Salesforce Downloadable Unamanged Package: Create and Export Flows

In Salesforce, deployment is an important part of development. Developers often need to move metadata like Apex classes, triggers, flows, and objects from one org to another.

One of the most commonly used methods for this is an Unmanaged Package. In many real-time projects, developers also need to create a ZIP file of the package for deployment using tools such as the Metadata API or the Salesforce CLI.

In this article, we will understand:

What is an unmanaged package
Why do we create a ZIP file
Step-by-step process
Real-time use cases
Common mistakes

To create an unmanaged package in Salesforce, we use the package manager that adds components and generates an installation URL after uploading the package.

This is a very easy way to create and deploy a package in Salesforce, allowing others to install it directly without using VS Code or Workbench.

The issue arises when the package created in the source org is deleted. Consequently, a user from another org attempting to install the package will be unable to access it, as it has been deleted from the source org.

To use the package in the target org, even if it is deleted from the source org, we need to download it in a zip file. Then, even if the source org deletes the data, other users can still install the package using the downloaded zip file.

Table of Contents

What is an Unmanaged Package in Salesforce?

An Unmanaged Package is a collection of Salesforce components that can be moved between orgs.

These components can include:

Apex Classes
Triggers
Custom Objects
Fields
Flows
Validation Rules

Important Point:
Unmanaged packages are mainly used for:

Development
Learning
One-time deployment

Managed vs Unmanaged Package in Salesforce

Feature	Managed Package	Unmanaged Package
Editable after install	No	Yes
Used for AppExchange	Yes	No
Version control	Yes	No
Best for	ISVs	Developers

Why Do We Need a ZIP File in Salesforce?

In many cases, you cannot deploy directly from the UI.

You need a ZIP file when:

Using Metadata API
Using Salesforce CLI (SFDX)
CI/CD deployment
Moving code between environments

ZIP file contains:

metadata files
package.xml

package.xml File to Retrieve Components From Salesforce Org

Now we will understand, step by step, how to create an unmanaged package using Workbench, download it, and install it as a zip file in Salesforce.

After retrieving the metadata via VS Code CLI or Workbench and zipping it, we can delete the package from our system. Others can then install it from the zip file using Workbench or VS Code CLI in their organization.

First, we need to understand that the Salesforce Workbench does not ‘create packages’ in the same way as we do using the UI package manager feature.

First, we need to create a package.xml file and add metadata to retrieve. Below, I will show the XML file to understand how the metadata is retrieved from Salesforce.

You can create this file in VS Code or Notepad and add the content that you want to retrieve from Salesforce.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <types>
        <members>*</members>
        <name>ApexClass</name>
    </types>
    <types>
        <members>*</members>
        <name>ApexTrigger</name>
    </types>
    <types>
        <members>*</members>
        <name>CustomObject</name>
    </types>
    <version>60.0</version>
</Package>

Next, save this file as package.xml, as we will use it to download data from Salesforce. This file will retrieve all Apex classes, triggers, and custom objects.

How to Add Objects, Fields, Flows, and Other Components in the package.xml File

Below, I will explain how to add standard and custom objects, fields, and other components to the package.xml file if you need specific data, so that we can retrieve that metadata from Salesforce.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">

<!-- Include Custom Objects and Fields-->
    <types>
        <members>Custom_Object_1__c</members>
        <name>CustomObject</name>
    </types>

 <!-- Include Custom Fields on Standard /Custom Objects -->
    <types>
        <members>Account.Custom_Field_1__c</members>
        <members>Employee__c.Employee_Name__c</members>
        <name>CustomField</name>
    </types>

 <!-- Include the Flow -->
    <types>
        <members>Your_Flow_API_Name</members>
        <name>Flow</name>
    </types>

<!-- Include Email Templates if needed -->
    <types>
        <members>FolderName/TemplateName</members>
        <name>EmailTemplate</name>
    </types>

    <version>60.0</version>
</Package>

In this way, you can add the components as metadata to retrieve from the Salesforce org.

