1. Data Model & Objects
Standard vs Custom Objects
Salesforce provides Standard Objects (Account, Contact, Lead, Opportunity, Case) out of the box. Custom Objects are objects you create to store data unique to your business. Custom object API names always end in __c.
Relationship Types
- Master-Detail: Tight parent-child dependency. Child cannot exist without parent. Deleting parent cascades to delete children. Enables Roll-Up Summary fields on master. Child OWD is "Controlled by Parent."
- Lookup: Loose relationship. Child can exist without parent. No cascade delete. No Roll-Up Summary. Child has its own OWD setting.
- Many-to-Many: Achieved via a Junction Object with two Master-Detail relationships.
- Hierarchical: Only available on the User object. Used for manager relationships.
- External Lookup: Links to an external object from an external data source.
Field Types — Key Differences
| Field Type | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Auto Number | Sequential, read-only, can be External ID |
| Formula | Read-only, calculated, can reference parent fields |
| Roll-Up Summary | Master object only, aggregates child values (COUNT, SUM, MIN, MAX) |
| Text (External ID) | Used for upsert operations and data imports |
| Lookup (Relationship) | Creates a link to another object, not required |
Schema Builder
Schema Builder is a visual drag-and-drop tool for viewing and creating objects, fields, and relationships. You can create new custom objects and fields directly from the canvas without going to Setup.
💡 Remember: Formula fields can only traverse up the relationship (to parent records). To aggregate child data, use Roll-Up Summary fields on the master object.
2. Security & Access
The Security Layers (from broadest to most specific)
- Org-Level: Login hours, IP restrictions, password policies
- Object-Level: Profile / Permission Set (CRUD permissions)
- Field-Level Security: Profile / Permission Set (Visible / Read-Only)
- Record-Level: OWD → Role Hierarchy → Sharing Rules → Manual Sharing
Organization-Wide Defaults (OWD)
OWD sets the baseline access level for all records of an object. It is the most restrictive setting — sharing rules and role hierarchy can only open up access, never restrict it further.
| OWD Setting | Who Can See Records | Who Can Edit |
|---|---|---|
| Private | Owner + above in hierarchy | Owner + above in hierarchy |
| Public Read Only | Everyone | Owner + above in hierarchy |
| Public Read/Write | Everyone | Everyone |
| Controlled by Parent | Inherits master record access | Inherits master record access |
Role Hierarchy
Users above a record owner in the role hierarchy can access that record (if OWD is Private). This is automatic and cannot be disabled for standard objects. It can be disabled for custom objects.
Profiles vs Permission Sets
- Profile: Every user must have exactly one profile. Sets baseline permissions and object access.
- Permission Set: Grants additional permissions on top of a profile. A user can have multiple permission sets.
- Permission Set Group: Bundles multiple permission sets for easier assignment.
Sharing Rules
Sharing rules extend record access beyond OWD to specific groups of users. Two types:
- Owner-Based: Shares records owned by a specific role/group
- Criteria-Based: Shares records that match specific field criteria (up to 10 conditions)
Sharing rules can only grant additional access — they cannot restrict access below the OWD level. If you need to restrict access, you must tighten the OWD setting.
Field-Level Security (FLS)
FLS controls which fields users can see and edit, independent of record access. Set on profiles and permission sets. Three states: Visible, Read-Only, or Hidden.
3. Automation
Automation Tools Comparison
| Tool | Best For | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Flow (Screen Flow) | User-guided wizards with input | ✅ Current — recommended |
| Flow (Record-Triggered) | Before/after save automation | ✅ Current — replaces Workflow |
| Flow (Scheduled) | Time-based batch automation | ✅ Current |
| Workflow Rules | Simple field updates & emails | ⚠️ Being retired — migrate to Flow |
| Process Builder | Multi-action automation | ⚠️ Being retired — migrate to Flow |
| Approval Processes | Multi-step record approvals | ✅ Current |
Flow Types
- Screen Flow: Interactive, user-facing wizard. Launched from buttons, Lightning pages, or utility bars.
