SF-Data-Arch Data Migration Practice Question
A data architect is migrating 20 million Case records from a legacy system into Salesforce. The legacy system has a 'Case_Status__c' field that must map to the standard Case Status picklist. The legacy values include 'Open', 'Closed', 'Escalated', 'Pending', and 'Resolved'. The Salesforce Case Status picklist contains 'New', 'Working', 'Escalated', 'Closed', and 'Pending'. The architect needs to ensure that the migration does not fail due to picklist value mismatches. Which approach should be taken?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that legacy picklist values can be loaded directly or that the standard picklist can be easily modified without side effects.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use an ETL transformation to map 'Open' to 'New' and 'Resolved' to 'Closed' before loading the data.
The architect should use an ETL transformation to map legacy picklist values to valid Salesforce values before loading. Mapping 'Open' to 'New' and 'Resolved' to 'Closed' ensures the data conforms to the standard Case Status picklist, preventing load failures and maintaining data integrity. This approach is scalable for 20 million records.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Load the legacy values as-is into a custom text field and create a formula field to display the mapped Salesforce status.
Why it's wrong here
While this preserves the original data, it does not populate the standard Case Status field, which is likely required for reporting, automation, and user workflows. The requirement is to map to the standard Case Status picklist, not to create a parallel field. This approach adds complexity and may not satisfy the migration objective of using standard functionality.
- ✗
Disable picklist validation on the Case Status field during the migration and re-enable it afterward.
Why it's wrong here
Salesforce does not allow disabling picklist validation on a field. Picklist values are enforced at the database level. Even if it were possible, loading invalid values would cause data integrity issues and could break automation. The correct approach is to transform data to valid values, not to bypass validation. This option reflects a misunderstanding of Salesforce's data model constraints.
- ✗
Add the missing legacy values ('Open' and 'Resolved') to the Salesforce Case Status picklist before the migration.
Why it's wrong here
Modifying the standard Case Status picklist to add legacy values can have unintended consequences, such as breaking existing business processes, reports, and automation that rely on the standard values. It also may not be possible to add values to a standard picklist if it is restricted. The better approach is to map legacy values to existing Salesforce values rather than altering the standard picklist.
- ✓
Use an ETL transformation to map 'Open' to 'New' and 'Resolved' to 'Closed' before loading the data.
Why this is correct
This approach correctly handles the mismatch by transforming legacy values to valid Salesforce picklist values. Mapping 'Open' to 'New' and 'Resolved' to 'Closed' aligns with common business semantics and avoids altering the standard picklist. The ETL tool can perform this transformation at scale for 20 million records, ensuring the load succeeds without errors. This is the recommended practice for picklist value discrepancies.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Salesforce exam blueprint
This SF-Data-Arch practice question is part of Courseiva's free Salesforce certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SF-Data-Arch exam.