Salesforce Exam CRT211: Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator

Field Level Data in Record Merge: What Happens?

Question

SIMULATION - What happens to any field level data related to a losing record during a record merge?

Explanations

See the solution below.

If the field is not populated on the winning record, the data will be brought over from the losing record.

During a record merge in Salesforce, the system combines two or more records into a single record. When this happens, any field-level data related to the losing records is either deleted or transferred to the winning record.

Here's what happens to different types of field-level data during a record merge:

  1. Standard Fields: Standard fields are those that come with every Salesforce object. When you merge records, the standard fields from the losing records are deleted, and only the standard fields from the winning record are retained.

  2. Custom Fields: Custom fields are created by Salesforce administrators to meet specific business needs. When you merge records, the custom fields from the losing records are also deleted, and only the custom fields from the winning record are retained.

  3. Activities: Activities refer to tasks and events associated with the record. When you merge records, the activities from the losing records are transferred to the winning record. If there are conflicting activities, the winning record's activities take precedence.

  4. Related Records: Related records are records that are associated with the record being merged, such as child records in a master-detail relationship. When you merge records, the related records from the losing records are also transferred to the winning record. If there are conflicting related records, the winning record's related records take precedence.

It's important to note that when you merge records, you cannot undo the process. Therefore, it's crucial to carefully review the records and their associated data before performing a merge.