Connect Salesforce to SQL Server: 2 Easy Methods

The added complexity involved in orchestrating an ETL pipeline is one of the most challenging aspects of Salesforce to SQL Server Integration. We come across this particular issue with a lot of clients who would like to integrate their SQL Server with Salesforce so that they can access and manipulate their Salesforce data in SQL Server for more advanced reporting.

Currently, both Salesforce and SQL Server do not provide a direct way of exporting objects from Salesforce.com into SQL Server. This is why we decided to create this post and offer our solution so that we can help you to deal with this problem when you face it.

In this post, you will learn how to export data from Salesforce to SQL Server database table. 

Introduction to Salesforce

Salesforce is a hugely successful American cloud-based computing company. Since its inception in 1999, Salesforce has been a pioneer in cloud-based CRM services. Their platform eliminates the need for businesses to use software to manage their customer relationships. Salesforce.com has a plethora of cloud-based applications developed to assist with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for Sales, Contacts, Leads, Products, and other useful things. It is practically a mandatory tool for every company out there.

Introduction to SQL Server

On the other hand, SQL Server is a relational database management system developed for archiving and retrieving transactional data as requested by other applications. With the help of SQL Server, you can use create, retrieve, and update features to manage how information is organized and optimized. It supports the structured query language and comes with its own implementation of the SQL language known as the transact-sql (t-sql).

Reasons to Migrate Data from Salesforce to SQL Server

Salesforce offers a wealth of features that no other CRM program can match, including contact management, workflow development, task management, opportunity tracking, collaboration tools, customer engagement tools, analytics, and an easy-to-use dashboard that works on mobile devices. SQL Server offers improved performance thanks to its integrated transparent data compression and encryption features. Access controls and effective permission management tools are provided by SQL Server to help users protect sensitive business data.

When integrated together, moving data from Salesforce to SQL Server could solve some of the biggest data problems for businesses.

In this post, you will learn how to move data from Salesforce to SQL Server using the Export and Import Wizards technique.

Prerequisites

You would need the following:

• Access to salesforce.com.
• A Salesforce account.
• Have permission to write to the Salesforce output.
• SQL Server running on your computer or in a cloud data warehouse account.

Exporting Data from Salesforce to SQL Server

Below are the two possible methods to export data from Salesforce to SQL Server:

Method 1: Connecting Salesforce to SQL Server Using Hevo

Using Hevo would be a much superior alternative to this method since it’s able to automate this ETL process allowing your developers to focus on BI and not coding complex ETL pipelines.

Hevo’s Salesforce connector enables you to bring data into SQL Server from your Salesforce.com account in real-time. Our modern cloud and big data integration platform are designed to deliver trusted data throughout your company. You can use it to map your Salesforce source to your SQL Server target and export data automatically.

Sign up here for a 14-Day Free Trial!

You can move data effortlessly with Hevo from Salesforce to SQL Server using the following steps:

Step 1: Authenticate and connect to your Salesforce account on the Hevo platform.

Step 2: Connect your SQL Server to Hevo and transfer data instantly and set up Salesforce to SQL Server Integration.

Other Highlights of Hevo:

• Wide Range of Connectors: Instantly connect and read data from 150+ sources including SaaS apps and databases, and precisely control pipeline schedules down to the minute.
• In-built Transformations: Format your data on the fly with Hevo’s preload transformations using either the drag-and-drop interface, or our nifty python interface. Generate analysis-ready data in your warehouse using Hevo’s Postload Transformation.
• Near Real-Time Replication: Get access to near real-time replication for all database sources with log-based replication. For SaaS applications, near real-time replication is subject to API limits.
• Auto-Schema Management: Correcting improper schema after the data is loaded into your warehouse is challenging. Hevo automatically maps source schema with destination warehouse so that you don’t face the pain of schema errors.
• Transparent Pricing: Say goodbye to complex and hidden pricing models. Hevo’s Transparent Pricing brings complete visibility to your ELT spend. Choose a plan based on your business needs. Stay in control with spend alerts and configurable credit limits for unforeseen spikes in the data flow.
• 24×7 Customer Support: With Hevo, you get more than just a platform; you get a partner for your pipelines. Discover peace with round-the-clock “Live Chat” within the platform. What’s more, you get 24×7 support even during the 14-day free trial.
• Security: Discover peace with end-to-end encryption and compliance with all major security certifications including HIPAA, GDPR, SOC-2.

