Salesforce Platform: Deploy Custom Indexes Using Change Sets

This article explains which custom indexes can be copied between Salesforce orgs using change sets, and which cannot, so you know when to use a change set versus asking Salesforce Support to create an index directly.

Custom Indexes

Custom indexes are database indexes created on custom fields in Salesforce to improve query performance, especially when working with large data volumes. By indexing a field, Salesforce can retrieve records more efficiently when that field is used in filters, such as in SOQL queries, reports, or list views, reducing query time and avoiding performance issues.

Change Sets

Change sets are a Salesforce deployment tool used to move configuration (metadata) from one org to another, typically from a sandbox to a production environment. They let you bundle components like objects, fields, flows, Apex classes, and custom indexes, and deploy them without external tools.

Three Ways to Create a Custom Index

• Automatic creation: If you enable "Unique" or "External ID" for a field's options, Salesforce automatically creates an index. Field types that support "External ID" are Text, Number, and Email.
• Request Salesforce Support: You can ask Salesforce Support to create a single or two-column custom index. If Support determines the index is valid and effective, they will create it.
• Copy using change sets: You can copy existing custom indexes from a production or sandbox org to another org using change sets. The rest of this article covers this method in detail.

Copying Existing Custom Indexes Using Change Sets

In an outbound change set, select "Custom Index" (English org language only) from the Component Type picklist to add existing indexes to your change set. See Components Available in Change Sets for background on change set components.

As of July 2023, not every custom index can be copied using change sets. Custom indexes fall into three categories: those that do not need to be copied, those that can be copied, and those that cannot be copied. Each is explained below with examples. See also the known issue: Certain types of Custom Indexes are not available in Change Sets.

Indexes That Do Not Need to Be Copied

When you enable either the "Unique" or "External ID" option for a field, Salesforce automatically creates an index for it. Since these indexes are generated automatically in every org, you do not need to copy them with a change set.

Indexes That Can Be Copied Using Change Sets

A single index on a custom field with neither "Unique" nor "External ID" enabled can be copied via change sets. A two-column custom index where the first column is a custom field with neither option enabled can also be copied, regardless of the second column's type.


A two-column custom index where the first column is a custom field with only the "Unique" option enabled can also be copied via change sets, regardless of the second column's type.

A two-column custom index where the first column is a custom field with the "External ID" option enabled and the second column is also a custom field can be copied via change sets.


Indexes That Cannot Be Copied Using Change Sets

The following index types cannot be copied using change sets. If you need one of these created, request it from Salesforce Support instead. When deploying custom objects or fields with custom indexes from sandbox to production, these indexes must be manually recreated, since they don't deploy automatically via change sets. When you create an outbound change set and select the "Custom Index" component, these non-copiable index types won't appear in the list of existing index names to choose from.