3 Ways To Avoid Reaching Salesforce its Maximum Data Storage Limit

Q: What is the difference between file and data storage in Salesforce?

Salesforce data storage holds structured records such as Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities, and Cases. It primarily stores text-based information within Salesforce objects.File storage, on the other hand, is used for attachments, documents, images, PDFs, and media files. Files stored in Notes & Attachments, Salesforce Files, Chatter, and email attachments consume file storage.

Q: How is Salesforce storage calculated?

Salesforce storage is calculated based on Org-wide base storage (depends on the edition) and Additional storage per user license.For example, in Salesforce Enterprise Edition:Data storage: 10GB base + 20MB per userFile storage: 10GB base + 2GB per userHigher editions offer more storage, but large data volumes or file-heavy usage can quickly exhaust limits.

Q: What happens when my storage limit is exceeded in Salesforce?

If your Salesforce data or file storage reaches its limit:New records and files cannot be addedUsers may face errors when uploading files or saving recordsPerformance issues may arise due to large storage consumption

Q: How costly is it to purchase additional storage in Salesforce?

Salesforce charges a premium for additional storage, and costs vary based on the edition and type of storage needed:Data storage: Starts at $125/month per 500MBFile storage: Pricing varies but can be costly for large filesDue to high costs, many businesses prefer external storage solutions to manage files and data efficiently.

Top 3 ways to prevent your Salesforce Org hitting the maximum data storage limit

Every business, regardless of industry, wants to minimize costs and maximize profits. One often-overlooked way to cut down on unnecessary costs is to manage Salesforce data storage effectively.

Salesforce is an incredibly powerful CRM that helps businesses ease sales, service, and marketing efforts. However, it enforces strict data storage limits to maintain system performance, and exceeding these limits can result in high additional storage costs.

Let’s break down the different types of Salesforce storage and explore the best ways to manage your data efficiently without exceeding limits.

Understanding Salesforce Data Storage

Salesforce storage is divided into three categories:

Each Salesforce edition comes with a fixed amount of storage. For example, most editions start with 10GB of data storage, plus incremental space per user. With growing business data, it’s only a matter of time before storage limits become a concern.

How to Analyze Your Salesforce Data Storage

Before managing your storage, you need to identify which objects are taking up the most space. Navigate to Setup > Storage Usage in Salesforce to check the breakdown. You’ll see which records are consuming the most space and can make informed decisions on what to delete, archive, or optimize.

Here’s a detailed guide on Salesforce data storage if you want to explore it further.

Actionable Ways to Optimize Salesforce Data Storage

Here are three effective ways to prevent your Salesforce org from hitting the maximum data storage limit:

Delete Unwanted Data (Manually or Automatically)

Deleting outdated or unnecessary data is one of the simplest ways to free up space. Here’s how you can do it:

Manual Deletion: Use Salesforce’s built-in deletion wizard to remove old Leads, Contacts, Accounts, or Cases. However, mass deletion is limited to specific objects and only 250 records at a time.
Using Data Loader: Export large datasets, review them, and delete unnecessary records in bulk.
Automated Deletion with AppExchange Apps: Several third-party tools automate the process, allowing you to schedule deletions and clean up records more efficiently.

Archive Old Data

If deleting data isn’t an option due to compliance requirements, archiving is the best alternative. Archiving involves moving old or less frequently accessed data to secondary storage while keeping it accessible when needed with the help of DataArchiva.

Salesforce Big Objects: Stores data within Salesforce but is limited to specific record types and requires advanced setup.
External Databases: Archive data to cloud-based or on-premise storage solutions like AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, or databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, or Oracle.
AppExchange Archiving Tools: Several tools automate the archiving process, keeping archived data accessible while freeing up primary storage.

However, none of these limitations apply to DataArchiva. All the archived records are easily accessible through our AI-powered global search, the setup in no more than a few clicks, and the application is available on AppExchange for you to explore.

