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5. Retrieve an existing org (optional)

Retrieve an existing org (optional)

If this is a new Salesforce project, or if you want to set up CI/CD in incremental mode, you can skip this step and go directly to Create the first Pull Request.

Thanks to source-tracked sandboxes, you can also opt for a half-incremental init, with only some metadata types like Apex, LWC and Permission Sets. In that case, retrieve manually the metadata you need, for example with the Metadata Retriever of the VS Code SFDX Hardis extension.

If you want a full init, follow the steps below.

Retrieve metadata

Example:

  • sf hardis:org:generate:packagexmlfull --target-org nico@example.com --outputfile ./packagexmlfull.xml

  • Remove the Document part from packagexmlfull.xml

        <types>
        <members>Doc1</members>
        <members>Doc2</members>
        <members>Doc3</members>
        <name>Document</name>
    </types>
  • sf project retrieve start -x ./packagexmlfull.xml --ignore-conflicts

Automated metadata cleaning

You now have way too much metadata locally, including standard and managed items that are not customized, so not needed in the repository.

Follow these steps to automatically remove many of them, then proceed to the final manual cleaning.

Remove managed items

Run the following command to delete all elements with a namespace.

sf hardis:project:clean:manageditems --namespace SOMENAMESPACE

Remove (hidden) files

Some items have no namespace but are managed anyway, and contain (hidden). Delete them with the following command.

sf hardis:project:clean:hiddenitems

Remove empty items

Some files are empty and do not need to be kept in the repository. Remove them with the following command.

sf hardis:project:clean:emptyitems

Standard objects without customization

The retrieve command pulled all standard objects and fields.

Those that have never been customized do not need to remain in the repository. Delete them with the following command (it can take some time).

sf hardis:project:clean:standarditems

Manual metadata cleaning

The automated cleaning removed a lot of items, but many useless ones remain in the repository.

Manually delete the files (or even folders) that are maintained directly in the production org:

  • applications: delete the ones starting with standard__
  • appMenus: delete the whole folder
  • cleanDataServices: delete the whole folder
  • dashboards: delete all user dashboards
  • emailServices: delete the whole folder
  • flowDefinitions: delete the whole folder (Salesforce now uses the flows folder)
  • installedPackages: delete the whole folder
  • layouts: delete all standard layouts that have not been customized
  • profiles: delete all standard profiles
  • profilePasswordPolicies: delete the whole folder
  • profileSessionSettings: delete the whole folder
  • reports: delete all reports that have been created directly in the production org

Retrieve installed packages

Use DevOps Pipeline -> Installed Packages, then Retrieve from org, to retrieve the list of packages of your project.

See Install packages.

CLI alternative: sf hardis:org:retrieve:packageconfig --target-org YOUR_PROD_ORG_USER

This updates the file config/.sfdx-hardis.yml.

  • Keep only the packages that you use in all orgs
  • Set the installDuringDeployments property to true if you need the package installed on all orgs
  • Set the installOnScratchOrgs property to true if you use scratch orgs and need the package installed when you create a new scratch org

Example:

installedPackages:
  - Id: 0A37Z000000AtDYSA0
    SubscriberPackageId: 033i0000000LVMYAA4
    SubscriberPackageName: Marketing Cloud
    SubscriberPackageNamespace: et4ae5
    SubscriberPackageVersionId: 04t6S000001UjutQAC
    SubscriberPackageVersionName: Marketing Cloud
    SubscriberPackageVersionNumber: 238.3.0.2
    installOnScratchOrgs: true
    installDuringDeployments: true
  - Id: 0A35r0000009F9CCAU
    SubscriberPackageId: 033b0000000Pf2AAAS
    SubscriberPackageName: Declarative Lookup Rollup Summaries Tool
    SubscriberPackageNamespace: dlrs
    SubscriberPackageVersionId: 04t5p000001BmLvAAK
    SubscriberPackageVersionName: Release
    SubscriberPackageVersionNumber: 2.15.0.9
    installOnScratchOrgs: true
    installDuringDeployments: true

Create the first Pull Request

Do not forget to run Save / Publish my User Story and to follow the other instructions before creating your initial Pull Request (Merge Request on GitLab).

Time to create the first Pull Request.

You will probably have many updates to make in new commits before all jobs are green.