SF-Data-Arch Master Data Management Practice Question
When designing a master data management solution in Salesforce, what is the significance of the 'Survivorship' rules?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse survivorship rules with matching rules, mistakenly thinking they are used to identify potential duplicates rather than deciding which source wins when duplicates are already identified.
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 determine which data source is trusted for specific fields during reconciliation.
Survivorship rules are the logic engine that determines which source provides the 'best' version of a record when multiple systems provide conflicting data. This is essential for MDM because without these rules, the system cannot intelligently reconcile discrepancies, leading to a fragmented customer view. Proper survivorship logic ensures the golden record is reliable, accurate, and reflects the most trusted information available across the entire enterprise ecosystem.
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 define the order in which records should be archived to the recycle bin.
Why it's wrong here
Archiving and data deletion processes are managed by retention policies, not survivorship rules. Survivorship specifically relates to the reconciliation of data values during the merging or updating of records from multiple sources, not the lifecycle management or deletion of records after they have been processed.
- ✓
They determine which data source is trusted for specific fields during reconciliation.
Why this is correct
Survivorship logic allows architects to assign 'trust scores' or hierarchies to data sources. If the ERP is deemed the source of truth for financial data, the survivorship rule ensures that incoming ERP data overrides any Salesforce entries for those fields, effectively maintaining data accuracy in the master record.
- ✗
They enable the automatic encryption of sensitive fields in the database.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption is a security and compliance function managed through Salesforce Shield or Platform Encryption features. It operates independently of the logic used to merge records or determine the accuracy of data values, as it focuses on data-at-rest protection rather than the semantic integrity of the master record.
- ✗
They force users to enter data in a specific order to prevent errors.
Why it's wrong here
User interface flow and data entry validation are managed by Lightning components, flow, or validation rules. Survivorship rules function at the data integration layer, dealing with record reconciliation after the fact, and do not influence the interactive experience of the user entering data into the interface.
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.