A software package having one or more custom metadata types is installed. The software package has computer-executable code that causes one or more processors to perform at least accessing the one or more custom metadata types. One or more protected records are accessed within the one or more custom metadata types. For the protected records, code in the installed package can read the protected records and can return the records whether protected or not. If the custom metadata types are in a separate base package, code in the base package can also read the records. Returned information is stored in the one or more custom metadata records that has been accessed.