# Salesforce Platform Data Architect Practice Exam

*Last updated September 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/salesforce-platform-data-architect-practice-exam*

The Salesforce Platform Data Architect certification is an advanced Salesforce credential with no prerequisite. It is focused on designing data architecture on the Salesforce Platform: scalable data models that respect sharing, avoiding data skew, big objects, master data management and golden records, license choices, a single view of the customer across systems and orgs, GDPR-ready data governance, large data volume design, archiving and virtualized data, and high-quality, high-performance data migration. The exam has 60 scored questions plus 5 unscored questions, a 105-minute time limit, and a 58% passing score. Its official outline covers 6 weighted sections, the largest being Data Modeling/Database Design at 25% of the exam.

The Platform Data Architect exam tests how you design data on the Salesforce Platform at scale: data models that respect sharing and avoid data skew, big objects, master data management and golden records, license choices, a single customer view across systems and orgs, GDPR-ready governance, large data volume design, archiving and virtualized data, and migration quality and performance. Data Modeling and Salesforce Data Management are the biggest sections at 25% each.

## How long is the Platform Data Architect exam and what score do you need?

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Certification | Salesforce Platform Data Architect |
| Level | Advanced |
| Prerequisite | None |
| Scored questions | 60 |
| Unscored questions | 5 |
| Time limit | 105 minutes |
| Passing score | 58% |
| Registration cost | USD $400 |
| Retake cost | USD $200 |
| Exam outline sections | 6 |

Facts last verified against the [official Salesforce exam guide](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=005298972&language=en_US&type=1) in July 2026.

## What is on the Salesforce Platform Data Architect exam?

The official outline has 6 weighted sections. Mock exams draw questions in these proportions, so practice mirrors the real exam.

| Exam section | Weight |
| --- | --- |
| Data Modeling/Database Design | 25% |
| Master Data Management | 5% |
| Salesforce Data Management | 25% |
| Data Governance | 10% |
| Large Data Volume Considerations | 20% |
| Data Migration | 15% |

### Data Modeling/Database Design (25%)

- Compare and contrast various techniques and considerations for designing a data model for the Customer 360 Platform (for example, objects, fields & relationships, object features).
- Given a scenario, recommend approaches and techniques to design a scalable data model that obeys the current security and sharing model.
- Compare and contrast various techniques, approaches and considerations for capturing and managing business and technical metadata (for example, business dictionary, data lineage, taxonomy, data classification).
- Compare and contrast the different reasons for implementing big objects versus standard/custom objects within a production instance, alongside the unique pros and cons of utilizing big objects in a Salesforce data model.
- Given a customer scenario, recommend approaches and techniques to avoid data skew (record locking, sharing calculation issues, and excessive child to parent relationships).

### Master Data Management (5%)

- Compare and contrast the various techniques, approaches and considerations for implementing master data management (MDM) Solutions (for example, MDM implementation styles; harmonizing and consolidating data from multiple sources; establishing data survivorship rules, thresholds and weights; leveraging external reference data for enrichment; canonical modeling techniques, hierarchy management).
- Given a customer scenario, recommend and use techniques for establishing a "golden record" or "system of truth" for the customer domain in a single org.
- Given a customer scenario, recommend approaches and techniques for consolidating data attributes from multiple sources. Discuss criteria and methodology for picking the winning attributes.
- Given a customer scenario, recommend appropriate approaches and techniques to capture and maintain customer reference and metadata to preserve traceability and establish a common context for business rules.

### Salesforce Data Management (25%)

- Given a customer scenario, recommend appropriate combination of Salesforce license types to effectively leverage standard and custom objects to meet business needs.
- Given a customer scenario, recommend techniques to ensure data is persisted in a consistent manner.
- Given a scenario with multiple systems of interaction, describe techniques to represent a single view of the customer on the Salesforce Platform.
- Given a customer scenario, recommend a design to effectively consolidate and/or leverage data from multiple Salesforce instances.