Get started for Free with Hevo!

Method 2: Export Data from Salesforce to SQL Server using Export and Import Wizards

In this section of the blog post, you will learn how to ETL data from Salesforce to SQL Server using the Salesforce Data Loader export wizard and the SQL Server import wizard. This method consists of the following:

• Step 1: Export Object Records into CSV Files using the Data Loader Export Wizard
• Step 2: Import the CSV Files in your SQL Environment using the SQL Server Import Wizard

Step 1: Export object records into CSV files using the Data Loader export wizard

1. Log in to your salesforce application.
2. Go to setup.
3. Under Administer select Data Management > Data loader.
4. Choose the appropriate version for your computer and download the file.
   • Download Data Loader for Windows.
   • Download Data Loader for Mac.
5. Double click the saved file to install it on your PC.
6. Go through the installation prompts until the installation is complete.
7. Launch the Salesforce Data Loader export wizard by double-clicking on the desktop icon.
8. Click Export.
9. Enter your Salesforce username and password, and click Log in.
10. Once you’re logged in, click Next.
11. Select the object you wish to export. For example, you can select the Leads object. To view an expanded view of all the objects available for export, select Show all objects. 
12. Create the CSV file to export the data to and click Next.
13. Create a SOQL (Salesforce Object Query Language) query for the data export. For example, for Lead data, you can select First Name, Last Name, Address, Email, Mobile, City, Lead Source, Lead Status, Campaign, Company, and Title in the query fields, and click Finish. As you follow the next steps, the CSV viewer displays all the lead names and the corresponding fields. 

Step 2: Import the CSV files in your SQL environment using the SQL Server import wizard.

1. Log into your SQL database using the SQL Server Management Studio.
2. Create a table in your database where you will be importing the CSV file containing all your data.
3. Right-click on your database and select Tasks > Import Data.
4. Click the Next > button.
5. For the Data Source, select Flat File Source.
6. Use the Browse button to select the CSV file. Here you can configure how you want the data to be imported. Once you’re done, click on the Next > button.
7. For the Destination, select the correct database provider. For example, for SQL Server 2016, you can use SQL Server Native Client 11.0. Enter the Server name. Check the Use SQL Server Authentication radio button. Enter the User name, Password, and Database before clicking on the Next > button.
8. On the Select Source Tables and Views window, you can Edit Mappings before clicking on the Next > button.
9. Check the Run immediately checkbox and click the Next > button.
10. Click on the Finish button to run the package.

There you have it. You now have a solid foundation on how to export data from Salesforce to SQL Server.

Limitations of Manually Exporting Data from Salesforce to SQL Server

There is one caveat to this method and that is that this method does not support bulk import and therefore if you have multiple CSV files, you will have to load them one at a time. It also does not support automatic incremental updates since it’s a manual process.

Do you want a hassle-free method of transferring your data without the drawbacks of manually writing code? Enter Hevo. Sign up for a free trial today to simplify your data transfer process.

Conclusion

This article talks about the 2 simple methods you can use to transfer data from Salesforce to SQL Server. You can either connect them manually or a third-party tool like Hevo.

Hevo, a No-code Data Pipeline, helps you transfer data from 150+ data sources (Including 30+ Free Sources like Salesforce) in a fully automated and secure manner without having to write the code repeatedly.

Visit our Website to Explore Hevo

Hevo, with its strong integration with 150+ sources & BI tools, allows you to not only export & load data but also transform & enrich your data & make it analysis-ready in a jiff.

Want to take Hevo for a spin? Sign up here for the 14-day free trial and experience the feature-rich Hevo suite first hand. You can also have a look at our unbeatable pricing that will help you choose the right plan for your business needs!

How do you move your data from Salesforce to SQL Server? Let us know in the comments below.