[SalesForce] Is it possible to auto-deactivate a validation rule when running test

In our system, we have recently added a validation rule, which works fine with the actual usage but most of our existing test code doesn't comply with that rule when creating test data. Since test.isRunningTest() does not work with validation rule, is it possible to auto-deactivate it when running tests?

Best Answer

It's impossible to just run some code to bypass validation rules. However, there are techniques for validation rules that are under your control. One such article is here (not mine). The general technique is to create a custom setting, and use that custom setting to bypass validation rules by building it into the validation rules:

AND($Setting.Special__c.Enforce_Validation__c, ...)

Of course, this won't help you if you're in a managed package and you're trying to worry about someone else's validation rules, but this method can allow in-house code to bypass validation rules with very little extra effort.

Related Solutions

[SalesForce] Make Validation Rule bypass if TRIGGER is run

Use a hierarchical custom setting.

The setting just has two fields.

Location -> Lookup to user/profile
Skip_Validation__c -> Set it to true to skip validation.

Update your validation rules to not fire when Skip validation = true for the custom setting.

&& NOT($Setup.MyCustomSetting__c.Skip_Validation__c)

As the last step, your trigger shuts off validation at the start and enables it at the end.

MyCustomSetting__c tempSkipValidation = 
  MyCustomSetting__c.getInstance();

if(tempSkipValidation == null) {
  tempSkipValidation = new MyCustomSetting__c();
}

tempSkipValidation.Skip_Validation__c = true;
upsert tempSkipValidation;

//WHATEVER TRIGGER NORMALLY DOES HERE

tempSkipValidation.Skip_Validation__c = false;
update tempSkipValidation;

[SalesForce] Custom Setting is null in test method even though I set a value

I'm using the same pattern, successfully switching off validations when building complex data structures within unit tests. Your case intrigued even more, as your code looks absolutely correct. After a bit of investigation I've come to the conclusion that Salesforce debug log misleadingly displays values of Custom Settings set within unit tests as NULLs.

In other words, in your unit test, while evaluating the Validation Rule's condition, $Setup.ValidationRuleControl__c.Skip__c has in fact value false. You can easily test it by amending the unit test to set Skip__c to true - the validation rule should not stop the update.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[SalesForce] Make Validation Rule bypass if TRIGGER is run

[SalesForce] Custom Setting is null in test method even though I set a value

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