The three major pillars of the software development process are the ability to test changes, conduct experiments with new features, and provide safe training sessions. When we talk about complex systems like Salesforce, it sounds more vital. The development errors or improper configurations can lead to data loss, business interruptions, or other operational risks. That is why Salesforce developers use Salesforce Sandbox. It is a safe, isolated environment that imitates production, allowing teams to work on production, testing, and training activities and, most importantly, to experiment with new features without the fear of impacting the live system.

What is a Salesforce Sandbox?

Salesforce developers need to develop, test, and train different functionalities, but making changes in a live system without disturbing production can be difficult. Hence, they utilize the Sandbox to create a safe replica place where they can test various applications, make required changes in the code, and even configure without affecting the actual production data. The Sandbox can be beneficial for avoiding errors and testing new customization safely.

Salesforce developers set up each Sandbox to contain only metadata, like configurations, code, and workflows. It also involves a combination of metadata and a subset or complete copy of production data. The best part of Salesforce is that it has different types of Sandboxes that every organization can utilize for a specific purpose. These range from simple development to full-scale testing with accurate data.

Types of Salesforce Sandboxes

Sandbox can help Salesforce developers develop and test new applications safely, experiment with Salesforce customizations, and conduct training or demos for teams without risking production data. There are 4 types of Salesforce Sandbox – Developer, Developer Pro, Partial Copy, and Full Copy. All of these have great functionalities. Let’s understand each of them in detail.

1. Developer Sandbox

The Salesforce developers require a specific environment to code and test, and every individual developer utilizes Developer Sandbox as the lightest form of Salesforce Sandboxes.

• A small storage capacity of 200MB is available.
• You can refresh it every 24 hours to utilize an updated environment for testing.
• Use Case: Ideal for lightweight development and testing.

2. Developer Pro Sandbox

If your projects require more code validation and development facilitation, then Developer Pro Sandbox is the right choice. Salesforce developers can utilize more space to handle more prominent and complex development and testing activities.

• A more extensive storage capacity of 1GB is available.
• You can refresh it every 24 hours to utilize an updated environment for testing.
• Use Case: Better suited for integrations and testing requiring more data.

3. Partial Copy Sandbox

Most Salesforce developers utilize Partial Copy Sandbox when they are required to copy both metadata and a subset of production data. It helps them in data-based testing, QA environments, and UAT (User Acceptance Testing) when they need accurate data for these activities.

• Salesforce developers can copy metadata and sample production data based on a defined template.
• Storage Capacity: Up to 5GB of data storage is available.
• You can refresh it every 5 days, allowing for a more realistic testing environment compared to the developer sandboxes.
• Use Case: For environments that need a blend of metadata and data for testing without requiring a full production replica.

4. Full Sandbox

Salesforce developer creates a complete replica of their production environment for complete testing, including performance and load testing. It is the most comprehensive Sandbox, and it includes all metadata and data.

• Salesforce developers can copy all the production data and metadata.
• You can utilize a full-scale model of your production environment.
• You can refresh it every 29 days.
• Use Case: Ideal for final pre-production testing, load testing, and performance testing, as it mirrors the production environment fully.

How to Choose the Right Sandbox?

Here are the key pointers to consider to choose the right one.

1. Data Storage and Limits

Salesforce developers can focus on the storage capacities required for both metadata and production data. You can choose between isolated development with 200MB, testing that requires both configurations and actual production data in 1 GB or 5GB, or end-to-end testing, performance testing, and training sessions involving real production data with Full storage capacity.

2. Data Sensitivity and Compliance

Salesforce developers always keep the data safe ahead of everything. You can mitigate risks and maintain regulatory compliance by checking and ensuring the user permissions are exactly the same as those in the live system. Also, the data masking tool can help safeguard sensitive data with CCPA, HIPAA, or GDPR regulations.

