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Apex Data Loader: Allow access to fields not visible on Layout

In order to import, update, upsert, or export any data from and object in ADL, the field(s) you want to access must be visible on the page layout for the object you are working with. Some data is not useful except for administrative or programmatic uses, and therefore should never be visible to users, yet it should still be completely manageable via ADL.

It just does not make any sense (to a programmer or DBA) that a field exists in the database ("objects") behind the front-end ("layout") and it not be accessible using the tools that directly modify an aspect of the database ("objects") just because it is not available to users on the front-end ("layout").

JohanLiljegren 11/18/08	There must be some misunderstanding here. Fields do not have to be on a page layout to be visible/updateable through the Data Loader. The only thing that matters are the Field Level Security on the field for the profile of the user using the Data Loader.
tbsspm 11/18/08	I probably should have specified, Custom Fields. Perhaps normal fields do not suffer from this, but custom ones certainly do. The fields do not even show up in the list (as if they didn't even exist at all) at the field selection screen for export, or at the mapping screen for other functions. Once dragged into the layout (I make a section "IGNORE THESE") then they show up immediately. Dragging them back out (or deleting the "IGNORE THESE" section) makes them disappear. Adding the absolutely correct field names manually into the SOQL query results in a "no such column" error. Confirmed by my data architect support contact, as I sent emails when I was confused the fields I had created were not there. I am using ADL version 14.0 in case that helps (latest, I think).
tbsspm 11/18/08	Also appears that you can't refer to custom fields from within a custom link, unless the custom field is displayed on the page layout. WHAT A PAIN! I made URL custom links which backtrack across to our old CRM (Sugar) using a custom field to hold the original source Sugar record ID - just in case someone wanted to do some archeology, or check out some of the extra data that we chose not to map across. They worked perfectly fine until I just dropped the custom fields off the Page Layout, now they end up passing a blank instead of the actual field content.
SimonF 11/18/08	The API does not require the fields to be on the layout for API access (unless you're on Prof edition, but as you're using the data loader, you can't be on PE).
JohanLiljegren 11/18/08	I'm still confused. I've used ADL to both upload, read and upsert numerous fields, both custom and standard, without them being on the page layout. No problems. Come to think of it, I may not have done it since Winter '09. If it has changed since then, I'll totally promote this idea. What edition are you on? Are you in your org's System Administrator profile?
JonP 12/12/08	Changed status to Existing Feature.

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recently promoted by:

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