- Record-Triggered Flow: Fires automatically when a record is created, updated, or deleted. Replaces Workflow Rules and Process Builder.
- Scheduled Flow: Runs on a schedule (e.g., nightly batch). Replaces scheduled Apex for simple use cases.
- Auto-Launched Flow: Runs in background, triggered by another process, Apex, or API.
- Platform Event-Triggered Flow: Fires when a platform event message is received.
Before vs After Triggers in Flow
- Before Save: Runs before record is committed. Can update the triggering record without a DML operation. Faster.
- After Save: Runs after record is committed. Required when you need the record ID or need to update related records.
Approval Processes
Approval processes automate the approval of records. Key concepts:
- Records can be locked during the approval process (preventing edits)
- Approvers can be a specific user, queue, or dynamically assigned (e.g., manager)
- Each step can have entry criteria, approvers, and approval/rejection actions
- Initial submission actions fire when a record enters the approval process
💡 Salesforce is retiring Workflow Rules and Process Builder. For the exam, know how to accomplish the same tasks in Flow. New features are only added to Flow.
4. UI & App Builder
Lightning App Builder
Lightning App Builder is a point-and-click tool for creating Lightning pages: Home pages, Record pages, and App pages. Pages are made up of Lightning Components arranged in a layout.
Page Types
| Page Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| App Page | Standalone page accessible from the App Launcher |
| Home Page | The page users see when they click "Home" |
| Record Page | The detail page for a specific object's records |
Record Page Components
- Highlights Panel: Shows the compact layout fields at the top of a record
- Related Lists: Shows related child records
- Activity Timeline: Shows all activities (calls, emails, tasks)
- Chatter Feed: Collaboration feed for the record
- Path: Visual stage progression with key fields and guidance
Compact Layouts
Compact layouts define which fields appear in the Highlights Panel on record pages, in hover details when you hover over a link, and on Salesforce Mobile record cards. Best practice: put the 4-5 most important fields in the compact layout.
Page Layouts vs Lightning Pages
- Page Layout: Controls which fields, related lists, and buttons appear. Assigned per profile/record type. Available in both Classic and Lightning.
- Lightning Record Page: Controls which components appear and their position. Assigned per app, record type, or profile. Lightning only.
App Types
- Standard App: Traditional Salesforce app with tabs
- Lightning App: Modern app with navigation, utility bar, and branding options (logo, colors)
- Console App: Multi-panel workspace for agents and reps handling high volumes
5. Data Management
Data Import Tools
| Tool | Max Records | Objects Supported | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Import Wizard | 50,000 | Common standard + custom | Simple imports, no coding |
| Data Loader | Millions | All objects | Large imports, exports, upserts |
Data Loader Operations
- Insert: Creates new records
- Update: Updates existing records (requires Salesforce ID)
- Upsert: Inserts new records or updates existing ones based on an External ID
- Delete: Soft-deletes records to the Recycle Bin
- Hard Delete: Permanently deletes records, bypassing Recycle Bin
- Export: Exports records to CSV
- Export All: Exports records including soft-deleted ones
Duplicate Management
Duplicate management uses two components working together:
- Matching Rules: Define how Salesforce identifies potential duplicates (e.g., exact match on Email, fuzzy match on Name)
- Duplicate Rules: Define what happens when a duplicate is detected (Alert, Block, or Report). Uses matching rules to find duplicates.
Matching rules cannot use Picklist fields as matching criteria. Common trap: the exam asks which field types can be used, and picklist is listed as an option.
