Published at: 2025-10-30
Importing and Creating Primary Objects from Excel
1. Use Case
When creating a Primary Object, users may require Accounts to complete a form containing contact information, product preferences, and other details. The form helps determine which specific Attributes the new Primary Object needs. During validation, users often prepare the data in Excel; the system supports creating Primary Objects directly from Excel data.
2. Configuration Steps
2.1 Download Template
Go to Custom Object Management and click Create from Spreadsheet to download the Excel template.
Figure: Entry point for Create Objects from Excel Import
2.2 Fill in Data
2.2.1 Data Format
Fill the template following these requirements:
- Row 1 — Object: name of the Primary Object to create (create multiple sheets for multiple objects; one object name per sheet).
- Row 2 — Object API Name: custom API Name for the object; must follow custom API Name rules.
- Row 4, Column B — Field Name: names of Attributes to create; supports multiple entries up to the field count limit.
- Row 4, Column C — Field API Name: custom API Name for each Attribute; must follow custom API Name rules.
- Row 4, Column D — Field Type: supported types include Single Line Text, Multi-line Text, Rich Text, Single Select, Multi Select, Number, Currency, Date, Time, DateTime, Phone, Images, Files, Email, Boolean, Formula, Lookup, Percentage, URL, Auto Number, Dept., Departments (multi-select), User (single), User (multi-select), Location, Signature, Master-Detail. (The provided template supports dropdown selection.)
- Row 4, Column E — Required: choose whether the Attribute is required (field property/layout).
- Row 4, Column F — Option Values: applicable only to Single Select and Multi Select fields; separate multiple values with semicolons (other types are empty and not editable).
- Row 4, Column G — Related Object API Name: for Lookup or Master-Detail fields, specify the related object’s API Name.
- Row 4, Column H — Help Text: set the Attribute’s help text.
Note:
- Do not change the template’s column order or column names.
- Uploaded Files must be smaller than 5 MB.
- The number of Attributes must not exceed the limit supported by your edition for custom objects.
Figure: Template for Create Objects from Excel Import
2.2.2 API Name Rules
If an API Name is set to name, it denotes the object’s primary Attribute. For other Attributes, if the API Name does not end with _c, the system will automatically append _c.
Note: If an API Name you provided matches a system field API Name, the system will ignore that entry and will not create a duplicate. System field API Names include:
| Field Label | API Name |
|---|---|
| Record Type | record_type |
| Created By | created_by |
| Created Time | create_time |
| Last Modified By | last_modified_by |
| Last Modified Time | last_modified_time |
| Life Status | life_status |
| Owner | owner |
| Owner Department | owner_department |
Relationship field API Name behavior:
- Lookup
- Related list title: uses this object’s name
- Related list API Name: auto-generated
- Available data scope: All
- Master-Detail
- Detail page related list title: uses this object’s name
- Detail page related list API Name: auto-generated
- Is the child required when creating the parent object: default is No
2.2.3 Smart Field Type Mapping
When creating Attributes, you select the field type. Because users may use different synonyms in Excel, the system applies smart mapping to convert common input terms to the standard system field type. Mapping examples:
| # | Excel Input Examples | System Field Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | text, single line text | Single Line Text |
| 2 | text area, long text area, textarea, multi-line text | Multi-line Text |
| 3 | rich text, rtf | Rich Text |
| 4 | single select, picklist | Single Select |
| 5 | multi select, multi-choice picklist | Multi Select |
| 6 | number, integer, float | Number |
| 7 | currency | Currency |
| 8 | date | Date |
| 9 | time | Time |
| 10 | datetime | DateTime |
| 11 | phone, mobile | Phone |
| 12 | image, images | Images |
| 13 | file, attachment, files | Files |
| 14 | email, mailbox | |
| 15 | boolean, checkbox | Boolean |
| 16 | formula, calculated field | Formula |
| 17 | lookup, lookup relationship, related | Lookup |
| 18 | percent, percentage | Percentage |
| 19 | url, website | URL |
| 20 | autonumber, auto number | Auto Number |
| 21 | dept., department | Dept. |
| 22 | departments (multi) | Departments |
| 23 | user, person | User |
| 24 | users (multi) | User (multi-select) |
| 25 | geo, location | Location |
| 26 | master-detail, master-detail relationship | Master-Detail |
2.3 Object Layout Designer
After you import the completed Excel sheet, the system analyzes the data and presents it as standardized information for review and adjustment in the layout designer, for example:
Figure: Preview of data when creating objects from Excel import