---
schema_version: "1"
id: 1729bcbd6c77dcd44ae6c91f6fa6d29ef21a87bd2cd4278c4d4230a5f8898a19
title: Define an External Data Source for Salesforce Connect–Privacy Center
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/privacy_center_external_data_define.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.privacy_center_external_data_define.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 578f6fc2b5882e12fb9199033e53ade590138560fd3dfdca42f33993cee83e97
description: Give users access to the data in your Privacy Center retention store.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# Define an External Data Source for Salesforce Connect–Privacy Center

Give users access to the data in your Privacy Center retention store.

### 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: <strong>Developer</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, and <strong>Unlimited</strong> Editions. Requires the Privacy Center license.</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d199778e66">User Permissions Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199778e66 ">To create and edit external data sources:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199778e66 ">Customize Application</td>

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

To define your Privacy Center retention store as an external data source:

1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter External Data Sources, and then select **External Data Sources**.
2. Click **New External Data Source**, or click **Edit** to modify an existing external data source.
3. Complete the fields. Note that the Data Store Type field is located in the Parameters section of the page.
    
    <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
            <colgroup>
              <col style="width:50%">
              <col style="width:50%">
            </colgroup>
            <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
              <tr class="">
                <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d199778e137">FIELD</th>
                <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d199778e140">DESCRIPTION</th>
              </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="FIELD" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199778e137 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">External Data Source</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="DESCRIPTION" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199778e140 ">A user-friendly name for the external data source. The label is displayed in the
                  Salesforce user interface, such as in list views.</td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="FIELD" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199778e137 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Name</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="DESCRIPTION" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199778e140 ">
                  <p>A unique identifier that’s used to refer to this external data source definition
                    through the API.</p>
                  <p style="margin-bottom:0;">The name can contain only underscores and alphanumeric characters. It must be unique,
                    begin with a letter, not include spaces, not end with an underscore, and not contain two
                    consecutive underscores.</p>
                </td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="FIELD" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199778e137 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Type</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="DESCRIPTION" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199778e140 ">Select <strong class="uicontrol">Privacy Center or Archive Data Store</strong>.</td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="FIELD" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199778e137 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Data Store Type</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="DESCRIPTION" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199778e140 ">Select <strong class="uicontrol">Privacy Center Retention Store</strong>.</td>

              </tr>
            </tbody>
          </table>
4. Click **Save**.

Once your retention store is defined as an external data source, you’re ready to continue with the [Salesforce Connect setup process](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.salesforce_connect_privacy_center.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Connect your users to data that’s stored in a Privacy Center retention store.").

#### See Also

- [Access External Data with the Salesforce Connect Adapter for Privacy Center](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.salesforce_connect_privacy_center.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Connect your users to data that’s stored in a Privacy Center retention store.")