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SObject Tree is another powerful Composite Resource implementation that can enable you to build efficient API Requests to Servers which results in an efficient solution and a happy Customer.

Using this approach we can create a single API request that holds a set of “POST” executions for up to “5” different Object Type that’s all in one go. Awesome.

No more multiple to and fro between Client and Server, just fire and forget.

This approach can hold “5” different Object Trees (One for each object type) that can hold up to “200” records to work upon across all Object trees. Each Object tree can hold nested records based on Parent-Child relationship and this nesting can go up to a maximum of “5” levels.

The entire request counts as a single call toward your API limits. So the arena is open. Run your thought process wisely and use this power to build lightning-fast applications.

Lets’ start with the actual demo and see some action-

Prepare Metadata for this Demo

Step-1: We will consider a record of Standard “Account” Object as shown in this step

Step-2: Note the record id for this account record which we will later during creation of the API Request

Step-3: We have another Custom Object “Invoice__c”, with some of the fields “Amount__c, Customer__c, Description__c” as shown

API Request – (Individual Record Creation)

Step-4: This is going to be a post request so select “POST” as the type of HTTP request

Step-5: Here we can take note of the format convention used to prepare the requested URL

<Salesforce Instance Address>/services/data/v<Apex API Version>/composite/tree/<SObject API Name>

That will translate to the following URL that I am using for this demo

https://bansalp-dev-ed.my.salesforce.com/services/data/v47.0/composite/tree/Invoice__c

Step-6: Select “Headers” to add the HTTP Headers to the request

Step-7: Add the following headers

“Content-Type”: “application/json”

“Authorization”: “<Enter authorization Token Here”

You can retrieve the authorization token that we retrieved from The Login Request

Step-8: Select “Body” to add request body in Json format

Step-9: Select “raw” since this a raw input (Plain text Json)

Step-10: In the body, we need to add the valid JSON representing the records to be created. “Tree” allows us to create records for Individual Types and Nested Types associated with the root record type

Root Record Type is represented by “SObject API Name” specified in the request Endpoint “/composite/tree/<SObject API Name>”

If we refer to the screenshot below we can see we have specified records to be created for the “Invoice__c” SObject. We have specified the relevant fields “Description__c, Customer__c, Amount__c” that we need to add to the “Invoice__c” records

Here it is important to notice the “referenceId” attribute, this is important to mention a unique value for this attribute. We will get this reference id back as a part of the response which can help track response with the corresponding request

Step-11: Click on the “Send” button to execute

API Response Analysis – (Individual Record Creation)

Step-12: “hasErrors” property would tell us if the request execution at Server was a success or not. If it has a value “false” then Server execution was a success else there was an error occurred during the execution

Step-13: Here we can see how “referenceId” is returned to us along with the “id” which is the record id of the newly created record. While record Id helps identify the record uniquely across Salesforce instance, “referenceId” helps trackback to the request information that created this record

Step-14: We can visit “Invoice__c” list view page to see the newly created records

Step-15: We can see the details of any of the record by clicking it, to make sure all fields should have values as we specified along with the request

Step-16: Keep clicking to have a sanity check on random records

API Request – (Nested & Child Record Creation)

Earlier API Request was quite straight forward, simple yet a good example to understand the implementation of “Tree” resources.

In this request, we will get into a bit more complex scenario, where we will create Nested Lookup Records (ex. Create Contacts for an Account) & Child Records (ex. Create Child Accounts for a Parent Account). Sounds interesting, isn’t it?

Step-17: This step shows the Json used to create an Account (“type”: Account) record (don’t forget to take a note of “referenceId”)

Step-18: This step shows the Json used to create a Contact (“type”: Contact) record and since this request is inside the Account created in the previous step, Salesforce interpret this as Contact with Account lookup value map to the top-level Account Record

In simple words Contact records with reference Ids “conRef1” & “conRef2” would have the parent Account record with reference Id “accRef1”

Step-19: This step shows the creation of another Account record as before, this time the reference id is “accRef4”

Step-20: This step shows the creation of a new Account record with reference Id “accRef5” which is a Child to the Account record of reference id is “accRef4” we got it in Step-19

Step-21: This step shows the creation of a new Contact with reference Id “conRef6” for which the Account lookup is set to the Account record with reference Id “accRef4”

I am sure in first go you will find all this very confusing, but trust me it is not. Just spend some more time with it and you will be a friend to it.

Still, confused? Read the article again. This time take it slow…

API Response Analysis – (Nested & Child Record Creation)

It is important to note here that if an error occurs while creating a record, the entire request fails. In this case, the response contains only the reference ID of the record that caused the error and the error information.

Step-22: “hasErrors” property would tell us if the request execution at Server was a success or not. If it has a value “false” then Server execution was a success else there was an error occurred during the execution

Step-23: Response object returns record Id and reference ids of all the records created during the request execution (both from Account & Contact Object)

Step-24: Continuing to response object we can see more record ids one for each of the records created

Step-25: We can see the Account records created by visiting list view of Account SObject

Step-26: Click the record you would like to see the details for as shown below

Step-27: Click the Child Account Record and in the details section we can see its parent listed the way we created it

Step-28: Similarly we can look into Contact List view as well, where we can see all the records created by this request

Step-29: Click the record to see its details and we can see how the Account value for the Contact is associated the way we created it

A Bit of Perspective

Using SObject “Tree” we can supply record hierarchies, required and optional field values, each record’s type, and a reference ID for each record as part of the Request body. It will result in less Server-Client communication and more efficient Business Solutions and a happy customer.

Hope you enjoyed this article. Please leave your comments to let me know how you do like the content and how you do find it helpful to learn the topic.

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