Accounts as Campaign Members via Data Loader?

Question:

I have enabled Accounts as Campaign Members in Salesforce. As a System Administrator, when I use Data Loader, I can see the AccountId field available for mapping and successfully add Accounts as Campaign Members. However, when a non-admin user tries, the AccountId field does not appear for mapping in Data Loader. Interestingly, the same user can add Accounts to Campaigns through the UI without any issues, and they can also see the AccountId field in Workbench. This makes me believe the permissions are generally there. I even tried granting “View All” and “Modify All” on Accounts since upserts usually require them, but that did not resolve the issue. What specific permissions or setup changes are needed to allow non-admin users to add Accounts as Campaign Members via Data Loader?

Answer:

This behavior happens because Data Loader checks object- and field-level permissions differently from the UI. Even if a user can perform the action in the interface, the AccountId field may remain hidden from Data Loader if they lack the right level of access.

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First, ensure that the user has Read and Edit access on both the Campaign and CampaignMember objects. For Campaign Members, check the Field-Level Security for AccountId and confirm it is visible. Sometimes, field visibility in Workbench does not guarantee visibility in Data Loader if Field-Level Security is not properly configured in Profiles or Permission Sets.

Second, if the user is using Data Loader with Bulk API, ensure the “Modify All Data” or API Enabled permissions are not limiting field visibility. Try toggling Bulk API off in Data Loader and retrying, as some field visibility issues appear only with Bulk API.

If the issue persists, one workaround is to create a Custom Permission Set that explicitly grants access to the AccountId field on Campaign Members and assign it to the non-admin user. This typically makes the field appear in Data Loader mappings.

Another workaround is to create a small Apex data-loading utility or Flow that allows non-admins to insert Campaign Members with Accounts. Since UI proves they have permission, a backend automation route avoids the Data Loader limitation.

In summary, the problem is not that the feature is disabled for non-admins but that Data Loader enforces stricter FLS visibility checks. Adjusting field-level security on CampaignMember.AccountId, disabling Bulk API, or using a custom loader solution should solve it.

Summing Up

The issue arises when non-admin users attempt to add Accounts as Campaign Members using Data Loader. While administrators can see and map the AccountId field without trouble, non-admin users cannot, even though they are able to perform the same task through the UI and can view the field in Workbench. This discrepancy points to how Data Loader enforces object and field-level security differently compared to the Salesforce interface.

To resolve this, administrators need to ensure that the non-admin user has the correct object permissions and field-level security for both CampaignMember and its AccountId field. Sometimes, disabling Bulk API in Data Loader allows the field to appear. If that still fails, creating a permission set with explicit access to the AccountId field or building a custom Apex/Flow-based utility can serve as a workaround. The root cause lies not in missing functionality but in Data Loader’s stricter enforcement of field visibility rules.

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