Salesforce Object Query Language (SOQL) is the language used to search and retrieve data from the Salesforce database. Similar to SQL, it allows developers and administrators to query for specific records, but it is designed specifically for the Salesforce data model and its objects.
SOQL is fundamental for any custom development or data management within Salesforce. Its primary function is to read information from the database, enabling a wide range of applications from simple data lookups to complex analytics.
Writing efficient SOQL queries is crucial for maintaining performance and avoiding governor limits within Salesforce. Adhering to best practices ensures your code is scalable, readable, and optimized for the platform's multi-tenant architecture.
While both are used to retrieve data in Salesforce, SOQL and SOSL serve distinct purposes and are optimized for different scenarios.
Optimizing SOQL is key to building scalable Salesforce applications. Efficient queries consume fewer system resources, leading to faster response times and a better user experience. This also helps you stay within Salesforce's strict governor limits, preventing errors and ensuring your automations run smoothly without interruption.
When your SOQL queries fail, start by checking these common problem areas.
Can I use SOQL to modify or delete data?
No, SOQL is strictly for querying and retrieving data. To create, update, or delete records in Salesforce, you must use Data Manipulation Language (DML) statements like `insert`, `update`, or `delete` within Apex code.
How can I query more than the 50,000 record limit?
To process large data sets exceeding the synchronous limit, use a SOQL For Loop or a QueryLocator within Batch Apex. This allows you to work with up to 50 million records asynchronously, breaking them into manageable chunks.
Is it possible to retrieve deleted or archived records with SOQL?
Yes, you can query records in the recycle bin by adding the `ALL ROWS` keyword to your SOQL query. This is useful for data recovery or auditing purposes, allowing you to access records that are not visible in standard queries.
A Customer Data Platform (CDP) is software that gathers and organizes customer data from various touchpoints into a single, unified profile.
Average Order Value (AOV) tracks the average dollar amount spent each time a customer places an order on your website or mobile app.
Load testing is a type of performance testing that determines how a system behaves under both normal and anticipated peak load conditions.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is the total revenue a business expects from a customer throughout their entire relationship with the company.
Employee advocacy is the promotion of an organization by its staff members, who share positive messages and content through their personal networks.
Dynamic data is information that updates in real-time. Unlike static data, it reflects the most current state of information automatically.
Lead scraping is the process of automatically extracting contact information and other relevant data about potential customers from online sources.
Real-time data processing is the method of analyzing data the instant it's generated, enabling immediate actions and decision-making.
Expansion revenue is the extra money a business makes from its current customers via upgrades, new products, or additional services.
A Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) API is a web service that uses XML to exchange structured information between different applications.
Market intelligence is the process of collecting and analyzing data about your target market, competitors, and industry to guide business strategy.
CRM analytics is the process of analyzing data from your CRM to uncover insights that help you better understand and serve your customers.
A lead magnet is a free incentive offered to potential customers in exchange for their contact details, like an email, to generate sales leads.
Competitive intelligence (CI) is the ethical gathering and analysis of market data to inform strategic business decisions and gain an advantage.
Sales engagement is the sum of all interactions between a seller and a prospect, aimed at building a relationship and moving a deal forward.
Pipeline management is the process of tracking and managing potential customers as they move through the different stages of your sales process.
A drip campaign is a series of automated messages sent to prospects or customers over time to nurture leads and drive engagement.
Low-hanging fruit are the most obvious and easy-to-tackle tasks or goals that provide a quick, valuable return for minimal effort.
A sales script is a pre-written guide of talking points that helps salespeople navigate conversations with potential customers.
A sales enablement platform centralizes content, training, and analytics to help sales teams engage buyers and effectively close deals.
A commission is a service charge paid to an agent for a transaction. It's typically a percentage of the sale, rewarding performance directly.
Customer data analysis is the process of examining customer information to uncover insights that drive business decisions and improve experiences.
Sales forecast accuracy is a key metric that compares your predicted sales revenue against the actual sales revenue you ultimately achieve.
A Data Management Platform (DMP) is a software that collects and organizes audience data from various sources for targeted marketing efforts.
On-Target Earnings (OTE) is a salesperson's total potential pay, combining base salary and commission for hitting their sales quota.
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A cold email is an initial outreach sent to a potential customer with whom you've had no prior contact, aiming to introduce your business.
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A value chain is the series of business activities required to create and deliver a product or service, from conception to the final customer.
Cohort analysis is a behavioral analytics tool that groups users with common traits to track their actions and engagement over time.
Signaling is using credible actions to convey information about quality or intent to a less-informed party, effectively building trust.
SPIN selling is a sales technique using a sequence of questions—Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff—to uncover a buyer's needs.
Direct sales involves selling products directly to consumers in a non-retail setting, such as at home, online, or person-to-person.
Predictive lead scoring uses AI to analyze data and rank leads by their likelihood to convert, helping sales teams prioritize their efforts.
White labeling is when a company puts its own branding on a product or service that was actually produced by a different company.
Lead generation tactics are the strategies and methods used to attract potential customers and convert them into leads for your sales team.
Marketing metrics are quantifiable values that marketing teams use to measure and track the performance of their campaigns and efforts.
Territory management is the process of segmenting customers into groups by geography or other factors to optimize sales efforts and resources.
Price optimization is the process of finding the ideal price for a product or service to maximize profitability or other business objectives.
