Data Model Interview Questions for Salesforce Admins (Part 3)

Data Model Interview Questions check how well you understand objects, fields, relationships, formulas and validation rules, the base of every Salesforce org. This is Part 3 of our 25-part series, and freshers get many of these questions in the first round.

In Part 2, we covered Flow and automation. Here we stay with the building blocks. For practice with real situations, also see our data model scenario questions.

How to Use These Data Model Interview Questions

First, learn the words: object, field, record, relationship and record type. Next, practise the “can you” questions, because interviewers love limits and edge cases. Then build one example of each relationship in your practice org. Our data model guide explains every term.

Data Model Interview Questions on Objects

Study with Standard vs Custom Objects.

1. What is an object in Salesforce?
2. What is the difference between a standard and a custom object?
3. How can you tell from the API name if an object is custom?
4. What options do you set when you create a custom object?
5. What do Allow Reports, Allow Activities and Track Field History do?
6. Briefly, what does the Deployment Status of an object mean?
7. Can you delete a custom object? What happens to its data?
8. Can you rename a standard object?
9. What is a big object?
10. What is an external object?
11. How many custom objects can an org have?
12. What is an object relationship diagram, and why draw one?
13. Scenario: the school needs to track student enrollments. Do you use a standard or a custom object, and why?
14. Scenario: a user wants to rename “Account” to “School” for the whole org. How do you do it?

Field Types Questions

Study with Formula Fields and Field Types.

15. What are the main field data types?
16. What is the difference between Text, Text Area, Long Text Area and Rich Text Area?
17. Explain the difference between Number, Currency and Percent fields.
18. What is an auto number field used for?
19. What is a geolocation field?
20. Define an encrypted text field.
21. Can you change a field data type later? What are the risks?
22. Which field types cannot be changed later?
23. What is help text on a field?
24. What are audit fields, and can you set them during a data load?
25. Briefly, what happens when you delete a custom field?
26. Can you restore a deleted field?
27. How many custom fields can an object have?
28. What is the difference between a picklist and a lookup field?
29. What is a time field?
30. Define a URL field.
31. Scenario: a field has the wrong data type in production and holds 10,000 values. How do you change it safely?
32. Scenario: users type phone numbers in many formats. Which field type and rule do you use?

Data Model Interview Questions on Record IDs, Unique and External IDs

Study with Data Migration.

33. What is a record ID?
34. What is the difference between the 15 and 18 character ID?
35. How do you get the 18 character ID in a formula?
36. What is an external ID?
37. Why do data loads use external IDs?
38. What makes a field unique?
39. Which field types cannot be unique?
40. Can a field be both unique and an external ID?
41. Is the record Name field unique?
42. Scenario: two systems use different IDs for the same customer. How do you store both?
43. Scenario: a spreadsheet matches records by 15 character IDs and gives wrong results. Why?

Picklists and Record Types Questions

Study with Picklists and Record Types.

44. What is a picklist?
45. What is a global value set?
46. Define a restricted picklist.
47. What is a dependent picklist?
48. Which fields can be controlling fields?
49. Can a multi-select picklist be a controlling field?
50. How do you replace an old picklist value on records?
51. What is a record type?
52. How do record types link to page layouts?
53. What is a business process, such as a sales process?
54. What is the master record type?
55. How do you set a default record type for users?
56. Can a user see records of a record type they cannot use?
57. Scenario: schools and single students need different fields and stages on Account. How do you design it?
58. Scenario: picklist values must differ by country. What are your options?

Data Model Interview Questions on Relationships

Study with Master-Detail vs Lookup.

59. What relationship types does Salesforce have?
60. What is a lookup relationship?
61. Define a master-detail relationship.
62. What is the difference between lookup and master-detail?
63. What happens to children when you delete the parent in each type?
64. If you restore the parent, do the children come back?
65. Can a standard object be the detail side of master-detail?
66. How many master-detail relationships can one object have?
67. How many relationships can one object have in total?
68. Can you change a lookup to master-detail? What must be true first?
69. Can you change master-detail to lookup?
70. What is a self relationship?
71. What is a hierarchical relationship?
72. Describe external lookup and indirect lookup relationships.
73. How does sharing work for the detail side of master-detail?
74. Can you create a lookup to the User object?
75. What is a lookup filter?
76. Can a lookup filter be optional?
77. Scenario: a lookup must stop users from deleting a parent that has children. Which option do you choose?
78. Scenario: course records must disappear when their program is deleted. Which relationship do you use?

