AutomatedContactsSettings Metadata Guide

Architectural Overview#

The AutomatedContactsSettings metadata type manages org-wide preferences for Einstein Automated Contacts. By analyzing synced emails and calendar events (via Einstein Activity Capture), Salesforce can either suggest or automatically create new Contact records and OpportunityContactRole associations.

From a data governance perspective, Senior Salesforce Architects carefully control AutomatedContacts.settings-meta.xml. While automatic creation reduces manual data entry for sales reps, orgs with strict duplicate rules, required custom fields on Contact, or MDM (Master Data Management) synchronization often prefer suggestion mode (enabling the feature while setting the Automatically flags to false).

Directory Location and File Suffix#

Key Metadata Fields#

Declarative XML and Package Manifest Examples#

Below is a governance-friendly AutomatedContacts.settings-meta.xml configuration that enables Einstein suggestions for reps while preventing silent background creation of contacts:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<AutomatedContactsSettings xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <enableAddContactAutomatically>false</enableAddContactAutomatically>
    <enableAddContactRoleAutomatically>true</enableAddContactRoleAutomatically>
    <enableAddContactRoleWithSuggestion>true</enableAddContactRoleWithSuggestion>
    <enableAddContactWithSuggestion>true</enableAddContactWithSuggestion>
</AutomatedContactsSettings>

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

SFDX CLI Retrieval and Deployment Commands#

Retrieve and deploy AutomatedContactsSettings using the Salesforce CLI:

# Retrieve AutomatedContactsSettings from your org
sf project retrieve start --metadata Settings:AutomatedContacts --target-org my-org

# Deploy AutomatedContactsSettings to production
sf project deploy start --metadata Settings:AutomatedContacts --target-org my-prod-org

Senior Architect Best Practices and Gotchas#

1. Validation Rule Compatibility: If you set <enableAddContactAutomatically>true</enableAddContactAutomatically>, Einstein inserts Contact records using only FirstName, LastName, Email, Phone, Title, and AccountId. Any custom validation rule or universally required CustomField on Contact without a default value will block automatic creation unless exempted for the Automated Process user.
2. Opportunity Attribution Accuracy: Enabling enableAddContactRoleAutomatically significantly improves Multi-Touch Campaign Attribution and Einstein Opportunity Scoring because opportunities no longer have empty OpportunityContactRole related lists.

Frequently asked questions

Where is AutomatedContactsSettings stored in an SFDX project?

It is stored at force-app/main/default/settings/AutomatedContacts.settings-meta.xml and referenced in package.xml under Settings with member name AutomatedContacts.

Why do enterprise architects often disable automatic contact creation in Einstein Automated Contacts?

Automatically inserting Contact records from email signatures can bypass strict lead qualification processes or fail custom Contact validation rules if required fields are missing.

What is the difference between enableAddContactAutomatically and enableAddContactRoleAutomatically?

enableAddContactAutomatically creates or suggests new Contact records on Accounts, while enableAddContactRoleAutomatically links existing Contacts to Opportunities via OpportunityContactRole.