Data Mapper Series: Deep Dive into Data Mapper Load

Welcome back! In our last blog, we explored the Extract Data Mapper, which allows us to fetch data from multiple objects. But what happens when we want to go the other way? What if we want to save data into Salesforce?

Today, we are going to master the Data Mapper Load.

Load Creation

The Real-World Use Case: The Student Form

Let’s think back to the UI session where we built the Student Registration Form.

When a user fills out their First Name, Last Name, and Date of Birth, and clicks that “Submit” button, that data needs a home. Our goal is to take that form data and automatically generate a new Student__c record in our Salesforce backend.

OmniScript Form

Pre-requisite: Before doing this, you must have a custom object named Student__c created in your org with the relevant fields (Name, Phone, Email, etc.).

What is a Data Mapper Load?

Simply put, it is a point-and-click configuration tool used to write, create, or update data inside Salesforce objects.

• You don’t need to write any Apex code.
• It is commonly called from OmniScripts, FlexCards, or Integration Procedures.

Inside the Builder: The Key Tabs

When you create a Data Mapper Load, the builder interface looks a little different from the Extract version. Here are the main tabs you will work with:

1. The Objects Tab (The Destination)

Note: In an Extract Data Mapper, this is called the “Extract” tab, but here it is called “Objects”. This is where you tell the system exactly which Salesforce object you want to save data into. For our example, we would click “Add Object” and select our custom Student__c object.

2. The Formulas Tab (The Calculator)

Need to do some math before saving the record? If you want to combine “First Name” and “Last Name” into a single “Full Name” field before saving it to the database, you can write a formula here to handle it.

3. The Fields Tab (The Matchmaker)

This is where the actual mapping happens. You need to connect your input data (the JSON from your OmniScript form) to your output data (the actual fields on the Student__c object).

All Mappings

You have two ways to do this:

• Quick Match: The fast lane! This opens a window showing your Input JSON on the left and your Salesforce fields on the right. You just pair them up visually.

• Create Mapping (Manual): You manually type the JSON node name and select the corresponding Salesforce field one by one.

Important Field Settings You Need to Know

When you map a field, you will see some powerful configuration options:

• Default Value: If the user leaves a field blank on the form, you can set a fallback value here so the record still saves cleanly.

• Upsert Key: This is your duplicate-preventer! If you check this box on a field (like Email or Roll Number), the Data Mapper will search Salesforce first. If a record with that Email already exists, it will Update it. If it doesn’t exist, it will Insert a new one. (Update + Insert = Upsert).

• Is Required for Upsert: If you check this, the Data Mapper will completely fail and stop the process if this specific field is missing from the incoming data.

• Is Lookup: Use this if you need to link records together. For example, if you only have a Department Name from your form, but Salesforce requires a Department Record ID to create the relationship, checking “Is Lookup” tells the Data Mapper to query Salesforce, find that ID, and attach it for you.

The Preview Tab (Test Your Work)

Once everything is mapped, head over to the Preview Tab. On the left side, you paste in some sample JSON (simulating the data a user would submit from your form). Click Execute.

🚨 CRITICAL PRO-TIP FOR BEGINNERS: > Unlike an Extract Data Mapper (which only reads data), clicking Execute on a Load Data Mapper actually creates or updates real data in your Salesforce org! Always be mindful of what you are executing in the Preview tab so you don’t accidentally flood your system with fake test records.

If successful, the right side of the screen will show you the newly created Salesforce Record ID for your brand-new Student__c record! 🎉