SF-Data-Arch Salesforce Data Management Practice Question
Universal Containers has a custom object Order__c with 10 million records. The object has a lookup relationship to Account. A data architect needs to create a report that shows the total order amount per account for the last fiscal year. The report must be accessible to 500 users and should load in under 10 seconds. Which solution should the architect recommend?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that standard reporting features like cross filters or roll-up summaries can handle millions of records efficiently, but they often hit limits or require master-detail relationships.
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
✓
Create a custom object to store aggregated order totals per account, populate it nightly using Batch Apex, and build a report on that object.
Pre-aggregating data into a custom object via Batch Apex provides a performant and scalable solution for reporting on large data volumes. The report then queries a small, indexed dataset, ensuring fast load times for many users. This pattern is commonly recommended for large-scale aggregations that cannot be efficiently handled by standard reports or real-time queries.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a report using a custom report type with a cross filter on Order__c and summarize by Account.
Why it's wrong here
A standard report with cross filters and summaries can work, but with 10 million records, it may time out or exceed report row limits. Reports are not designed for large-scale aggregation and can become slow, especially with multiple users. This approach does not leverage pre-aggregated data and may not meet the performance requirement.
- ✗
Create a roll-up summary field on Account that sums Order__c amounts for the last fiscal year, and use it in a report.
Why it's wrong here
Roll-up summary fields require a master-detail relationship, but Order__c has a lookup to Account. Converting to master-detail is not possible if Order__c already has its own master-detail or if sharing rules need to be preserved. Roll-up summaries also cannot filter by dynamic date ranges like 'last fiscal year' without custom development.
- ✗
Create a Lightning Web Component that queries Order__c using SOQL with GROUP BY Account and displays the results.
Why it's wrong here
A custom LWC with SOQL aggregation can work, but querying 10 million records in real time for 500 users would likely hit governor limits and be slow. SOQL aggregate queries have limits on the number of records processed, and without proper indexing, performance degrades. This approach requires significant development and maintenance.
- ✓
Create a custom object to store aggregated order totals per account, populate it nightly using Batch Apex, and build a report on that object.
Why this is correct
Pre-aggregating data into a custom object using Batch Apex ensures fast report performance because the report queries a small, indexed dataset. This approach scales well for many users and large data volumes. It also allows the aggregation logic to be customized for fiscal year calculations, meeting the performance and business requirements.
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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.