A Salesforce sandbox is a copy of your production environment that you can use to test changes to your Salesforce data and configuration. There are four types of sandboxes in Salesforce:
Full sandbox
Full sandboxes are the most complete copy of your production environment. This means that they contain all of your data and configuration, including custom objects, fields, and relationships.
Full sandboxes are the best choice for testing complex changes to your Salesforce environment. For example, you can use a Full sandbox to test changes to your business logic, your user interface, or your integrations with other systems.
Full sandboxes can be used for other purposes as well, such as:
Training new users
Staging changes before deploying them to production
Performing performance testing
Analyzing data
There are a few things to keep in mind about Full sandboxes:
They can be large and time-consuming to create.
They can be expensive to maintain, especially if you need to create and refresh them frequently.
They can be difficult to manage, especially if you have a large Salesforce environment.
If you need to test complex changes to your Salesforce environment, or if you need a sandbox that is as close to your production environment as possible, then a Full sandbox is the best choice for you. However, you should carefully consider the cost and management overhead before creating a Full sandbox.
Here are some additional tips for using Full sandboxes:
Only create Full sandboxes when you need them.
Minimize the amount of data that you include in the sandbox.
Refresh the sandbox regularly to ensure that it is up-to-date with your production environment.
Back up the sandbox regularly in case of data loss.
Partial data copy sandbox
Partial Data Copy sandboxes are a type of sandbox that contains a subset of your production data. You can choose which objects and fields to include in the sandbox.
Partial Data Copy sandboxes are a good choice for testing changes to specific parts of your Salesforce environment. For example, you can use a Partial Data Copy sandbox to test changes to a particular object, field, or report.
Partial Data Copy sandboxes can also be used for other purposes, such as:
Training new users on a specific part of your Salesforce environment
Staging changes before deploying them to production
Performing performance testing on a specific part of your Salesforce environment
There are a few things to keep in mind about Partial Data Copy sandboxes:
They are smaller and faster to create than Full sandboxes.
They are less expensive to maintain than Full sandboxes.
They can be easier to manage than Full sandboxes.
However, they may not be as accurate as Full sandboxes, since they only contain a subset of your production data.
If you need to test changes to specific parts of your Salesforce environment, or if you need a sandbox that is smaller and faster to create and maintain than a Full sandbox, then a Partial Data Copy sandbox is a good choice for you.
Here are some additional tips for using Partial Data Copy sandboxes:
Choose the objects and fields that you need to include in the sandbox carefully.
Minimize the amount of data that you include in the sandbox.
Refresh the sandbox regularly to ensure that it is up-to-date with your production environment.
Back up the sandbox regularly in case of data loss.
By following these tips, you can ensure that you are using Partial Data Copy sandboxes effectively and efficiently.
Here are some additional things to consider when choosing between a Full sandbox and a Partial Data Copy sandbox:
The size of your Salesforce environment. If you have a large Salesforce environment, then a Full sandbox may be the best choice for you.
The complexity of the changes that you need to test. If you need to test complex changes, then a Full sandbox may be the best choice for you.
The frequency with which you need to create and refresh the sandbox. If you need to create and refresh the sandbox frequently, then a Partial Data Copy sandbox may be the best choice for you.
The cost of the sandbox. Partial Data Copy sandboxes are less expensive than Full sandboxes.
Developer Pro sandbox
Developer Pro sandboxes are designed for developers who need to test complex changes to their Salesforce environment. They include all of the features of a Full sandbox, plus additional features such as:
API access: This allows developers to access the Salesforce API, which they can use to automate testing or to develop custom integrations.
The ability to run multiple sandboxes at the same time: This can be useful for testing complex changes that involve multiple objects or features.
Larger data and file storage limits: Developer Pro sandboxes have a larger data storage limit of 1GB and a larger file storage limit of 1GB than Developer sandboxes. This allows developers to test with larger datasets and more complex applications.
Developer Pro sandboxes are a good choice for developers who need to test complex changes to their Salesforce environment. They offer a number of features that can help developers to save time and improve the quality of their testing.
Here are some additional tips for using Developer Pro sandboxes:
Use API access to automate testing. This can save you a lot of time and effort.
Run multiple sandboxes at the same time to test complex changes.
Use the larger data and file storage limits to test with larger datasets and more complex applications.
Back up your sandboxes regularly in case of data loss.
By following these tips, you can ensure that you are using Developer Pro sandboxes effectively and efficiently.
Here are some additional things to consider when choosing between a Developer Pro sandbox and a Developer sandbox:
The complexity of the changes that you need to test. If you need to test complex changes, then a Developer Pro sandbox may be the best choice for you.
