---
schema_version: "1"
id: 42d04e70c6f13e3278ea952f17b7811eb670da50626fc16b524753bd15478d8f
title: External Change Requests and Merges
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/devops_center_external_merges.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.devops_center_external_merges.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: e0412d944edf9377d7ef2df8d08b10c71dc00815f1f31bacd331a85058b86388
description: You can create a change request and merge your changes directly in the source control system, which is the first half of the promotion process. You can complete the promotion by deploying all externally merged changes to the pipeline stage’s associated environment within DevOps Center or by using Salesforce CLI.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
release: "264"
---
# External Change Requests and Merges

You can create a change request and merge your changes directly in the source control system, which is the first half of the promotion process. You can complete the promotion by deploying all externally merged changes to the pipeline stage’s associated environment within DevOps Center or by using Salesforce CLI.

You can merge your changes in the source control repository or using `git` on the command line. To use `git` commands, see the Git documentation.

## Merge Types

When you merge your changes directly in the source control repository, you have these merge options. For more information about merge types and how to merge, see the source control repository’s documentation.

- Merge commit (default)—Enables you to see each commit that is included in the set of changes.
- Squash and merge (recommended)—Combines all commits into a single commit. You can look at a single commit to view your changes as a whole rather than sift through multiple commits.
- Rebase and merge (GitHub, don’t use)—DevOps Center can’t properly reflect the changes, which is likely to cause errors when these changes are promoted through the release pipeline.
- Fast forward (Bitbucket, don’t use)—DevOps Center can’t properly reflect the changes, which is likely to cause errors when these changes are promoted through the release pipeline.

## Tips for Creating Change Requests and Merging Directly in the Source Control System

- Select the recommended merge option, Squash and Merge.
- Remember that all externally merged changes are deployed to the associated pipeline stage’s environment. If you’re unsure if you want to move a change forward, wait to merge it.
- Whether you perform your development work in an org or use an IDE, such as Salesforce Extensions for Visual Studio Code, you can create the change (pull) request directly in the source control repository. When merging work items in the first pipeline stage’s branch, be sure to select the pipeline stage’s branch as the base branch instead of `main`.
- If merging changes from one pipeline stage branch to the next branch in the pipeline, DevOps Center creates the change request for you. View the list of change requests, and then select the one you want to merge. Example: `[DevOps Center] Merge WI-000004 to UAT`.
- Never merge a change request with a title that looks like this: `[DO NOT MERGE] For DevOps Center use only - Integration to UAT`.

#### See Also

- [Mergeability Rules and Merge Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.devops_center_promotion_mergeability.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Lifecycle Center blocks promotions if there’s a conflict, if a test failed, or if a mergeability rule or merge setting isn’t met.")
- [Promote Changes Merged Outside of DevOps Center](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.devops_center_promotion_outside.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "If you merge the change request in the source control system, the changes are in a partially promoted state because they’ve been merged but not yet deployed to the associated pipeline environment. You can complete the promotion in DevOps Center or use Salesforce CLI.")
- [Deploy Changes Using Salesforce CLI (Beta)](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.devops_center_deploy_changes_cli.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Use Salesforce CLI to deploy changes to a pipeline stage’s environment or to perform a validate-only deployment. You must externally merge any changes in the source control repository before you can perform the deployment using the CLI. While the CLI command runs, you can see the progress of the promotion reflected in the DevOps Center Pipeline Stages tab.")