Getting Started with SOQL

Revolutionize the use of simple query strings to make them more efficient using SOQL

Overview

• Write optimized SOQL statements
• Discover the standards to follow while writing SOQL statements
• Learn how to write SOQL statements without hitting the limits set by Salesforce.com

In Detail

This practical guide will tell you everything you need to know about SOQL statements. You will learn the optimum way to write complex SOQL statements with this easy-to-understand guide. Beginning with basic SOQL statements, you will progress quickly onto more advanced statements, such as how to filter multiselect picklist values to escape sequences.

This book will teach you how to sort records with more than one field, sorting with more than one field–one in ascending order and another field in descending order—and sorting null records in the first or in the last. You will learn about all the features provided while you are writing SOQL statements. This book will make you a SOQL expert by teaching you how to write SOQL statements in an optimized and effective way.

What you will learn from this book

• Discover how to write effective SOQL statements
• Find out about the standards to be followed while writing SOQL statements
• Understand the effective use of advanced SOQL statements
• Fetch records from multiple objects
• Sort records with multiple fields
• Get to know about the tools that support the execution of SOQL statements and their installation guidelines
• Understand the functional areas within SOQL queries
• Implement mechanisms to manage SOQL on Salesforce

Approach

This is a practical tutorial-based guide on using the new SOQL language, aimed at Force.com developers. Each topic is discussed with the help of standard SOQL queries.

Who this book is for

If you are a Salesforce.com developer or administrator, this book will help you to avoid hitting the limits set by Salesforce.com. For those of you who are preparing for the Advanced Developer Salesforce.com certification, this book will also be particularly useful.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction to SOQL
Chapter 2: Basic SOQL Statements
Chapter 3: Advanced SOQL Statements
Chapter 4: Functions in SOQL
Chapter 5: Limitations and Best Practices
Chapter 6: Tools with Installation Guidelines
Appendix: Review Questions