Junction Objects and Roll-Ups Questions

Study with Roll-Up Summary Fields.

79. What is a junction object?
80. Give a real example of a junction object.
81. Which parent is the primary master on a junction object?
82. What is a roll-up summary field?
83. Which functions can a roll-up summary use?
84. Can you filter a roll-up summary?
85. Can you create a roll-up summary on a lookup relationship?
86. How do you build a total on a lookup relationship?
87. Can you roll up from Contact to Account?
88. How many roll-up summary fields can an object have?
89. Scenario: students join many courses and courses have many students. How do you model it?
90. Scenario: each course must show the total of paid enrollments. What do you build?

Data Model Interview Questions on Formula Fields

Study with Formula Fields.

91. What is a formula field?
92. Can users edit a formula field value?
93. What return types can a formula have?
94. What is a cross-object formula?
95. How many levels can a cross-object formula reach?
96. What is the difference between ISBLANK and ISNULL?
97. What do IF and CASE do in a formula?
98. Explain the difference between TODAY() and NOW().
99. How do you add days to a date in a formula?
100. What does the TEXT() function do with a picklist?
101. Does a formula field use data storage?
102. Can you use a formula field in a roll-up summary?
103. What is the character limit of a formula?
104. What is the difference between BLANKVALUE and NULLVALUE?
105. How do you show an image or icon with a formula?
106. Scenario: show “Senior” when a course lasts more than 12 weeks, else “Standard”. Write the formula idea.
107. Scenario: a formula shows an error because a field is blank. How do you fix it?

Validation Rules Questions

Study with Validation Rules and REGEX Validation.

108. What is a validation rule?
109. When does a validation rule show its error?
110. Where can a validation rule error appear on the page?
111. How do you make a rule run only for new records?
112. What do ISCHANGED and PRIORVALUE do?
113. In how many ways can you make a field required?
114. Can a validation rule stop a delete?
115. Do validation rules run for Data Loader and flows?
116. How do you let an integration user skip a rule?
117. What is the REGEX function used for?
118. How many validation rules can one object have?
119. What is the difference between a validation rule and a required field on the layout?
120. How do you test a validation rule before you activate it?
121. Scenario: the Fee must be more than zero, but only for paid courses. Write the rule idea.
122. Scenario: a rule blocks a data load of old records. How do you load them?

Data Model Interview Questions on Custom Metadata, Settings and Labels

Study with Custom Metadata Types vs Custom Settings and Schema Builder.

123. What is a custom metadata type?
124. What is a custom setting?
125. Explain the difference between them.
126. What is a hierarchy custom setting?
127. What are custom labels, and why use them?
128. Explain what Schema Builder is used for.
129. Can you create fields in Schema Builder?
130. Scenario: discount rates must be the same in every sandbox and production. Where do you store them?
131. Scenario: one user must skip a validation rule. Which tool helps?

Data Model Interview Questions FAQ

Are data model questions asked to freshers?

Yes. Objects, fields, relationships and validation rules are the most common fresher topics.

How deep should my answers be?

Give the definition, one limit or rule, and one example. That shows real understanding.

Official Resources

• Data Modeling (Trailhead)
• Salesforce Platform Administrator Credential (Trailhead)

Quick Recap

• These Data Model Interview Questions cover objects, fields, IDs, picklists, relationships, formulas and rules.
• Learn the limits and the “can you” answers.
• Build each relationship type once in a practice org.
• Each section ends with two scenario questions.
• Part 4 covers Sales Cloud.

What’s Next?

Continue with the next part. Read Salesforce CRM Interview Questions: Sales Cloud (Part 4).