When loading data using Bulk API, what is a recommended practice for external ids?

Using Bulk API effectively involves optimizing data processes for performance and efficiency. In the context of external IDs, leveraging hard deletes can significantly enhance processing speed because they bypass certain background tasks that are associated with soft deletes, such as maintaining relationships and triggering processes like reparenting. This means that if you have a large dataset and are trying to delete records, opting for hard deletes minimizes the overhead and accelerates the operation.

While managing external IDs, various recommendations are considered. Setting external IDs to public does not inherently improve performance; rather, it relates to accessibility within the organization. Avoiding the use of external IDs, while it could speed up some processes, negates the advantages they provide, such as maintaining data integrity across systems. Lastly, the notion that external IDs should only be reserved for master-detail records is too restrictive, as external IDs can be useful in various relationship scenarios, not just master-detail.

By choosing to perform hard deletes when applicable, practitioners can streamline the data loading process when using the Bulk API, ultimately facilitating a faster and more efficient data management workflow.