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Salesforce Data Archiving to External Storage Systems using DataArchiva

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Purchase Additional Storage (Only If Necessary)

If your business requires keeping large amounts of data within Salesforce and deleting or archiving isn’t an option, you can purchase additional storage. However, this is often the most expensive approach.

Bonus Tips to Optimize Salesforce Storage

Besides the top three strategies, consider these additional techniques to keep your storage under control:

Compress Large Attachments

Attachments like images, PDFs, and documents take up significant space. Compressing them before uploading or using a third-party file storage integration (like Google Drive or Dropbox) can help optimize space.

Optimize Custom Settings & Metadata

Unused or redundant custom settings take up unnecessary space. Regularly review and clean up old custom settings, replacing them with Custom Metadata Types, which are more efficient.

Use a Cloud Backup Solution

Instead of storing all historical data in Salesforce, a cloud backup solution can be used to offload older data and restore it only when necessary. This ensures compliance while keeping storage costs low.

Data growth in Salesforce is inevitable, but managing storage effectively can save your business from costly upgrades. A combination of deleting unnecessary data, archiving old records, and leveraging external storage solutions will help you maintain a high-performing Salesforce org while keeping costs under control.

By adopting a proactive approach to data management, organizations can prevent their Salesforce org from hitting maximum storage limits. Regular data audits, strategic archiving, and leveraging built-in Salesforce features can help optimize storage usage while maintaining compliance and performance.

Use Salesforce’s Built-in Data Monitoring Tools

Effortless Salesforce Archiving with DataArchiva: Native & External Solutions

DataArchiva offers the most advanced archiving solutions for Salesforce users, helping them manage data efficiently while maintaining accessibility and integrity. Our AppExchange applications, DataArchiva Native Archiving and DataArchiva External Archiving, cater to different archiving needs, ensuring seamless data management without compromising performance or compliance.

DataArchiva Native Archiving is the only Salesforce-native solution that archives data directly into Big Objects, enabling organizations to optimize storage without moving data out of the Salesforce ecosystem.

For businesses that require greater flexibility, DataArchiva External Archiving allows data to be archived into external databases hosted on cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, Heroku, and Google Cloud or on-premise systems. This solution provides complete control over archived data while ensuring high availability and compliance.

Our modern archiving platform automates the entire process, significantly reducing manual efforts while enhancing storage efficiency, application performance, and cost savings. With a 10X+ ROI, Salesforce customers can experience better system scalability, improved user experience, and streamlined compliance with regulatory requirements.

To know more about DataArchiva, kindly get in touch.

Recommended: Check out the product datasheet to learn more about our Salesforce data archiving solution capabilities.
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FAQs

What is the difference between file and data storage in Salesforce?

Salesforce data storage holds structured records such as Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities, and Cases. It primarily stores text-based information within Salesforce objects.

File storage, on the other hand, is used for attachments, documents, images, PDFs, and media files. Files stored in Notes & Attachments, Salesforce Files, Chatter, and email attachments consume file storage.

How is Salesforce storage calculated?

Salesforce storage is calculated based on Org-wide base storage (depends on the edition) and Additional storage per user license.

For example, in Salesforce Enterprise Edition:

Data storage: 10GB base + 20MB per user
File storage: 10GB base + 2GB per user

Higher editions offer more storage, but large data volumes or file-heavy usage can quickly exhaust limits.

What happens when my storage limit is exceeded in Salesforce?

If your Salesforce data or file storage reaches its limit:

New records and files cannot be added
Users may face errors when uploading files or saving records
Performance issues may arise due to large storage consumption

How costly is it to purchase additional storage in Salesforce?

Salesforce charges a premium for additional storage, and costs vary based on the edition and type of storage needed:

Data storage: Starts at $125/month per 500MB
File storage: Pricing varies but can be costly for large files

Due to high costs, many businesses prefer external storage solutions to manage files and data efficiently.

What is the alternative to buying extra Salesforce storage?

Instead of purchasing expensive Salesforce storage, businesses can use third-party solutions like DataArchiva that archive historical records to external platforms (AWS, Azure, Google, or On-Prem) while ensuring compliance and accessibility.