Files in Salesforce are not always attached to Accounts or Contacts. Many orgs store files on custom objects — and most export tools don't support them. Here's how to handle it.
How Files Are Linked to Custom Objects in Salesforce
- Files uploaded to a custom object record are stored as ContentDocument records
- They are linked via ContentDocumentLink — the same mechanism used for standard objects
- This means the same export approach works for both standard and custom objects
Why Most Methods Fail for Custom Objects
- Salesforce's native Data Export doesn't download file binaries from any object
- Data Loader can query ContentDocumentLink but cannot download the files themselves
- Manual UI download is one file at a time — not practical at scale
Exporting Custom Object Files with SFDC File Exporter
- Open SFDC File Exporter and select Export from Objects
- In the object dropdown, select your custom object (all queryable objects are listed)
- Add filters if needed — by date, field value, or record owner
- All files linked to matching records are downloaded, organized by record name
- Works for any custom object —
Project__c,Invoice__c,Employee__c, and so on
SFDC File Exporter loads all queryable Salesforce objects in the dropdown — no configuration needed to add a custom object.