AccountingSettings Metadata Type in SFDX

Architectural Overview#

The AccountingSettings metadata type manages org-wide preferences and feature switches for Salesforce Accounting Subledger. Before an architect can deploy AccountingModelConfig or AccountingFieldMapping components—or build Record-Triggered Flows that interact with TransactionJournal and LedgerEntry objects—the target environment must have AccountingSettings enabled.

In scratch org definitions (project-scratch-def.json) and CI/CD pipelines, AccountingSettings serves as the foundational dependency that unlocks subledger schema objects in the org database.

Directory and File Conventions#

Like all *Settings metadata types in Salesforce DX, AccountingSettings uses the Settings metadata type name in package.xml with member name Accounting.

Key Metadata Fields#

The AccountingSettings XML payload contains the following top-level configuration flags in API version 68.0:

Declarative XML and Package Manifest Examples#

Below is the declarative Accounting.settings-meta.xml file used to enable Accounting Subledger in an SFDX repository:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<AccountingSettings xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <enableAccountingSubledger>true</enableAccountingSubledger>
    <enableAccountingSubledgerGrowth>true</enableAccountingSubledgerGrowth>
</AccountingSettings>

Scratch Org Definition (config/project-scratch-def.json)#

When spinning up scratch orgs for automated testing, include accountingSettings under the settings node:

{
  "orgName": "Subledger Architecture Scratch Org",
  "edition": "Enterprise",
  "features": ["AccountingSubledgerGrowth"],
  "settings": {
    "accountingSettings": {
      "enableAccountingSubledger": true,
      "enableAccountingSubledgerGrowth": true
    }
  }
}

Package Manifest (package.xml)#

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <types>
        <members>Accounting</members>
        <name>Settings</name>
    </types>
    <version>68.0</version>
</Package>

CLI Retrieval and Deployment Commands#

Because AccountingSettings is a pure declarative settings component rather than a SOQL-queryable table, use the Salesforce CLI (sf) to retrieve and deploy it:

# Retrieve AccountingSettings from an authenticated org
sf project retrieve start --metadata Settings:Accounting

# Deploy AccountingSettings before deploying dependent subledger metadata
sf project deploy start --metadata Settings:Accounting

Architect Best Practices and Gotchas#

• Staged CI/CD Deployment: If your repository contains Apex classes, Flows, or custom fields referencing TransactionJournal or LedgerEntry, deploy Settings:Accounting first (or ensure your scratch org definition enables it) so the platform provisions the standard subledger objects before compiling dependent metadata.
• License Mismatch Errors: Deploying <enableAccountingSubledgerGrowth>true</enableAccountingSubledgerGrowth> to a sandbox that only has the Starter license will fail with a Required feature is not licensed deployment error.

Frequently asked questions

What does the AccountingSettings metadata type control in Salesforce?

AccountingSettings controls org-wide feature switches for Salesforce Accounting Subledger, including enabling subledger processing and transaction journal generation across supported clouds.

How do I reference AccountingSettings in a package.xml manifest?

Like all org settings metadata types, reference it using the Settings type name and the Accounting member name in your package.xml file.

Can I disable AccountingSubledger via AccountingSettings after records are created?

You can turn off scheduled generation jobs, but Salesforce restricts disabling core subledger features once accounting configurations and historical ledger entries exist in the org.

Where is the AccountingSettings file stored in an SFDX project?

It is stored at force-app/main/default/settings/Accounting.settings-meta.xml in standard SFDX source format.