Product recommendations are a marketing strategy that uses customer data to suggest relevant products, boosting sales and customer engagement.
A persona map visually outlines a target customer, detailing their goals, behaviors, and pain points to help your team build genuine empathy.
Sales development is the process of identifying and qualifying potential customers to create a pipeline of sales-ready leads for closers.
Personalization in sales means tailoring outreach to a prospect's specific needs, interests, and context to make communication more relevant.
An early adopter is a user who embraces a new product or technology before the majority, helping to validate and popularize the innovation.
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Discount strategies are pricing tactics used to attract customers and boost sales by temporarily reducing the price of products or services.
A Sales Manager leads a sales team, setting goals, analyzing performance, and developing strategies to drive revenue and meet targets.
Text message marketing is a strategy where businesses send promotional messages, offers, and updates to customers via SMS or MMS.
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based model where affiliates earn a commission for promoting another company’s products or services.
A Request for Quotation (RFQ) is a document that a company sends to one or more suppliers to get a quote for specific products or services.
Going dark is when a once-responsive prospect suddenly stops all communication, leaving you wondering what went wrong.
Deal closing is the final step in a sales cycle. It's when a prospect signs a contract and officially converts into a paying customer.
Fault tolerance is a system's ability to continue operating without interruption when one or more of its components fail.
Forecasting uses historical data to make informed predictions about future trends, helping businesses anticipate outcomes and plan accordingly.
Sales Performance Management (SPM) is a suite of tools and processes that help businesses monitor, analyze, and boost sales team performance.
Sales velocity is a key metric measuring the speed at which your company makes money. It shows how fast deals move through your sales pipeline.
Sales metrics are quantifiable data points that track and measure a sales team's performance against specific goals and objectives.
A hybrid sales model blends traditional and digital sales methods to engage customers across multiple channels and buying preferences.
Account Click-Through Rate (CTR) is the percentage of individuals from a target account who click on a link in an ad, email, or on a webpage.
Accounts Payable (AP) is the money a company owes its suppliers for goods or services bought on credit. It's listed as a current liability.
Marketing automation uses software to automate repetitive marketing tasks, such as email marketing, social media posting, and ad campaigns.
Voice broadcasting is an automated system that delivers a pre-recorded voice message to a large list of phone numbers simultaneously.
Target Account Selling is a focused sales strategy where teams identify and pursue a specific list of high-value accounts.
A sales dashboard is a visual tool that centralizes and displays key sales data, metrics, and KPIs to help teams track performance and goals.
A Software Development Kit (SDK) is a set of tools that allows developers to create applications for a specific software package or platform.
The buyer journey maps the path a potential customer takes, from first learning about a product to the final decision to buy.
A warm email is a message sent to a prospect with whom you have a pre-existing connection, like a mutual contact or a prior interaction.
A Marketing Qualified Account (MQA) is a target company that has shown significant engagement, indicating it's ready for the sales team to pursue.
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XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a markup language for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.
A draw on commission is an advance payment a salesperson receives against future earnings, which is later repaid from earned commissions.
A Master Service Agreement (MSA) is a foundational contract that sets the general terms for an ongoing business relationship between two parties.
Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) is the ideal order quantity a company should purchase to minimize its total inventory-related costs.
Amortization is the process of spreading out a loan or the cost of an intangible asset over a specific period for accounting and tax purposes.
A knowledge base is a self-serve online library of information about a product, service, department, or topic.
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Intent data tracks a user's online behavior—like searches and site visits—to identify signals that they are ready to make a purchase.
User-generated content (UGC) refers to any form of content, like images, videos, or text, created and shared by users on online platforms.
Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) measures the mean annual growth of an investment over a specified period of time longer than one year.
Average Selling Price (ASP) is the average price at which a particular product or service is sold across different markets and channels.
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A sales intelligence platform is software that provides sales teams with data and insights about prospects to help them sell more effectively.
Digital contracts are legally binding agreements created, signed, and stored electronically, offering a faster, more secure alternative to paper.
A sales demonstration is a presentation showing a prospect how a product or service works and how it can solve their specific problems.
Call disposition is the process of labeling the outcome of a call. It helps sales teams track interactions and plan their next steps effectively.
Data visualization is the practice of translating information into a visual context, like a map or graph, to make data easier to understand.
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Account-Based Marketing (ABM) benchmarks are key metrics used to measure the performance and success of your targeted account strategies.
Sales pipeline management is the process of organizing, tracking, and managing potential deals through every stage of your sales funnel.
Warm calling is contacting prospects with a prior connection, like a referral or social media interaction, to make your outreach more relevant.
An email cadence is a scheduled sequence of emails sent to prospects over a specific period to nurture leads and drive engagement.
Content Rights Management involves controlling the use and distribution of copyrighted digital media to protect intellectual property.
A Data Management Platform (DMP) is a tech platform used to collect and manage data, mainly for digital marketing and advertising campaigns.
Event tracking is the method of collecting data on specific user actions, or 'events,' on a website or app, such as clicks or downloads.
A buying committee is a group of stakeholders within an organization who are jointly responsible for making major purchasing decisions.
Data appending is the process of adding new data fields to your existing database records to enrich and complete your information.
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a software application that manages your entire hiring and recruitment process from a single dashboard.
Page views count the total number of times a page on your website is loaded. This metric is a key indicator of your site's overall traffic.
CRM enrichment is the process of adding third-party data to your existing customer profiles to make them more complete and accurate.