SF-Data-Arch Master Data Management Practice Question
A global organization uses Salesforce as its CRM and SAP as its ERP. They need to ensure that customer data remains consistent across both systems. Which approach best supports a Master Data Management strategy for this landscape?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often choose point-to-point integration solutions instead of a centralized hub, mistakenly believing that simple API connections between Salesforce and SAP are sufficient for maintaining a consistent golden record across the enterprise.
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
✓
Implement a centralized MDM hub to mediate data exchanges and manage the golden record.
Establishing a centralized hub or golden record strategy is critical for large enterprises. By defining a source of truth for specific data attributes and orchestrating updates through an integration layer, organizations prevent data drift. This approach ensures that downstream systems consume validated, reliable data, which is essential for maintaining compliance, improving reporting accuracy, and providing a unified customer experience across disparate business units and global regions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Perform nightly batch updates from Salesforce to SAP using flat files.
Why it's wrong here
Batch processing introduces significant latency, leading to stale data in downstream systems. Relying on file-based transfers lacks the necessary validation, transformation, and error-handling capabilities required for modern MDM architectures, often resulting in synchronization conflicts when both systems attempt to modify the same customer records simultaneously.
- ✗
Allow bi-directional synchronization between Salesforce and SAP without a mediation layer.
Why it's wrong here
Bi-directional syncing without a mediation layer creates complex point-to-point spaghetti integrations. This approach makes it nearly impossible to implement conflict resolution logic or master data governance rules, leading to data corruption and a lack of auditability when records are updated simultaneously in both systems.
- ✓
Implement a centralized MDM hub to mediate data exchanges and manage the golden record.
Why this is correct
A dedicated MDM hub provides the necessary governance and orchestration layer to manage data survivorship, merging, and validation. By acting as the authoritative source, the hub ensures consistent data quality before distributing updates to Salesforce and SAP, effectively resolving conflicts and maintaining a unified golden record.
- ✗
Migrate all customer data from SAP into Salesforce to eliminate the need for an external hub.
Why it's wrong here
Forcing all data into Salesforce ignores the operational requirements of the ERP system, which likely manages financial and supply chain data Salesforce is not suited for. This strategy creates a monolithic data architecture that fails to account for the specialized data management needs of different business functions.
About these practice questions
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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.