3. Refresh Intervals

Salesforce developers should consider the refresh intervals of each Sandbox before choosing one of them. You can use a day-to-day refresh option to get frequent updates for ongoing development work without overwhelming the system and a monthly update for pre-production simulations or user acceptance testing (UAT).

4. Integration Testing Requirements

You need a specific Sandbox type to help you with external system testing, such as marketing platforms, ERPs, or databases. Salesforce developers choose Developer Pro and Full Sandboxes as the more suitable integration testing Sandboxes. Their high storage capacities and data replication capabilities allow for end-to-end testing of data flows between Salesforce and other applications.

5. Use Case and Testing Needs

Consider the different scenarios in which you can utilize different Sandboxes and what kind of testing you will need for your production. It’s essential to match your specific use case to the right Sandbox environment, such as for simple code development, data-driven testing, or full-scale testing, ensuring that development and testing scenarios are as close to real-world use as possible.

How to create a Salesforce Sandbox?

Step 1

Use your administrative privileges and log in to your Salesforce production account.

Step 2

Click on the gear icon (⚙️) that indicates the setup menu. You can find it in the upper right corner of the Salesforce interface. The dropdown menu will open, and you will have to select the Setup option.

Step 3

The step will open in the left sidebar. Now, you have to type “Sandbox” in the quick find box and click on the Sandboxes under the “environments” section.

Step 4

Now, click on the New Sandbox button. Give it a descriptive name. Choose the Sandbox type and you are all set.

Step 5

It’s time to complete the configuration of Sandbox settings. Choose the template that defines the data to be copied from production, and also, configure additional settings as per your needs, like access permissions to users, etc.

Step 6

After you are done with the settings configuration and entering all the information required, click on the Create button and get started! This process may take a bit of time as the data copying takes time. But no worries you can keep a check on the status through the Sandboxes page.

How to Refresh a Sandbox?

Salesforce developers need updates on the development and testing environment, which requires refreshing the latest production data. Here is the complete process to follow:

Step 1

Keep logging into your Salesforce production account.

Step 2

Click on the gear icon and go to Setup. Type “Sandbox” in the quick find box and select the option.

Step 3

All the existing Sandboxes are listed on the Sandboxes Page. All you need to do is click on the Refresh link next to the Sandbox you wish to refresh.

Step 4

You will get a pop-up on your screen confirming the refresh action. Just review the prompt and confirm. However, REMEMBER! You can undo this action, so once the refresh is done, all the existing data and customizations in the Sandbox will be lost.

Step 5

It will take a little time to complete the refresh process, depending on the amount of data. You will receive a notification as soon as the refresh is completed and Sandbox is ready to use. You can check the refresh status on the Sandbox page as well.

Salesforce Sandbox Best Practices

1. Maintain an up-to-date production environment in the Sandbox by refreshing it regularly. Always keep your team members informed about the refresh schedule and the changes that occurred.
2. You can track various changes in your Sandbox environment by implementing a version control system. Also, you can keep the changes documentation for sharing knowledge to roll back processes easily if required.
3. Provide a specific role and permission to all your team members for proper responsibility distribution and avoid unauthorized access to sensitive data and configurations.
4. Plan your testing activities with proper scenarios and edge cases, including both functional and non-functional testing aspects. Take feedback from stakeholders and functionalities validation.
5. Keep a knowledge base in the Sandbox with best practices, guidelines, and previous learning for your teammates.

Final Thoughts

Hope you understand the Salesforce Sandbox, its type, how to create Sandbox, how to refresh, and best practices. But can you really do it by reading this article? Practical knowledge is very important to make this happen. No worries; our experts will train you for a better tomorrow. We train every talent with practice and mock tests, preparing them for exams as well as job placement. Every candidate at our QuantoKnack Training gets hands-on experience by working on one of our live projects to solve various use cases with the team experts. From getting trained and achieving Salesforce developer certification to working on live projects and getting job placement, we have covered you with all. So, what are you thinking now? This is the right time to get started with your online Salesforce developer training.