### Data Governance (10%)

- Given a customer scenario, recommend an approach for designing a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant data model. Discuss the various options to identify, classify, and protect personal and sensitive information.
- Compare and contrast various approaches and considerations for designing and implementing an enterprise data governance program.

### Large Data Volume Considerations (20%)

- Given a customer scenario, design a data model that scales considering LDV and solution performance.
- Given a customer scenario, recommend a data archiving and purging plan that is optimal for the customer's data storage management needs.
- Given a customer scenario, decide when to use virtualized data and describe virtualized data options.

### Data Migration (15%)

- Given a customer scenario, recommend appropriate techniques and methods for ensuring high data quality at load time.
- Compare and contrast various techniques for improving performance when migrating LDVs into Salesforce.
- Compare and contrast various techniques and considerations for exporting data from Salesforce.

## How many reviewed Platform Data Architect practice questions are there?

308 reviewed questions. Every question follows the current official Platform Data Architect exam outline and is checked against Salesforce documentation before it is published. A full practice exam has 60 questions and a 105-minute time limit, with the same mix of sections as the real exam. You can also practice one section at a time.

| Exam section | Weight | Reviewed questions |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Data Modeling/Database Design | 25% | 75 |
| Master Data Management | 5% | 23 |
| Salesforce Data Management | 25% | 75 |
| Data Governance | 10% | 30 |
| Large Data Volume Considerations | 20% | 60 |
| Data Migration | 15% | 45 |
| Total | 100% | 308 |

## Common questions about the Platform Data Architect exam

### How many questions are on the Salesforce Platform Data Architect exam?

The Platform Data Architect exam has 60 scored questions plus 5 unscored questions, with a time limit of 105 minutes.

### What is the passing score for the Platform Data Architect exam?

The passing score is 58%. Certifyforce's readiness score weights your practice results by the official section weights so you know whether you'd clear that bar.

### How much does the Platform Data Architect exam cost?

Registration is USD $400 plus applicable taxes, and retakes cost USD $200. Quality practice is the cheapest way to avoid paying for a retake.

### Is there a prerequisite for the Platform Data Architect exam?

No. The Platform Data Architect exam has no certification prerequisite. Salesforce positions it as a advanced credential.

### How many practice questions are in the Platform Data Architect question bank?

308 reviewed questions across all 6 sections of the current official exam outline. Every question is checked against Salesforce documentation before it is published. A timed practice exam draws 60 questions and gives you 105 minutes, with the same mix of topics as the real exam.

### Are these real exam questions or braindumps?

No. Certifyforce writes original practice questions aligned to the official exam outline. Using leaked exam questions (dumps) violates the Salesforce certification agreement and can get your credentials revoked — original scenario practice builds the same skills without the risk.

### What topics are on the Platform Data Architect exam?

The exam covers 6 sections: Data Modeling/Database Design (25%), Master Data Management (5%), Salesforce Data Management (25%), Data Governance (10%), Large Data Volume Considerations (20%), Data Migration (15%).

### How is Certifyforce different from other practice exams?

The Platform Data Architect questions follow the current official exam outline. Every question is reviewed by a person and checked against Salesforce documentation. You can see your score by section and practice the topics you missed without taking the full exam again.

## Related pages

- [Free Salesforce Platform Data Architect practice questions with answers](https://www.certifyforce.com/salesforce-platform-data-architect-practice-exam/free-questions)
- [Salesforce Salesforce Architect certification path](https://www.certifyforce.com/salesforce-certifications/architect)
- [Salesforce Identity and Access Management Architect practice exam](https://www.certifyforce.com/salesforce-identity-access-management-architect-practice-exam)
- [Salesforce Integration Architect practice exam](https://www.certifyforce.com/salesforce-integration-architect-practice-exam)
- [All Salesforce certifications](https://www.certifyforce.com/salesforce-certifications)
- [Official Platform Data Architect exam guide](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=005298972&language=en_US&type=1)