ActivationPlatformField Metadata Type in SFDX

Architectural Overview#

The ActivationPlatformField metadata type defines the target field catalog for a Salesforce Data Cloud ActivationPlatform. When an external advertising network, DSP, or cloud warehouse expects a specific set of payload fields (such as first_name, postal_code, loyalty_score, or hashed_email), each expected destination field is modeled as an ActivationPlatformField component linked to the parent ActivationPlatform.

Separating ActivationPlatformField (the external target’s field definition) from ActivationPlatformActvAttr (the internal Data Cloud DMO mapping) allows ISV partners and enterprise architects to define a strict destination schema contract even when different orgs map different internal DMO attributes to those target fields.

Directory and File Conventions#

In SFDX source format (apiVersion 68.0), ActivationPlatformField components are stored in the activationPlatformFields folder.

Key Metadata Fields#

The ActivationPlatformField XML schema includes the following fields:

Declarative XML and Package Manifest Examples#

Below is an ActivationPlatformField definition representing the first_name text attribute on Enterprise_DSP_Platform:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ActivationPlatformField xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <activationPlatform>Enterprise_DSP_Platform</activationPlatform>
    <helpText>Maps the recipient first name in UTF-8 plain text for DSP personalization.</helpText>
    <isRequired>false</isRequired>
    <masterLabel>DSP First Name</masterLabel>
    <type>Text</type>
</ActivationPlatformField>

Package Manifest (package.xml)#

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

SOQL Queries and CLI Automation#

Query ActivationPlatformField records via SOQL or retrieve and deploy them using Salesforce CLI:

SELECT Id, DeveloperName, MasterLabel, Type, IsRequired, HelpText
FROM ActivationPlatformField
ORDER BY MasterLabel ASC

# Retrieve all ActivationPlatformField components
sf project retrieve start --metadata "ActivationPlatformField:*"

# Deploy a specific ActivationPlatformField component
sf project deploy start --metadata ActivationPlatformField:DSP_First_Name_Field

Architect Best Practices and Gotchas#

• Consistent Naming Conventions: Prefix ActivationPlatformField developer names with an abbreviation of the parent ActivationPlatform (e.g., DSP_First_Name_Field) because ActivationPlatformField names share a global namespace across the org.
• Type Compatibility: Ensure the type declared on ActivationPlatformField matches the data type of the source DMO field mapped in ActivationPlatformActvAttr to avoid runtime type coercion failures during segment export.

Frequently asked questions

What does ActivationPlatformField define in Salesforce Data Cloud?

It defines a single target field in the schema contract of an external ActivationPlatform, including its field name, data type, and whether the external platform requires it.

How does ActivationPlatformField differ from ActivationPlatformActvAttr?

ActivationPlatformField defines the target field schema accepted by the external platform, whereas ActivationPlatformActvAttr maps a specific Data Cloud DMO field to that ActivationPlatformField.

Where are ActivationPlatformField files located in an SFDX project?

They are stored in force-app/main/default/activationPlatformFields with the .activationPlatformField-meta.xml suffix.

Can an ActivationPlatform have multiple ActivationPlatformField records?

Yes. An ActivationPlatform typically has one ActivationPlatformField record for each attribute or column accepted by the partner destination API.