---
schema_version: "1"
id: e431d87d3230c5cfc7c64af12d548371a1733617d39aa19bbdfab4aa25ec9d03
title: External Data Sources With Salesforce Connect
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/platform_connect_writable_external_objects.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.platform_connect_writable_external_objects.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: c5864aed879e85bb0680e52992bda54e2a1f819b41d19ded8801ff390b98dd37
description: Salesforce Connect uses external data sources to access data that's stored outside your Salesforce org. You must configure an external data source and synchronize it to map its tables with external objects in Salesforce.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# External Data Sources With Salesforce Connect

Salesforce Connect uses external data sources to access data that's stored outside your Salesforce org. You must configure an external data source and synchronize it to map its tables with external objects in Salesforce.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition">
      <colgroup>
        <col>
      </colgroup>
      <tbody>
        <tr class="">
          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: both Salesforce Classic and Lightning Experience (not for high-data-volume
            external objects)</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
            <p>Available in: <strong>Developer</strong> Edition</p>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Available for an extra cost
              in: <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, and <strong>Unlimited</strong>
              Editions</p>
          </td>

        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>

- **[Identity Type for External Data Sources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.platform_connect_identity_type.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    On the external data source configured for Salesforce Connect, the Identity Type field specifies whether your organization uses one set or multiple sets of credentials to access the external system. Each set of credentials corresponds to a login account on the external system.
- **[Sync an External Data Source for Salesforce Connect](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.platform_connect_considerations_sync.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    When you validate and sync an external data source, it creates or overwrites Salesforce external objects that map to the external system’s schema. Syncing doesn’t copy any data into your Salesforce org or write data from your org to the external system.
- **[External Objects in Salesforce Connect](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.platform_connect_considerations_compatibility.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    External objects behave similar to custom objects except that they map to data stored outside Salesforce in an external data source. Each external object maps to a data table, and the object fields map to accessible table columns.
- **[Writable External Objects in Salesforce Connect](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.platform_connect_considerations_writable_external_objects.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Select **Writable External Objects** when you define an external data source and use Salesforce Connect external objects to create, update, and delete data. External objects are read only by default.

#### See Also

- [Salesforce Connect](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.platform_connect_about.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Salesforce Connect provides seamless integration of data across system boundaries by letting your users view, search, and modify data that’s stored outside your Salesforce org. For example, perhaps you have data that’s stored on premises in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Instead of copying the data into your org, you can use external objects to access the data in real time via web service callouts.")
- [Salesforce Platform Features Supported by Salesforce Connect](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.platform_connect_considerations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Salesforce Connect provides seamless integration with the Salesforce Platform and enables users to view, search, and modify external object data.")
- [Work with External Data Sources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.external_data_sources.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "An external data source specifies how to access an external system. Salesforce Connect uses external data sources to access data that's stored outside your Salesforce organization. Files Connect uses external data sources to access third-party content systems. External data sources have associated external objects, which your users and the Lightning platform use to interact with the external data and content.")