Key Takeaway
- The Salesforce Org ID is a critical identifier for integrations and support It. uniquely identifies your Salesforce organization and is required for app installations, API integrations, data migrations, sandbox management, and Salesforce Support cases.
- You can find the Org ID easily in both Lightning and Classic. In both interfaces, the Org ID is located in Setup → Company Information, though access depends on user permissions.
- 15-digit and 18-digit Org IDs serve different purposes. The 15-digit ID is case-sensitive and commonly used internally, while the 18-digit version is case-insensitive and preferred for external systems and integrations.
- Each environment has its own Org ID. Production and every sandbox have unique Org IDs, and sandbox IDs change after refreshes—making documentation and environment tracking essential.
- The Org ID isn’t sensitive—but should still be handled carefully. While it doesn’t grant system access on its own, it should only be shared with trusted vendors and partners as part of secure integration practices.
Your IT team just requested your Salesforce Org ID for a critical integration. Your support ticket with Salesforce is stuck because they need this identifier to proceed. A new app you’re trying to install keeps asking for this mysterious code. You know it exists somewhere in your Salesforce instance, but where?
This seemingly small piece of information—your Salesforce Org ID—becomes surprisingly important at the most inconvenient times. It’s the unique identifier that distinguishes your Salesforce instance from thousands of others, and without it, integrations stall, support requests languish, and third-party apps remain uninstalled.
For many Salesforce administrators and IT professionals, finding this ID quickly becomes a recurring challenge. The interface differences between Classic and Lightning create confusion. Permission issues can block access entirely. And the distinction between 15-digit and 18-digit formats adds another layer of complexity when you’re trying to provide exactly what a vendor or support team needs.
This guide cuts through the confusion with clear, straightforward methods to locate your Salesforce Org ID across any interface. You’ll learn not just where to click, but why this identifier matters, when to use different formats, and how to incorporate this knowledge into your broader Salesforce integration strategy.
What is a Salesforce Org ID?
Your Salesforce Org ID is a unique alphanumeric identifier that distinguishes your specific Salesforce instance from all others within the Salesforce ecosystem. Think of it as your organization’s fingerprint in the Salesforce universe—no two are alike, and it remains constant throughout your organization’s lifetime.
This identifier serves several critical functions:
- Technical identification – It allows Salesforce’s systems to route data and requests to your specific instance among thousands of others on shared infrastructure
- Support verification – Support teams use it to locate your exact organization when troubleshooting issues
- Integration authentication – Third-party systems and Salesforce integrations use it to establish connections to the correct organization
- Environment differentiation – It helps distinguish between production, sandbox, and development environments
The Org ID appears in two formats: a 15-character version and an 18-character version. Both represent the same organization but serve slightly different technical purposes, which we’ll explore later in this guide.
Finding Your Org ID in Salesforce Lightning Experience
Most organizations now use Lightning Experience, Salesforce’s modern interface. Here’s how to locate your Org ID in just a few clicks:
Step 1: Access Setup
After logging into your Salesforce organization, look for the gear icon in the upper-right corner of your screen. Click this icon to reveal a dropdown menu, then select “Setup” to enter the administrative area of Salesforce.
Step 2: Navigate to Company Information
Once in Setup, locate the Quick Find box in the left sidebar. Type “company information” (without quotes) into this search field. The system will filter available options as you type. Click on “Company Information” in the results to access this page.
Step 3: Find Your Org ID
On the Company Information page, look for the “Salesforce.com Organization ID” field. This displays your 15-character Org ID. You’ll see it formatted as an alphanumeric string, such as “00D000000000123”.
The entire process takes less than 30 seconds once you know where to look, making it easy to retrieve this information whenever needed for support cases, integrations, or third-party applications.
Locating Your Org ID in Salesforce Classic
While most organizations have transitioned to Lightning Experience, some still use Salesforce Classic. If your organization uses this interface, the process differs slightly:
Step 1: Enter Setup
After logging in, look for the “Setup” link in the upper-right corner of your screen, typically near your name. Click this link to enter the setup area.
Step 2: Find Company Information
In the left sidebar of the Setup area, locate the Quick Find/Search box. Type “company information” and select “Company Information” from the results that appear.
Step 3: Locate Your Org ID
The Company Information page displays your organization’s details. Find the “Organization ID” field, which contains your 15-character Salesforce Org ID.
The Classic interface organizes information differently than Lightning, but the essential company details remain in the same logical location, making it accessible regardless of which interface your organization uses.
Understanding 15-Digit vs. 18-Digit Org IDs
When working with your Salesforce Org ID, you’ll encounter both 15-digit and 18-digit versions of the same identifier. This distinction matters more than you might think, especially when setting up integrations or troubleshooting data issues.
The 15-Digit Format: Salesforce’s Internal Standard
The 15-digit Org ID is Salesforce’s original identifier format and what you’ll typically see displayed in the Company Information page. This format has an important technical characteristic: it’s case-sensitive. This means characters like ‘a’ and ‘A’ are treated as different values within Salesforce’s systems.
This case sensitivity rarely causes issues within Salesforce itself, but creates potential complications when exporting data to external systems like Excel or other platforms that handle case differently.
The 18-Digit Format: The Integration-Friendly Version
To address case-sensitivity issues, Salesforce introduced the 18-digit format. This extended version adds three characters that function as a checksum, effectively making the ID case-insensitive when used in external systems.
The first 15 characters of the 18-digit ID match the 15-digit version exactly. The additional three characters encode case information from the first 15 characters, allowing systems to process the ID without worrying about case sensitivity.
Which Format Should You Use?
For most external integrations, reporting, and data exchange scenarios, the 18-digit format is recommended because:
- It eliminates case-sensitivity issues when working with external systems
- It’s backward-compatible (Salesforce accepts 18-digit IDs everywhere 15-digit IDs are used)
- Most modern integration tools and APIs prefer this format
The 15-digit format remains perfectly valid for internal Salesforce operations and when communicating with Salesforce support, who are equipped to handle either format.
How to Convert Between 15-Digit and 18-Digit Formats
Sometimes you’ll need to convert between formats, particularly when setting up integrations that specifically require the 18-digit version. Here are several methods to obtain the 18-digit version of your Org ID:
Method 1: Use the URL
When viewing a record in Salesforce, the URL in your browser typically contains the 18-digit ID. Navigate to any record in your org, look at the URL, and locate the 18-character string after the domain name.
Method 2: Run a Simple SOQL Query
If you have access to the Developer Console:
- Open the Developer Console from the gear icon
- Click Query Editor
- Run: SELECT Id, Name FROM Organization
- The result will display the 18-digit Org ID
Method 3: Use a Formula in a Report
When creating reports in Salesforce, you can add a formula field that converts 15-digit IDs to 18-digit format using the CASESAFEID() function.
These conversion methods ensure you can provide the appropriate format whenever a specific integration or process requires it.
Understanding Your Salesforce Instance
While locating your Org ID, you’ll also notice your Salesforce instance information on the same Company Information page. This instance identifier (like NA139, EU11, or AP4) indicates which Salesforce server hosts your organization and its geographic region.
Your instance information matters for several practical reasons:
- Troubleshooting service issues – When Salesforce experiences service disruptions, they’re often instance-specific
- Checking maintenance schedules – Salesforce performs maintenance on a per-instance basis
- Release schedules – New features roll out to different instances on different dates
- Performance monitoring – Instance-specific performance metrics help identify whether slowness is local or platform-wide
You can check your instance status anytime at status.salesforce.com by searching for your specific instance identifier.
Security Considerations for Your Org ID
Your Salesforce Org ID isn’t a password or security token, but it still deserves thoughtful handling. Here’s what you should know about Org ID security:
What’s the Risk Level?
The Org ID alone doesn’t grant access to your Salesforce data—authentication still requires valid credentials. However, it does identify your specific organization, which could be useful information for targeted attacks when combined with other compromised information.
Best Practices for Org ID Handling
- Share selectively – Provide your Org ID only to legitimate vendors, partners, and support personnel who have a clear business need
- Verify requesters – Confirm the identity of anyone requesting your Org ID, especially via email
- Document sharing – Maintain records of which external parties have your Org ID and why
- Avoid public posting – Don’t post your Org ID in public forums, community sites, or unsecured locations
While you shouldn’t panic if your Org ID is exposed, treating it as business-confidential information aligns with security best practices for Salesforce administration.
Common Scenarios Requiring Your Org ID
Understanding when and why you need your Org ID helps you respond quickly when these situations arise:
Support and Troubleshooting
When opening a case with Salesforce Support, providing your Org ID upfront speeds resolution by helping agents immediately locate your organization. Support teams often cannot proceed without this information, making it a critical first step in the troubleshooting process.
App Installations and Integrations
Many AppExchange applications and third-party integrations require your Org ID during setup. This ensures the application connects to the correct Salesforce instance and has the proper permissions structure. Whether you’re setting up a Gmail integration, Outlook integration, or DocuSign integration, having your Org ID ready streamlines the process.
Data Migration and ETL Tools
When configuring data loading tools or ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes, you’ll typically need your Org ID to establish the connection. This applies whether you’re using Salesforce’s Data Loader or third-party tools.
API Development
Developers building custom integrations with the Salesforce API need the Org ID to configure authentication, especially when using OAuth flows or connected apps.
Sandbox Management
When working with multiple sandboxes, tracking the Org ID for each environment helps prevent confusion and ensures changes are made in the intended environment.
Troubleshooting Access Issues
Sometimes, finding your Org ID isn’t straightforward due to permission issues or other complications. Here’s how to address common obstacles:
Permission Problems
If you can’t access the Company Information page, you likely lack the necessary permissions. Standard users often don’t have access to this administrative area. Solutions include:
- Ask a Salesforce administrator in your organization to provide the Org ID
- Request temporary access to the Setup area
- Have an administrator create a custom Visualforce page that displays the Org ID for users without Setup access
Interface Confusion
If you’re following instructions for the wrong interface (Lightning vs. Classic), navigation paths won’t match what you’re seeing. Check which interface you’re using and follow the appropriate steps.
Sandbox Complexity
Remember that each sandbox has its own unique Org ID that differs from production. If you’re trying to integrate with a specific sandbox, make sure you’re retrieving the Org ID from that specific environment, not from production.
Managing Multiple Org IDs
Enterprise organizations often maintain multiple Salesforce instances for different business units, regions, or purposes. Managing these multiple environments requires careful tracking of Org IDs:
Documentation Best Practices
Create a centralized repository (like a secure spreadsheet or internal wiki) that tracks:
- Org ID for each environment (production and sandboxes)
- Instance information
- Environment purpose and owner
- Refresh schedules for sandboxes
- Integration dependencies
Sandbox Refresh Considerations
When refreshing sandboxes, the Org ID changes. This means any integrations pointing to that sandbox need updating. Establish a process to update your documentation and notify stakeholders after each refresh.
Integration Management
For organizations with complex integration landscapes, consider implementing a connection management system that tracks which external systems connect to which Salesforce Org IDs, making maintenance and troubleshooting more efficient.
Streamline Your Salesforce Experience with Revenue Grid
Finding your Salesforce Org ID is just one small aspect of managing your CRM effectively. Organizations looking to maximize their Salesforce investment need tools that simplify administration while enhancing productivity.
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By connecting your email, calendar, and Salesforce, Revenue Grid creates a unified workflow that eliminates switching between applications and ensures your CRM data stays complete and accurate.
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How often should I verify my Salesforce Org ID?
For production environments, your Org ID never changes, so verification is only needed when setting up new integrations or opening support cases. For sandboxes, verify after each refresh as the ID changes with each refresh operation.
Is there a risk in sharing my Org ID with third-party vendors?
The risk is low but not zero. Your Org ID alone doesn’t grant access to your data, but it does identify your organization. Share it only with trusted vendors who have legitimate business needs and appropriate security practices.
What should I do if I accidentally share my Org ID?
Unlike passwords or security tokens, Org IDs can’t be changed. If shared inappropriately, focus on ensuring your authentication mechanisms remain secure. Review connected apps and API integrations to verify no unauthorized connections exist.
Can I use my Salesforce Org ID for multiple integrations?
Yes, your Org ID is designed to be used across multiple integrations simultaneously. Each integration will use this identifier along with specific authentication credentials to establish secure connections to your Salesforce instance.
What are the implications of using a 15-digit vs. an 18-digit Org ID?
The 15-digit ID works for most internal Salesforce operations, but the 18-digit version is recommended for external integrations and data operations to avoid case-sensitivity issues. Salesforce systems accept either format, but external systems may require the 18-digit version specifically.
