Examples

SOQL Custom Object Query

Querying Custom Objects

SOQL custom object query fetches fields from custom objects.

Introduction to SOQL Custom Object Query

SOQL (Salesforce Object Query Language) is a powerful tool for querying data stored in Salesforce. When working with custom objects, SOQL allows you to fetch specific fields that are defined within these objects. This is particularly useful for accessing custom data structures tailored to your organization's needs.

Understanding Custom Objects in Salesforce

Custom objects in Salesforce are user-defined objects that allow you to store information unique to your organization. Unlike standard objects, which come pre-defined with Salesforce, custom objects can be created, modified, and used to store any type of data that is relevant to your business processes.

To interact with these objects using SOQL, you need to know the API names of the custom objects and their fields.

Basic Syntax for Querying Custom Objects

Writing a SOQL query to fetch data from a custom object follows a structure similar to querying standard objects. Here's a basic syntax:

SELECT field1, field2 FROM CustomObject__c WHERE conditions

Note that custom object names end with __c to distinguish them from standard objects.

Example: Querying a Custom Object

Let's consider a custom object named Invoice__c, which has fields like InvoiceNumber__c and Amount__c. Below is an example of a SOQL query that retrieves these fields:

This query fetches all invoices where the amount is greater than 1000. You can modify the conditions in the WHERE clause to filter results according to your requirements.

Joining Custom Objects with Standard Objects

Sometimes, you may need to join custom objects with standard objects to retrieve related data. SOQL supports these joins through relationship queries.

For example, suppose you want to retrieve the account name associated with each invoice. Assuming there's a lookup relationship field in Invoice__c pointing to the Account standard object, you could write:

In this query, Account__r is used to access fields from the Account object related to the Invoice__c custom object.

Best Practices for SOQL Custom Object Queries

Use Selective Filters: Always try to use filters in your WHERE clause to narrow down the results and improve performance.
Limit Retrieved Records: Use the LIMIT keyword to set a cap on the number of records returned.
Check for Null Values: Handle potential null values in your queries to avoid runtime errors.

Examples

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