Data Export
- Weekly Export: Full data export available weekly (or every 6 weeks on free orgs)
- Report Export: Up to 2,000 rows via UI, 100,000 rows via Printable View
- Data Loader: Unlimited export via API
6. Reports & Dashboards
Report Formats
| Format | Description | Subtotals? | Groupings? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tabular | Simple list of rows (like a spreadsheet) | No | No |
| Summary | Grouped rows with subtotals | Yes | Up to 3 row groups |
| Matrix | Grouped by rows AND columns | Yes | Row + column groups |
| Joined | Multiple report blocks in one report | Yes | Up to 5 blocks |
Dashboard Components
- Chart: Bar, line, pie, donut, funnel, scatter
- Gauge: Shows a single value against a target range
- Metric: Displays a single aggregate number prominently
- Table: Shows rows of data from a report
- Lightning Table: Linked, filterable table (Lightning only)
Dynamic Dashboards
Dynamic Dashboards show data based on the viewing user's access level — each user sees their own records. Static dashboards run as a specific user and show the same data to everyone. Maximum 5 dynamic dashboards per org in Enterprise Edition.
Report Types
Report types determine which objects and fields are available in a report. You can create custom report types to include data from up to 4 related objects. The primary object and relationships (with or without) affect which records appear.
💡 To show accounts without opportunities, use the "Accounts with OR without Opportunities" report type. This uses an outer join to include parent records even with no children.
7. Key Limits Cheat Sheet
| Item | Limit |
|---|---|
| Custom objects (Enterprise) | 800 |
| Custom fields per object | 800 |
| Custom tabs per app | 20 |
| Active validation rules per object | 500 |
| Fields tracked per object (Field History) | 20 fields |
| Field history retention | 18 months |
| Sharing rule filter conditions | 10 |
| Lookup filter conditions | 10 |
| Lookup filters per field | 1 |
| Report groupings (Summary) | 3 row groups |
| Joined report blocks | 5 |
| Dynamic dashboards (Enterprise) | 5 |
| Data Import Wizard max records | 50,000 |
| Web-to-Lead submissions/day | 500 |
| Web-to-Case submissions/day | 5,000 |
| File size (Salesforce Files) | 2 GB |
| SOQL queries per transaction | 100 |
| DML statements per transaction | 150 |
| Auto-response rules per object | 1 active rule |
| Active flows per org | No limit |
| Sandbox — Developer | No data copy, 200 MB storage |
| Sandbox — Full | Full data copy |
8. Common Exam Traps
Sharing rules can only open up access beyond OWD. To restrict access, you must change the OWD or remove profile permissions. Many exam questions try to use sharing rules as a restriction tool.
Roll-Up Summary fields can ONLY be created on the master object in a Master-Detail relationship. They cannot be used on lookup relationships. The detail/child object does not have Roll-Up fields.
Cross-object formula fields can reference parent fields (going up the relationship), but NOT child fields. To use child data in a field, use Roll-Up Summary on the master.
External ID fields must be Text, Email, Number, or Auto Number. Picklist fields cannot be used as External IDs or as criteria in Matching Rules for duplicate management.
In a Master-Detail relationship, deleting the master record automatically deletes all child records. This is cascade delete and is a key difference from Lookup relationships where children remain as orphans.
OWD defines the minimum access level. Role hierarchy, sharing rules, and manual sharing can only grant MORE access above the OWD floor. Nothing can restrict access below OWD (except removing profile/permission permissions).
Every user must have exactly ONE profile. Permission sets ADD permissions on top of the profile — they cannot remove permissions granted by a profile. To restrict, you must modify the profile.
The exam still tests Workflow Rules and Process Builder, but Salesforce recommends migrating to Flow. Know that new features are only being added to Flow, and Workflow/Process Builder will eventually be retired.
Before triggers fire BEFORE the record is saved — use them to validate or modify the record's own fields (no DML needed). After triggers fire AFTER — use them when you need the record's ID or need to update related records.
Enterprise Edition supports only 5 dynamic dashboards. This is commonly tested. Unlimited Edition supports 10, Developer Edition supports 3.
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