The frequency with which you need to create and refresh the sandbox. If you need to create and refresh the sandbox frequently, then a Developer Pro sandbox may be the best choice for you.
The cost of the sandbox. Developer Pro sandboxes are more expensive than Developer sandboxes.
Developer sandbox
Developer sandboxes are the most basic type of sandbox. They are designed for developers who need to test simple changes to their Salesforce environment. They do not include all of the features of a Full sandbox, such as API access and the ability to run multiple sandboxes at the same time.
However, they are still a valuable tool for developers. They allow developers to test changes to their code, their data, and their configurations without affecting their production environment.
Developer sandboxes can be used for a variety of purposes, such as:
Testing new features
Fixing bugs
Developing custom applications
Training new developers
Here are some things to keep in mind about Developer sandboxes:
They are smaller and faster to create than Full sandboxes.
They are less expensive to maintain than Full sandboxes.
They can be easier to manage than Full sandboxes.
However, they may not be as accurate as Full sandboxes, since they do not contain all of your production data.
They do not include API access or the ability to run multiple sandboxes at the same time.
If you need to test simple changes to your Salesforce environment, or if you need a sandbox that is smaller and faster to create and maintain than a Full sandbox, then a Developer sandbox is a good choice for you.
Here are some additional tips for using Developer sandboxes:
Only create Developer sandboxes when you need them.
Minimize the amount of data that you include in the sandbox.
Refresh the sandbox regularly to ensure that it is up-to-date with your production environment.
Back up the sandbox regularly in case of data loss.
By following these tips, you can ensure that you are using Developer sandboxes effectively and efficiently.
Here are some additional things to consider when choosing between a Developer sandbox and a Full sandbox:
The complexity of the changes that you need to test. If you need to test complex changes, then a Full sandbox may be the best choice for you.
The frequency with which you need to create and refresh the sandbox. If you need to create and refresh the sandbox frequently, then a Developer sandbox may be the best choice for you.
The cost of the sandbox. Developer sandboxes are less expensive than Full sandboxes.
The number of sandboxes that you can create in Salesforce depends on your Salesforce edition and the number of sandbox licenses that you have purchased. The following table shows the sandbox limits for each Salesforce edition:
Salesforce Edition | Full Sandboxes | Partial Data Copy Sandboxes | Developer Pro Sandboxes | Developer Sandboxes |
Essentials | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Professional | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Enterprise | 1 | 10 | 5 | 10 |
Unlimited | 1 | 10 | 5 | 100 |
The number of sandbox licenses that you need will depend on your specific needs. If you only need to test simple changes to your Salesforce environment, then you may be able to get by with just a few Developer sandboxes. However, if you need to test complex changes or if you have a large Salesforce environment, then you may need to purchase additional sandbox licenses.
It is important to note that the sandbox limits are only a guideline. Salesforce may allow you to create more sandboxes if you have a legitimate need for them. However, you should always contact Salesforce before creating more sandboxes than the limits allow.
In addition to the sandbox limits, there are also some other factors that you need to consider when creating sandboxes. For example, each sandbox has a storage limit. The storage limit for a Full sandbox is 100 GB, while the storage limit for a Partial Data Copy sandbox or a Developer Pro sandbox is 20 GB. The storage limit for a Developer sandbox is 5 GB.
You also need to consider the refresh rate of the sandboxes. The refresh rate is the frequency with which the sandbox is updated with data from your production environment. The refresh rate for a Full sandbox is 24 hours, while the refresh rate for a Partial Data Copy sandbox or a Developer Pro sandbox is 6 hours. The refresh rate for a Developer sandbox is 1 hour.
Finally, you need to consider the cost of creating and maintaining sandboxes. The cost of a sandbox license varies depending on your Salesforce edition. You can also incur additional costs for storage and bandwidth usage.
By understanding the sandbox limits and other factors, you can ensure that you are creating the right number of sandboxes for your needs. This will help you to save time and money, and it will also help you to ensure that your Salesforce environment is always up-to-date.
Additional Information
In addition to the information provided above, here are some additional things to keep in mind about Salesforce sandboxes:
Sandboxes are not automatically created when you create a new Salesforce organization. You need to create them manually.
You can only create sandboxes in the same Salesforce environment as your production environment. For example, if your production environment is in the US, then you can only create sandboxes in the US.
You can delete sandboxes that you no longer need. However, you should be aware that deleting a sandbox will also delete all of the data and configuration in the sandbox.
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