IndustriesSettings Metadata Type in SFDX

Architectural Overview#

The IndustriesSettings metadata type is the master control switch for Salesforce Industry Cloud architectures. Whether building solutions for Health Cloud, Financial Services Cloud, Communications Cloud, or Manufacturing Cloud, IndustriesSettings configures the underlying Industry Foundation Services (IFS).

From an architectural perspective, this metadata type enables shared cross-cloud capabilities, such as OmniStudio (OmniScripts, FlexCards, Integration Procedures, and DataRaptors/Data Mappers), Business Rules Engine (BRE), Data Processing Engine (DPE), Document Generation, and Actionable Relationship Center (ARC). Without configuring IndustriesSettings, deployment pipelines attempting to push OmniStudio or industry-specific metadata definitions will encounter severe unresolved symbol errors.

Directory and File Conventions#

In Salesforce DX projects, IndustriesSettings is defined as a singleton settings file under the settings directory:

Key Metadata Fields#

The IndustriesSettings XML structure contains boolean switches that activate specific Industry Cloud subsystems:

Declarative XML and Package Manifest Examples#

Source XML (Industries.settings-meta.xml)#

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<IndustriesSettings xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <enableIndustriesFeature>true</enableIndustriesFeature>
    <enableOmniStudioMetadata>true</enableOmniStudioMetadata>
    <enableBusinessRulesEngine>true</enableBusinessRulesEngine>
    <enableDocumentGeneration>true</enableDocumentGeneration>
</IndustriesSettings>

Package Manifest (package.xml)#

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

Retrieval and Deployment#

To retrieve IndustriesSettings via the Salesforce CLI:

# Retrieve via metadata parameter
sf project retrieve start --metadata Settings:Industries

# Retrieve using manifest
sf project retrieve start --manifest manifest/package.xml

To deploy IndustriesSettings to a target sandbox:

# Deploy to designated environment
sf project deploy start \
  --metadata Settings:Industries \
  --target-org uat-sandbox \
  --wait 10

Senior Architect Deployment Best Practices and Gotchas#

Staged CI/CD Pipeline Execution#

When building modular enterprise packaging or branch-based deployment pipelines:

1. Settings Step: Deploy Industries.settings-meta.xml before any OmniStudio or Bre metadata.
2. Permission Sets: Assign the OmniStudioAdmin or RulesEngineDesigner permission set licenses.
3. Artifact Deployment: Deploy OmniScripts, FlexCards, Integration Procedures, and Decision Matrices.

Scratch Org Strategy#

For scratch org automation, specify the Industry Cloud features alongside the settings definition in project-scratch-def.json:

{
  "orgName": "Industry Cloud CI Org",
  "edition": "Enterprise",
  "features": ["IndustriesFoundation", "OmniStudioDesigner"],
  "settings": {
    "industriesSettings": {
      "enableIndustriesFeature": true,
      "enableOmniStudioMetadata": true,
      "enableBusinessRulesEngine": true
    }
  }
}

Frequently asked questions

What is IndustriesSettings used for in Salesforce?

It enables foundational Industry Cloud features such as OmniStudio runtime, Document Generation, and common industry object models.

Where is IndustriesSettings stored in the SFDX project structure?

It is stored in the force-app/main/default/settings directory as Industries.settings-meta.xml and retrieved as Settings:Industries.

Why do OmniStudio components fail to deploy in a fresh scratch org?

OmniStudio components require IndustriesSettings to be enabled and deployed first to unlock the OmniStudio metadata handlers and runtime engine.

Can IndustriesSettings be deployed without Industry Cloud licenses?

No, target orgs must possess an appropriate Industry Cloud license, such as Communications Cloud or Health Cloud, for deployment to succeed.