# Identity resolution: match and reconciliation rules

*Data 360 Consultant Study Guide · Harmonization and Unification · Last updated October 16, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/data-360-consultant/harmonization-and-unification/identity-resolution-match-and-reconciliation-rules*

How identity resolution builds unified profiles: unification types, ruleset setup and IDs, match rules and methods, reconciliation rules, unified link objects, known versus anonymous profiles, scheduled versus real-time runs, and the levers that control credit use.

- Certification: Salesforce Data 360 Consultant
- Exam section: Harmonization and Unification
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/data-360-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Define the purpose, process, and supported use cases of unification.

## What the exam expects

- Explain what unification does (and doesn't do) and pick the unification type: individuals or accounts, leads to accounts, or households.
- Create and change rulesets safely: prerequisites, ruleset IDs, testing a second ruleset, updating versus deleting.
- Design match rules: methods, Match on Blank, Case Sensitive, party identifiers, and avoiding over-matching.
- Choose reconciliation rules per object and field, and handle contact points through activation instead.
- Explain run timing, real-time matching, consolidation rate, known versus anonymous profiles and credit levers.

Key terms:
- **Ruleset:** the match and reconciliation rules for one primary DMO; its output is unified DMOs.
- **Match rule:** criteria that must all match; any one rule matching links two records.
- **Reconciliation rule:** picks the single value shown in a unified field.
- **Unified link object:** the bridge from each source record ID to its unified profile ID.
- **Consolidation rate:** 1 - (unified profiles / source profiles).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ruleset ID | Up to 4 characters, unchangeable | [Create Rulesets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_ruleset_create.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Ruleset deletion | Up to 24 hours; data unrecoverable | [Delete a Ruleset](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_deletion.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Exact | Case-insensitive | [Match Methods](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_match_rules_criteria_fuzzy_normalized.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Household rulesets | One match rule only | [Household Match Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_match_rules_households.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Last Updated | Needs Last Modified Date mapped | [Reconciliation Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_reconciliation_rules.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Contact points | Not reconciled | [Reconciliation Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_reconciliation_rules.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Processing frequency | 60 minutes to 24 hours by source | [Processing Frequency](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_processing_frequency.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Ruleset job limits | Scheduled at most once per day; 4 jobs per 24 hours; 5 rulesets per primary DMO per data space | [Data 360 Limits and Guidelines](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_limits_and_guidelines.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Real time | Match on Blank ignored; no fuzzy | [Real-Time Identity Resolution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_real_time.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Consolidation rate | 1 - (unified / source) | [Processing Results](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_resolution_summary.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Known unified profile | Any linked source profile is known | [Anonymous and Known Profiles](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_summary_anonymous_vs_known_profiles.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Real-time no exact match | No profile returned; reviewed at next scheduled run | [Scheduled and Real-Time Matching](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_match_type_compare.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Full reprocess triggers | Match, reconciliation or filter changes; new DLO or field mapped to a ruleset DMO | [IR billing](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_billing_considerations_for_identity_resolution.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why does adding a second match rule raise the consolidation rate?
- When can you create a household ruleset?
- Which object relates source purchases to unified profiles for a calculated insight?
- Why can Match on Blank cause the 50,000-match error?

## Sources

- [About Identity Resolution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Unify Source Profiles](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_unify_source_profiles.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Profile Unification Types](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_unification_types.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Match Leads to Accounts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_unify_leads_accounts.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Identity Resolution Rulesets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.c360_a_identity_resolution_ruleset.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create Identity Resolution Rulesets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_ruleset_create.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Delete an Identity Resolution Ruleset](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_deletion.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Identity Resolution Match Rule Terminology](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_match_rule_terms.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Identity Resolution Match Methods](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_match_rules_criteria_fuzzy_normalized.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Advanced Match Criteria Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_match_rules_advanced_settings.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Configure Identity Resolution Match Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_match_rules_configure.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Match Rules for Individuals](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_match_rules_individuals.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Unify Individuals or Accounts Based on Party Identifier](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_unify_partyidentifier.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Match Rules for Accounts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_match_rules_accounts.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Tips for Improving Account Matching](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_match_rules_accounts_tips.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Match Rules for Households](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_match_rules_households.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Identity Resolution Reconciliation Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_reconciliation_rules.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Identity Resolution Terminology](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_terms.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Identity Resolution Ruleset Processing Results](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_resolution_summary.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Anonymous and Known Profiles in Identity Resolution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_summary_anonymous_vs_known_profiles.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Scheduled and Real-Time Matching in Identity Resolution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_match_type_compare.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Real-Time Identity Resolution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_real_time.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Processing Frequency for Identity Resolution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_processing_frequency.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Billing Considerations for Identity Resolution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_billing_considerations_for_identity_resolution.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Multiple Identity Resolution Rulesets in Segments](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution_in_segments.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Data 360 Limits and Guidelines](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_limits_and_guidelines.htm&language=en_US&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 26 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Data 360 Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams