# CustomerDataPlatformSettings Metadata in SFDX

> CustomerDataPlatformSettings configures org-wide switches for Salesforce Data Cloud (formerly Customer Data Platform / Data 360) via CustomerDataPlatform.settings-meta.xml, controlling Data Cloud activation, SQL query service, and data share governance.

- Source: https://sfdxtalk.com/docs/metadata/customer-data-platform-settings-metadata-type/
- Category: Metadata
- Applies to: Salesforce Winter '27 (API version 68.0)
- Level: advanced
- Published: 2026-11-12
- Last updated: 2026-11-12
- Publisher: SFDX Talk Editorial (unofficial; not affiliated with or endorsed by Salesforce)
- License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

## Architectural Overview

**Salesforce Data Cloud** (originally introduced as Customer Data Platform, hence the API name `CustomerDataPlatformSettings`) is the hyperscale data engine underlying Agentforce grounding, Unified Individual identity resolution, Calculated Insights, and Data Cloud-Triggered Flows.

The `CustomerDataPlatformSettings` metadata type (`CustomerDataPlatform.settings-meta.xml`) exposes the org-level feature toggles that activate Data Cloud capabilities inside the host Salesforce org. In enterprise DevOps pipelines that package **Data Kits** (`DataPackageKitDefinition`), Data Streams, or Apex `ConnectApi.CdpQuery` integrations, deploying `CustomerDataPlatform.settings-meta.xml` ensures the target scratch org or sandbox has Data Cloud services enabled before dependent Data Model Objects (`__dlm`) or Calculated Insights (`__cio`) are deployed.

```mermaid
flowchart LR
    A["CustomerDataPlatform.settings-meta.xml"] --> B["enableCustomerDataPlatform = true"]
    B --> C["Data Cloud Data Spaces & DMOs (__dlm)"]
    B --> D["Calculated Insights & Identity Resolution"]
    B --> E["Data Cloud-Triggered Flows & Agentforce Grounding"]
```

## SFDX Directory and File Suffix

| Property | Value |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Metadata Type Name** | `CustomerDataPlatformSettings` (deployed via `Settings` type with member `CustomerDataPlatform`) |
| **SFDX Source File Path** | `force-app/main/default/settings/CustomerDataPlatform.settings-meta.xml` |
| **Classic Metadata File Path** | `settings/CustomerDataPlatform.settings` |
| **`package.xml` Type / Member** | `<name>Settings</name>` / `<members>CustomerDataPlatform</members>` |

## Key Metadata Fields

`CustomerDataPlatformSettings` provides boolean switches for core Data Cloud services and cross-cloud connectors.

| Field Name | Type | Required | Architectural Purpose |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `enableCustomerDataPlatform` | `boolean` | No | Master switch enabling Salesforce Data Cloud (CDP) metadata and runtime services in the org. |
| `enableCdpForService` | `boolean` | No | Enables Service Cloud integration with Data Cloud for unified contact center intelligence and engagement history. |
| `enableCdpSegmentActivation` | `boolean` | No | Enables segment activation targets so Data Cloud segments can publish to Marketing Cloud and external ad platforms. |
| `enableDataShareTarget` | `boolean` | No | Enables Zero-Copy Data Sharing targets to external data warehouses (such as Snowflake, BigQuery, and Redshift). |

## Declarative XML Example

Below is a standard `CustomerDataPlatform.settings-meta.xml` file enabling Data Cloud core services, segment activations, Service Cloud intelligence, and zero-copy data sharing targets.

```xml title="force-app/main/default/settings/CustomerDataPlatform.settings-meta.xml"
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<CustomerDataPlatformSettings xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <enableCdpForService>true</enableCdpForService>
    <enableCdpSegmentActivation>true</enableCdpSegmentActivation>
    <enableCustomerDataPlatform>true</enableCustomerDataPlatform>
    <enableDataShareTarget>true</enableDataShareTarget>
</CustomerDataPlatformSettings>
```

### `package.xml` Manifest

Reference `CustomerDataPlatformSettings` under the `Settings` metadata type with member `CustomerDataPlatform`:

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

## SFDX CLI Retrieval and Deployment

Use Salesforce CLI to retrieve and deploy `CustomerDataPlatformSettings`:

```bash
# Retrieve CustomerDataPlatformSettings from a Data Cloud-enabled org
sf project retrieve start --metadata Settings:CustomerDataPlatform

# Deploy CustomerDataPlatformSettings to a target sandbox or scratch org
sf project deploy start --metadata Settings:CustomerDataPlatform
```

## Architect Best Practices and Gotchas

> [!WARNING]
> **License & Provisioning Requirement:** Deploying `<enableCustomerDataPlatform>true</enableCustomerDataPlatform>` via Metadata API requires the target org to have an active **Data Cloud** (or **Data Cloud for Core / Enterprise Edition**) license provisioned. Attempting to deploy this setting to a standard sandbox or scratch org without the `CustomerDataPlatform` feature license will fail with an insufficient license error.

- **Use Data Kits for DLO/DMO Packaging:** While `CustomerDataPlatformSettings` enables the org-wide toggles, never attempt to deploy raw auto-generated `__dlm` (Data Model Object) or `__dll` (Data Lake Object) files directly without wrapping them in a **Data Kit** (`DataPackageKitDefinition` and `DataPackageKitObject`). Data Kits ensure Data Space bindings and field mappings activate cleanly in the target org.
- **Permission Set Assignments:** After enabling `CustomerDataPlatformSettings`, assign the **Data Cloud Admin** or **Data Cloud Architect** permission set to your deployment integration user before deploying Data Streams, Identity Resolution rulesets, or Calculated Insights.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What Salesforce product is controlled by CustomerDataPlatformSettings?

CustomerDataPlatformSettings manages org-level preferences for Salesforce Data Cloud (formerly Salesforce CDP), which unifies customer data across Data Streams, Data Lake Objects (DLOs), and Data Model Objects (DMOs).

### Where is CustomerDataPlatformSettings stored in an SFDX repository?

It is stored at force-app/main/default/settings/CustomerDataPlatform.settings-meta.xml and referenced in package.xml under the Settings metadata type with member CustomerDataPlatform.

### Why is this metadata type named CustomerDataPlatformSettings instead of DataCloudSettings?

Salesforce preserves the original API name CustomerDataPlatformSettings for backward compatibility in Metadata API even after rebranding Salesforce CDP to Salesforce Data Cloud.

### Can CustomerDataPlatformSettings provision a full Data Cloud instance in a scratch org?

In scratch orgs with Data Cloud licenses and features enabled, deploying CustomerDataPlatformSettings activates the core metadata switches so Data Kit components, DLOs, and DMOs can be deployed and tested.

## Official References

- https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/api-metadata/references/meta-types/metadata-customerdataplatformsettings.md