ActivationPlatform Metadata Type in SFDX

Architectural Overview#

The ActivationPlatform metadata type is the root configuration entity for an external Activation Target Platform in Salesforce Data Cloud (formerly Customer Data Platform / CDP). When marketers and data engineers build unified Unified Individual segments in Data Cloud and activate them to external destinations—such as Amazon S3 buckets, Google Ads, Meta Ads, or custom ISV ad-tech endpoints—ActivationPlatform defines the connector protocol, payload format (CSV, JSON, PARQUET), batch vs. streaming delivery cadence, and partner metadata.

For enterprise architects and ISV partners building Data Cloud Data Kits, ActivationPlatform coordinates four child metadata types that together describe the contract of an external activation destination:

• ActivationPlatform (the platform header and delivery settings)
• ActivationPlatformActvAttr (default activation attributes)
• ActivationPlatformField (supported payload schema fields)
• ActvPfrmDataConnectorS3 (egress storage connector configuration)
• ActvPlatformAdncIdentifier (audience match identifiers such as hashed email or MAID)

Directory and File Conventions#

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

Key Metadata Fields#

The ActivationPlatform XML schema includes the following core properties:

Declarative XML and Package Manifest Examples#

The following example configures a custom S3-backed partner ActivationPlatform for omni-channel demand-side platform (DSP) audience delivery:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ActivationPlatform xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <connectorType>AmazonS3</connectorType>
    <dataConnector>Enterprise_DSP_S3_Connector</dataConnector>
    <deliveryFrequency>Batch</deliveryFrequency>
    <enabled>true</enabled>
    <fileOutputFormat>JSON</fileOutputFormat>
    <includeHeaders>true</includeHeaders>
    <masterLabel>Enterprise DSP Audience Platform</masterLabel>
    <notes>Delivers incremental unified individual segments to the Enterprise DSP S3 ingress bucket.</notes>
    <platformProcessingType>Batch</platformProcessingType>
    <platformType>Advertising</platformType>
</ActivationPlatform>

Package Manifest (package.xml)#

Deploy ActivationPlatform together with its child connector, field, attribute, and identifier definitions:

<?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>Enterprise_DSP_S3_Connector</members>
        <name>ActvPfrmDataConnectorS3</name>
    </types>
    <version>68.0</version>
</Package>

SOQL Queries and CLI Automation#

Inspect ActivationPlatform records via SOQL or retrieve and deploy them via Salesforce CLI:

SELECT Id, DeveloperName, MasterLabel, ConnectorType,
       PlatformType, PlatformProcessingType, FileOutputFormat, Enabled
FROM ActivationPlatform
ORDER BY MasterLabel ASC

# Retrieve all ActivationPlatform definitions
sf project retrieve start --metadata "ActivationPlatform:*"

# Deploy the Enterprise_DSP_Platform component
sf project deploy start --metadata ActivationPlatform:Enterprise_DSP_Platform

Architect Best Practices and Gotchas#

• Data Cloud Provisioning Prerequisite: The target org must have an active Data Cloud license and provisioned Data Spaces before ActivationPlatform metadata can be deployed.
• Credential Separation: ActivationPlatform defines the structural platform template, not the production IAM access keys or OAuth tokens for a specific tenant’s S3 bucket. Tenant-specific credentials are configured at runtime when an admin creates an Activation Target in Data Cloud Setup.

Frequently asked questions

What does the ActivationPlatform metadata type represent in Salesforce Data Cloud?

It represents an external destination platform or partner ecosystem configuration where Data Cloud segments can be published and activated.

How does ActivationPlatform relate to ActivationPlatformField and ActivationPlatformActvAttr?

ActivationPlatform is the parent container that defines the destination platform, while ActivationPlatformField, ActivationPlatformActvAttr, and ActvPlatformAdncIdentifier define the schema fields, activation attributes, and audience identifiers required by that destination.

Where are ActivationPlatform files stored in SFDX source format?

They are stored in force-app/main/default/activationPlatforms with the .activationPlatform-meta.xml file extension.

Can ActivationPlatform metadata be packaged in a Managed Package?

Yes. ISV partners use ActivationPlatform alongside Data Cloud Data Kits to distribute preconfigured ad-tech and martech activation destinations on AppExchange.