Create and Export Unmanaged Package Zip File in Salesforce

For example, I want to create a package for the flow I created to add CC recipients dynamically in Salesforce.

This flow is dependent on the custom object named CC Recipients__c. In this object, I stored the email addresses in the email fields.

If the Flow references Custom Objects, Email Templates, or Custom Fields, they must also be included in package.xml; otherwise, deployment may fail.

Now, let’s create the package.xml file for our flow and add the other components it depends on.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">

<types>
    <members>Add_CC_List</members>
    <name>Flow</name>
</types>

<types>
    <members>CC_Email_List__c</members>
    <members>Apply_Leave__c</members>
    <name>CustomObject</name>
</types>

    <version>60.0</version>
</Package>

Now, open the Workbench. Then fill in the details:

Environment: Production or Sandbox.
API Version: 60.0 (or latest).
Agree to terms.
Click Login with Salesforce.

Create Unmanaged Package with Workbench in Salesforce

When you click ‘Login with Salesforce,’ you must use your Salesforce Developer org credentials.

After that, you will see the Workbench UI. You need to click the Migration dropdown in the top menu and select the Retrieve option.

Retrieve Data From Salesforce Using Workbench

After that, under Unpackaged Manifest, click Choose File. Here, select the package.xml file we created, which contains the component we want to retrieve from Salesforce.

Leave other options as default and click the Next button to proceed.

Unmanaged Packages with Workbench in Salesforce

Next, click the Retrieve button.

Create Unmanaged Package zip File in Salesforce

Now this step will take some time, so wait until the process completes. After completing the process, you will see the Status with the ID of your package.

Then, click the Download ZIP File, and it will be saved to your local system.

Create and Export Unmanaged Package Zip File in Salesforce

You can see the ZIP file you downloaded, which contains the component you wanted to deploy to a different Salesforce org.

You can share this file with other users who have a Salesforce org account.

Salesforce Workbench Download Unmanaged Package zip File

In this way, we can create the downloadable package.xml.zip file that contains the component you want to deploy to the Salesforce org.

Deploy an Unmanaged Package To Other Salesforce Org Using Workbench

In the steps above, we created a package that contains the flow and the other components on which it depends.

We will now deploy this package to other Salesforce orgs. Before deploying to another org, let me show you the components we added to the package above that are not available in this org.

Below, you can see there are no components available in this org. Now we will install the package that we created.

Now open the workbench in the browser and again follow the starting steps to log in to Salesforce. Here, you need to log in with the credentials you want to use for deploying the package.

After that, you will see the Workbench UI. You need to click the Migration dropdown in the top menu and select the Deploy option.

Deploy Unmanaged Package ZIP File in Salesforce

Next, click Choose File, then select the ZIP file you downloaded that contains all the components you want to deploy to this Salesforce org.

Then check the Rollback on Error checkbox. If you don’t add the deployment, it will fail. If you have checked Rollback On Error, other components won’t be deployed either, so you’ll need to redeploy the entire package.

Click the Next button to proceed.

How to Deploy Unmanaged Package Using Workbench in Salesforce

We are now ready to deploy the package. Click the Deploy button.

Deploy the Unmanaged Package in Salesforce

When creating the package.xml file, if you add a dependent component (such as a child object), you must also add the parent object. Similarly, if you add a flow, you need to include the related object it uses.

Below you can see the Status is Succeeded. That means our package has been successfully deployed in this org.

Deploy Unmanaged Package Using Workbench in Salesforce

To check the installed components, you can check in the Salesforce org.

Deployed Unmanaged Package in Salesforce

In this way, we can deploy the unmanaged package by installing a ZIP file in Salesforce.

Conclusion

Creating a ZIP file from an unmanaged package is an important skill for Salesforce developers. It helps in deploying metadata efficiently using modern tools like Salesforce CLI and Metadata API.

I hope you have an idea of how to create and export an unmanaged package as a ZIP file in Salesforce.

In this, I have explained how to create a package.xml file to add the components we want to deploy across different orgs. Then we saw how to deploy a package we downloaded as a ZIP file.