Definition
A Salesforce configuration that defines how to connect to an external system (like SAP, SharePoint, or a custom database) via Salesforce Connect or OData, enabling external objects to display data from outside Salesforce without copying it.
Real-World Example
a platform engineer at NovaScale recently implemented External Data Source to enhance the organization's Salesforce footprint with additional functionality. By leveraging External Data Source, the team avoids building a custom solution from scratch, saving months of development time while gaining enterprise-grade features out of the box.
Why External Data Source Matters
An External Data Source is a Salesforce configuration that defines how to connect to an external system through Salesforce Connect or OData. It specifies the connection details (URL, authentication, protocol) for accessing data in systems like SAP, SharePoint, custom databases, or other Salesforce orgs. Once configured, the External Data Source enables the creation of External Objects, which display the external data inside Salesforce without storing it locally.
External Data Sources are key to integration scenarios where you want to surface external data in Salesforce without ETL or copying. The data stays in the source system and is fetched on demand when users view records, ensuring it's always current. This is particularly valuable for large datasets that would be impractical to copy, for systems that are the authoritative source of truth, and for scenarios where data residency requirements prevent copying. Salesforce Connect supports several adapter types: OData 2.0, OData 4.0, cross-org (for connecting Salesforce to Salesforce), and custom Apex adapters for systems that don't speak OData.
How Organizations Use External Data Source
- •TerraForm Tech — Configured an External Data Source pointing to their ERP system so order data appears in Salesforce as External Objects without being copied. The data stays current automatically.
- •NovaScale — Uses cross-org External Data Sources to display data from a sister Salesforce org in their main org, avoiding the need for data sync between the two.
- •CodeBridge — Built a custom Apex adapter External Data Source for a legacy system that doesn't speak OData, giving users access to that data inside Salesforce.