# Contact Builder and the contact model

*Marketing Cloud Engagement Administrator Study Guide · Subscriber Data Management · Last updated October 16, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/marketing-cloud-engagement-administrator/subscriber-data-management/contact-builder-and-the-contact-model*

What counts as a contact, how Contact Builder's tools (Contacts Configuration, Data Designer, Data Extensions, Imports, Data Sources, Contacts Analytics) build one record per person, the one-way switch to the Contacts structure, the four Contact Builder permissions, how Contact Delete runs, and why Contact Events is retiring.

- Certification: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement Administrator
- Exam section: Subscriber Data Management
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/marketing-cloud-engagement-administrator

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a scenario, describe the contact model.

## What the exam expects

- Decide whether an individual counts as a contact, including people reached only by MobilePush or GroupConnect.
- Pick the Contact Builder tool for a task: relate data, tag its origin, import a file, control import processing or check delete requests.
- Explain the one-way switch from the older subscriber data structure to Contacts, and that new accounts include Contact Builder.
- Grant the right combination of the four Contact Builder permissions for a persona.
- Describe the Contact Delete process and what replaces the retiring Contact Events.
- Key terms: **contact** (an individual added to any contact database in Marketing Cloud Engagement); **single contact record** (the record that all of a person's channel addresses and tracking should relate to); **data extension** (a table that holds contact information); **population** (a Data Designer group of contacts linked 1:1 by contact key); **suppression period** (the window before a deleted contact's data is removed).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Contact definition | Any individual in any contact database, including GroupConnect, MobileConnect, MobilePush and Journey Builder recipients | [Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_builder.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| New accounts | Include Contacts and Contact Builder | [Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_builder.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Switching to Contacts | Existing accounts can't return to the previous structure | [Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_builder.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Contacts Analytics | Delete-request status from app or REST API; use in the top-level account | [Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_builder.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Permissions | Access, View All Contacts, Delete Contacts, Administer Contact Data Model | [Contact Builder Access](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_enable_contact_builder_access.htm&language=en&type=5) |
| Populations | Link by ContactKey 1:1; avoid more than three per account | [Data Designer](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_data_designer.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Suppression period | 2 days by default, adjustable | [Contact Deletion](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_deletion.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Delete batch | Up to one million records; can't be canceled once started | [Contact Delete Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_best_practices.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Contact Events | Retiring; filter or query in Automation Studio | [Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_builder.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why does a push-only app user count toward contacts?
- Why can't a contact in the suppression period receive even a transactional send?
- Which tool shows how many REST API delete requests completed, and from which account?
- Why must an admin think twice before moving an older account to Contacts?

## Sources

- [Contact Builder in Marketing Cloud Engagement](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_builder.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Contact Builder Access](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_enable_contact_builder_access.htm&language=en&type=5)
- [Data Designer in Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_data_designer.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Contact Deletion in Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_deletion.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Contact Delete Best Practices in Contact Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_best_practices.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Contact Builder Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_contact_builder_best_practices.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Review Subscriber Data Management](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/marketing-cloud-admin-certification-prep-setup-and-data/review-subscriber-data-management)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 18 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Marketing Cloud Engagement Administrator pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams