Efficient Pagination in SOQL Queries with the 2,000 Row OFFSET Limit

Question

What is the most efficient method to implement pagination in SOQL queries, considering the 2,000 row OFFSET limit?

Answer

In Salesforce Object Query Language (SOQL), the OFFSET clause allows you to skip a specified number of rows in the returned data, facilitating pagination. However, there’s a limitation: the maximum OFFSET value is 2,000 rows. Attempting to use an OFFSET greater than this limit results in a NUMBER_OUTSIDE_VALID_RANGE error.

To implement efficient pagination while adhering to this constraint, consider the following approaches:

Using QueryLocator with queryMore:

This method is suitable when you need to retrieve a large dataset in manageable chunks. The QueryLocator object, obtained from a SOQL query, allows server-side cursors to handle large results. You can use the queryMore call to iterate through the result set without hitting the OFFSET limit. However, this approach may require multiple API calls, especially when dealing with extensive datasets.

Pagination Using High-Cardinality Fields:

For web applications or portals where users navigate through data pages, it’s efficient to use fields with high cardinality (fields with many unique values) for pagination. Instead of relying on OFFSET, you can filter records based on these fields. A common practice is to use the CreatedDate or Id fields.

Example Implementation:

Initial Query: Retrieve the first set of records ordered by CreatedDate:

SELECT Id, Name, CreatedDate
FROM Account
ORDER BY CreatedDate
LIMIT 2000

Subsequent Queries:

To fetch the next set of records, use the CreatedDate of the last record from the previous result as a reference:

SELECT Id, Name, CreatedDate
FROM Account
WHERE CreatedDate > :lastReturnedCreatedDate
ORDER BY CreatedDate
LIMIT 2000

Replace :lastReturnedCreatedDate with the CreatedDate of the last record from the previous query. This approach eliminates the need for OFFSET and efficiently paginates through records.

Reverse Pagination:

To navigate to previous pages, adjust the query to fetch records with CreatedDate less than the first record’s date from the current page and order the results in descending order:

SELECT Id, Name, CreatedDate
FROM Account
WHERE CreatedDate < :firstReturnedCreatedDate
ORDER BY CreatedDate DESC
LIMIT 2000

After retrieving the results, reverse them client-side to maintain the original order.

Custom Web Service for Large Offsets:

If you need to jump to a specific record far beyond the 2,000-row limit, consider creating a custom Apex web service. This service can execute a query, retrieve the last record’s ID, and use it to construct subsequent queries, effectively bypassing the OFFSET limitation.

Example Apex Web Service:

global class OffsetService {
    webservice static Id findOffset(String query) {
        SObject[] results = Database.query(query);
        return results[results.size() - 1].Id;
    }
}

With this service, you can determine the ID at a specific offset and use it to fetch records starting from that point. This method reduces the number of API calls required to reach higher offsets.

While the OFFSET clause in SOQL is useful for pagination, its 2,000-row limit necessitates alternative strategies for large datasets. Utilizing high-cardinality fields for filtered pagination or implementing a custom web service can help overcome this limitation, ensuring efficient data retrieval with minimal API calls.

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