InternalDataConnector Metadata Type in SFDX

Architectural Overview#

The InternalDataConnector metadata type configures internal data integration pipelines between the Salesforce CRM transactional database and Salesforce Data Cloud (formerly Genie / Customer Data Platform). In modern enterprise architectures, real-time customer data unification, identity resolution, and Agentforce autonomous reasoning require continuous data streams from standard and custom CRM entities.

Architecturally, InternalDataConnector provisions zero-copy and continuous streaming pipelines directly from the underlying Salesforce core infrastructure into Data Cloud’s data lakehouse without requiring external middleware, ETL tools, or API pollers. Configuring this metadata type ensures that source CRM tables (such as Account, Contact, Opportunity, or custom transactional objects) are ingested into Data Model Objects (DMOs) with minimal latency.

Directory and File Conventions#

In Salesforce DX source format, InternalDataConnector records are maintained as individual XML files in the internalDataConnectors directory:

Key Metadata Fields#

The XML schema for InternalDataConnector configures connector parameters, source objects, and ingestion modes:

Declarative XML and Package Manifest Examples#

Source XML (SalesforceCrmConnector.internalDataConnector-meta.xml)#

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<InternalDataConnector xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <masterLabel>Core CRM Ingestion Connector</masterLabel>
    <description>Streams core CRM Account and Contact events directly to Data Cloud lakehouse.</description>
    <sourceType>SalesforceCRM</sourceType>
    <status>Active</status>
    <syncMode>ContinuousStreaming</syncMode>
</InternalDataConnector>

Package Manifest (package.xml)#

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

Retrieval and Deployment#

To retrieve all internal data connectors:

# Retrieve all internal data connectors
sf project retrieve start --metadata InternalDataConnector

# Retrieve a specific connector
sf project retrieve start --metadata InternalDataConnector:SalesforceCrmConnector

To deploy the connector to a Data Cloud enabled environment:

# Deploy to designated org
sf project deploy start \
  --metadata InternalDataConnector \
  --target-org data-cloud-prod \
  --wait 10

Senior Architect Deployment Best Practices and Gotchas#

Data Cloud Ingestion Dependencies#

Deploying InternalDataConnector must be coordinated with Data Cloud Data Stream definitions and Data Model Object (DMO) mappings. If downstream Data Streams reference objects or fields that are restricted by Field-Level Security (FLS) for the Data Cloud Integration User, stream creation will fail.

Sandbox Masking and Tenant Isolation#

When deploying InternalDataConnector metadata into sandboxes refreshed from production, verify that the connector points to the sandbox’s dedicated Data Cloud instance rather than an existing production Data Cloud tenant.

Frequently asked questions

What is InternalDataConnector in Salesforce?

It configures internal data streaming pipelines connecting standard and custom Salesforce CRM objects directly into Data Cloud data lakes.

Where is InternalDataConnector saved in an SFDX project?

It is stored in force-app/main/default/internalDataConnectors with the file suffix internalDataConnector-meta.xml.

How does InternalDataConnector differ from external data connectors?

It connects internal Salesforce CRM data streams without needing external HTTP credentials or third-party middleware gateways.

Can InternalDataConnector metadata be tracked in Git?

Yes, it is fully exportable as XML metadata and can be tracked, version-controlled, and deployed across sandboxes and production.