidence Packet records provenance, licensing rights, permitted use, the privacy record and release authorization for exactly what was shared.
Frequently asked questions
Can we restore Salesforce from the weekly export files?
Only with significant effort. You would reload records object by object in dependency order, remap IDs and rebuild configuration the files never held. For restore needs, a backup product or a tested API process is more dependable. The weekly export works better as a reference copy.
Does the weekly export include Service Cloud case comments and emails?
If you select those objects, their records export as rows linked to cases by ID. Check your export settings and the files you receive, because an export limited to the main objects leaves case comments and email messages out, and those carry most of the support history.
How do we stop export files from expiring before anyone downloads them?
Assign an owner and a reminder for each run, or automate the download with a script or tool that fetches files as soon as links appear. Store each run under its date so snapshots can be told apart later.
Is the exported data safe to keep on a shared drive?
Treat it as sensitive. The files usually contain contact details, customer notes and sometimes financial fields. Keep them in access-controlled company storage, encrypt them at rest, log access and set a retention period. Privacy laws that may apply can limit how long personal data should be kept.
What happens to our Salesforce data when the contract ends?
Your agreement and Salesforce's documentation set the terms for data return and deletion after the contract ends. Plan a full extraction well before the end date rather than relying on a final weekly export, and confirm deletion timing in writing.
Sources
- According to Salesforce Trailhead, the Data Export Service allows a manual export once every 7 days (weekly) or every 29 days (monthly). Weekly exports are available in Enterprise, Performance and Unlimited Editions, while Professional and Developer Editions can generate backup files only every 29 days. Source
- Salesforce's Data Export Service has options to include images, documents and attachments and to include Salesforce Files and CRM Content document versions. Adding this content increases export processing time. The export arrives as zip files of CSVs, split into multiple files when large. Source
- Sage People's guide to the Salesforce Data Export screen says export zip files are deleted 48 hours after the notification email is sent (not counting weekends), and that the data export feature is not available in sandbox environments. Source
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