Export of the Notes, Attachments and Files

Table of Contents



Overview ⇧

Purpose: This guide provides an example configuration for including Note and Attachment objects in a Salesforce data migration, specifically tailored to export these items along with associated Account records, including the binary data of the Attachments.

Exporting Notes and Attachments ⇧

Below is an example of an export.json configuration designed to export Attachments and Notes related to Account records:

"objects": [
    {
        "operation": "Insert",
        "query": "SELECT Id, Name FROM Account"
    },
    {
        "operation": "Insert",
        "query": "SELECT Body, Id, Name, ParentId$Account FROM Attachment",
        "master": false
    },
    {
        "operation": "Insert",
        "query": "SELECT Body, Id, Title, ParentId$Account FROM Note",
        "master": false
    }
]
Notes: ⇧
  • Polymorphic Field: The ParentId$Account is defined as a polymorphic field that dynamically links the Notes and Attachments to their related Accounts.
  • Master Property: For Attachments and Notes, the master property is set to false. This setting enables the automatic selection of records related to the primary Account records.
  • WHERE Clause: To further refine the selection of Attachments and Notes, you can incorporate a WHERE clause to filter records based on specific criteria.
  • Handling Large Files: If Attachments or Notes contain large file sizes which could potentially cause script execution failures, it is advisable to adjust the restApiBatchSize for these objects. Setting this parameter to a smaller number, such as 5 to 10, can help ensure a smooth migration process:
{
    "operation": "Insert",
    "query": "SELECT Body, Id, Name, ParentId$Account FROM Attachment",
    "master": false,
    "restApiBatchSize": 10
}

Exporting Salesforce Files ⇧

For exporting Salesforce Files, use the core:ExportFiles Add-On, which is designed for current engine file pipelines (ContentVersion, ContentDocumentLink, Attachment, Note) and supports org/csvfile scenarios.

Deprecated for complex file migrations: direct object-level SOQL-only file transfer flows are legacy-style and should be used only for simple cases.

Notes: ⇧
  • For most production migrations, prefer core:ExportFiles, because it handles file links and binary payload flow in a dedicated pipeline.
  • Use direct object-level file queries only for lightweight or legacy scenarios where no advanced file handling is required.
  • If your migration includes multiple object sets and CSV media, core:ExportFiles aligns better with current object-set path behavior.
Last updated on 25th Feb 2026