Apex Apex Sharing

Introduction to Apex Sharing

Apex Sharing in Salesforce is a powerful feature that allows developers to manage record-level access programmatically. This is especially useful when the standard sharing rules are not sufficient to meet complex business requirements. By using Share records, developers can specify which users or groups have access to certain records.

Understanding Share Objects

Each custom object and some standard objects have associated Share objects, which are used to manage sharing rules for the records. A Share object allows you to define the access level that a particular user or group has to a specific record. The access levels typically include Read, Edit, and Full Access.

Creating Share Records in Apex

To programmatically share records, you need to create a new instance of the Share object for the custom or standard object you are working with. This involves setting the necessary fields such as ParentId, UserOrGroupId, and AccessLevel.

When to Use Apex Sharing

Apex Sharing is particularly useful when you need to implement complex sharing rules that cannot be achieved through declarative sharing. For example, if you need to share records based on custom business logic, such as sharing records with users in a specific department or location, Apex Sharing provides the flexibility to meet these needs.

Best Practices for Using Apex Sharing

• Limit the Number of Share Records: Avoid creating too many share records as it can lead to performance issues.
• Use Declarative Sharing When Possible: Always try to use Salesforce's out-of-the-box sharing settings before resorting to programmatic solutions.
• Regularly Review Sharing Logic: Ensure that the sharing logic is still relevant and efficient as business processes evolve.