Salesforce Hacks # 3 : How to use Workbench Metadata for Deployments

This one I learned just recently thanks to my friend ( and onboarding buddy for life ) Mariyan Topalov. It gives us a way to use Workbench for deployments from one org to another, which you may find very useful.

So, let's begin!

Download and install this chrome extension, called Force.com Migration Tool Package Creator, link

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/forcecom-migration-tool-p/jjnhjeoeaiiifekieoddeenhoignfkhj?hl=en

Log into Workbench with the credentials for the org that we are going to retrieve data from. In my example this is my Dev environment

Once you are logged in, click

Info

Metadata Types & Components

Choose the desired Metadata / Component in the Search field and mark the checkbox next to it, so that you can see it in your XML file on the left ( this is the magic from the extension we downloaded in step 1 )

HINT: list of metadata types

https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_meta.meta/api_meta/meta_types_list.htm

After choosing a custom field for example

Click Download XML under Package XML on the left

Open the XML file with Notepad or Notepad++ and edit the version to be the same number as it is in your workbench

Than, click

Migrate

Retrieve

Upload your XML file ( these are the things that we want to first retrieve, than deploy ) and check Single Package

Next and Retrieve. Wait for the retrieval to finish and check your status message

Download the ZIP file and logout from Workbench. Log in again, but this time use the credentials for the target org.

Go to

Migration

Deploy

Upload your ZIP file ( from previous step )

Check these checkboxes Check Only

Rollback On Error

Single Package

Next and Deploy. Don't worry, because we are only checking if everything goes as planned.

If no errors are found, we are good to go, to do this last step once again, but this time, check only these checkboxes AND NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER forget them!!!!

DONE! You can now go to your target org and check your changes. If you find any errors during check phase, expand the folder with errors, see what's in there, go back and make the changes needed!

Thank you, Mariyan, for the valuable lesson!