SF-Data-Arch Salesforce Data Management Practice Question
When designing a large-scale data architecture, what is the primary consideration regarding the 'Skinny Table' feature in Salesforce?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates mistakenly believe they can create 'Skinny Tables' themselves in the setup menu, failing to realize this feature is hidden and requires a specific request to Salesforce Support.
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
✓
They should be requested through Salesforce Support for specific performance needs.
Skinny tables are used to optimize read-only performance for reports and list views by denormalizing data into a single table. They are highly effective for performance, but they are maintenance-intensive because they require Salesforce Support to enable and update. They are not a general-purpose solution for transactional data; rather, they are a performance-tuning tool meant for specific, high-volume reporting needs that cannot be satisfied by standard indexes alone.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
They automatically update whenever a record is modified by a user.
Why it's wrong here
Skinny tables are maintained by the Salesforce platform, but they are not dynamic in the same way as standard tables. Updates to these tables occur synchronously, which can introduce performance overhead if the table is overly complex or updated too frequently, requiring careful planning for high-volume environments.
- ✗
They are best used to improve write performance for high-volume transactions.
Why it's wrong here
Skinny tables are explicitly designed to improve read performance for reporting, not write performance. In fact, writing to objects that have skinny tables can potentially introduce additional overhead, as the system must ensure consistency between the standard table and the denormalized skinny table during data insertion or updates.
- ✓
They should be requested through Salesforce Support for specific performance needs.
Why this is correct
Skinny tables are not configurable by administrators in the UI. They must be requested via a support case. This process ensures that Salesforce engineering can evaluate the impact on the database and ensure the table is optimized correctly for the specific reporting requirements of the organization's data model.
- ✗
They allow for unlimited columns and data types in the table structure.
Why it's wrong here
There are strict limitations on the number of columns and the types of fields that can be included in a skinny table. For example, some long-text or encrypted fields cannot be included. Architects must verify the schema requirements against Salesforce's documented limitations before requesting the creation of these tables.
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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
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