Salesforce Data Cloud Sandbox Credit Merge: What You Need to Know
Salesforce is simplifying how organizations manage and pay for Data Cloud usage in sandbox environments. Starting June 17, 2025, Salesforce is discontinuing Data Cloud Sandbox credits and merging them with production credits. This change aims to streamline billing, reduce complexity, and offer more flexibility in how you use Data Cloud across environments.
In this blog, we’ll break down what’s changing, how it affects your organization, and what actions you should take to stay ahead.
Table of Contents
- Overview of the Change
- What’s Changing on June 17, 2025
- How the Credit Merge Works
- Impact on Sandbox Usage and Billing
- Storage Billing Merge Considerations
- Recommended Actions for Admins
- How to Enable Data Cloud in a Sandbox
- Conclusion
Overview of the Change
Salesforce is retiring Data Cloud Sandbox credits and merging them into production consumption cards. This means you no longer need to purchase separate credits for sandbox environments. Instead, all usage—both production and sandbox—will draw from the same pool of credits, with sandbox usage benefiting from a 20% discount in credit consumption.
🔗 Official Salesforce Documentation
What’s Changing on June 17, 2025
Here’s a summary of the key updates:
- No more sandbox credits: You can now enable Data Cloud on any sandbox org without buying separate credits.
- Credit merge: Sandbox credits will be merged into production credits between June 23–24, 2025.
- 20% lower usage rate: Sandbox orgs will consume 20% fewer credits than production orgs.
- Invoicing pause: Overages won’t be invoiced until September 3, 2025, giving you time to adjust.
How the Credit Merge Works
The credit merge will occur in phases:
- June 17: All new sandbox usage is deducted from production cards at the new discounted rate.
- June 17–22: “In-flight” usage (before June 17) is still deducted from sandbox cards.
- June 23–24:
- Remaining sandbox usage is deducted.
- Sandbox credits are added to production cards.
- Sandbox cards are retired.
After June 24, all sandbox usage will be reflected in production consumption cards.
Impact on Sandbox Usage and Billing
Key Impacts:
- Unified billing: One set of credits for both environments.
- Discounted sandbox usage: 20% fewer credits used.
- Digital Wallet updates: Usage may appear delayed during the transition.
- Invoicing pause: No overage invoices until September 3, 2025.
This change simplifies credit management and ensures sandbox testing doesn’t inflate your costs.
Storage Billing Merge Considerations
Salesforce is also fixing a bug that previously undercounted storage in sandbox orgs. Starting June 17, storage usage will be calculated by summing all storage across production and sandbox orgs.
This may result in a visible increase in your Data Storage consumption, so it’s important to monitor your usage closely.
🔗 Salesforce Help: Data Cloud Data Storage Counting Bug Fix
Recommended Actions for Admins
To prepare for the transition:
- ✅ Review and update any Consumption Threshold Alerts.
- ✅ Delay major org changes until after June 24, if possible.
- ✅ Monitor usage in Digital Wallet during the transition.
- ✅ Contact your AE if you anticipate needing more capacity.
How to Enable Data Cloud in a Sandbox
Starting June 17, if your production org has a Data Cloud license, any sandbox created from it will automatically have Data Cloud available.
To enable it:
- Go to Data Cloud Setup in your sandbox.
- Click Get Started.
No additional purchase or configuration is required.
Conclusion
Salesforce’s move to merge Data Cloud Sandbox credits with production credits is a welcome simplification. It reduces administrative overhead, offers cost savings, and ensures a more unified view of your usage. By understanding the timeline and taking the recommended actions, your organization can transition smoothly.
If you found this guide helpful, please share it with your team or network. Let’s help more Salesforce users stay informed and prepared!
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