Deployment using change sets in Salesforce.
Salesforce is a powerful cloud platform that enables businesses to build and customize apps. But when it comes to moving customizations (like custom objects, fields, Apex classes, or Lightning components) from a Sandbox to Production, using Change Sets is one of the most straightforward and widely used methods.
In this document, you’ll learn:
- What is a Change Set?
- How does a Change Set work?
- How to deploy from Sandbox to Production using a Change Set
- Best practices and limitations
What is a Change Set?
A Change Set is a deployment tool in Salesforce that allows you to send customizations from one org to another, typically from a Sandbox (development/testing environment) to Production (live environment).
Types of Change Sets:
- Outbound Change Set: Created in the source org (usually a Sandbox).
- Inbound Change Set: Received in the target org (usually Production).
How Do Change Sets Work?
- Create an Outbound Change Set in the Sandbox.
- Add metadata components like custom fields, Apex classes, etc.
- Upload the change set to the connected Production org.
- Deploy the Inbound Change Set in Production after validation.
Step-by-Step: Deploy from Sandbox to Production Using Change Sets
Step 1: Create an Outbound Change Set in Sandbox
- Go to Setup → Outbound Change Sets.
• Click New, enter Name and Description, then Save.
• Click Add to include metadata components.
• After adding, click Upload to send it to the Production org.
Step 2: Accept and Validate the Inbound Change Set in Production
- Login to Production → Setup → Inbound Change Sets.
• Click the Change Set name → Review components.
• Click Validate (optional but recommended).
• Click Deploy to apply changes.
Change Set Limitations
- No support for all metadata types.
• Cannot deploy data, only metadata.
• No version control.
• Components must be manually selected.
Best Practices for Using Change Sets
- Always validate before deploying.
• Use naming conventions.
• Keep related changes grouped together.
• Test in a Full or Partial Sandbox.
• For complex orgs, use SFDX + Git.
Summary
| Step | Action |
| 1 | Create Outbound Change Set in Sandbox |
| 2 | Add metadata components |
| 3 | Upload to Production |
| 4 | Validate & Deploy in Production |