# Data quality: validation, duplicates, enrichment and archiving

*Platform Administrator II Study Guide · Data and Analytics Management · Last updated October 26, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-administrator-ii/data-and-analytics-management/data-quality-validation-duplicates-enrichment-and-archiving*

How field types, picklists and validation formulas (ISCHANGED, PRIORVALUE, ISNEW, ISPICKVAL) keep bad data out, how duplicate rules and duplicate jobs find duplicates and when they stay silent, and how enrichment apps and Salesforce Archive policies keep data current and lean.

- Certification: Salesforce Platform Administrator II
- Exam section: Data and Analytics Management
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-administrator-ii

**Official exam objective:**

> Explain the tools and best practices for assessing, improving, and enriching data quality (data types, validation, managing duplicates, enriching, archiving).

## What the exam expects

- Choose field types and state and country/territory picklists for consistent data, and recommend enrichment against a trusted source.
- Write validation formulas with ISCHANGED, PRIORVALUE, ISNEW and ISPICKVAL, and predict when a rule does not run.
- Diagnose why a duplicate rule stayed silent.
- Plan an org-wide clean-up with duplicate jobs and duplicate record sets.
- Pick Salesforce Archive archiving policies, retention periods or purge policies for a requirement.

Key terms: **matching rule** (defines how fields are compared to call two records duplicates); **duplicate rule** (decides what happens at save: allow with alert, block, report); **duplicate record set** (a group of matched records for review and merge); **retention period** (how long Archive keeps archived data before removing it); **purge policy** (criteria that remove archived data regardless of retention dates).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Validation formula result | TRUE = invalid, save stopped | [Validation Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.fields_about_field_validation.htm) |
| ISCHANGED on create | Always FALSE | [ISCHANGED](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.customize_functions_ischanged.htm&type=5) |
| PRIORVALUE on create | Returns the current value, not null | [PRIORVALUE](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_functions_priorvalue.htm&type=5) |
| Picklists in formulas | Only ISPICKVAL, CASE, TEXT; `=` errors | [Picklist formula tips](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.tips_for_using_picklist_formula_fields.htm&type=5) |
| Activity rule at lead conversion | Lead converts, but the task isn't created | [Validation Rule Considerations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.fields_validation_considerations.htm&type=5) |
| Active duplicate rules | Up to five per object; three matching rules each | [Duplicate Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=sales.duplicate_rules_overview.htm&type=5) |
| Duplicate rule on edit | Runs only if an edited field is in the matching rule | [Duplicate Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=sales.duplicate_rules_overview.htm&type=5) |
| Duplicate jobs | Performance and Unlimited; Customize Application and View All Data | [Duplicate Jobs](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.duplicate_jobs.htm&type=5) |
| Duplicate job ceiling | 1,000,000 duplicates across completed jobs | [Duplicate Jobs considerations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.duplicate_jobs_considerations.htm&type=5) |
| Archive retention | Up to 99 years | [Get Started with Archive](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/archive-basics/get-started-with-archive) |
| Purge policy | Overrides retention dates; purged data is unrecoverable | [Optimize Data with Archive](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/archive-basics/optimize-data-with-archive) |

## Check yourself

- Why might a validation rule not catch bad owner values after a bulk reassignment?
- When do records saved together escape each other's duplicate alert?
- What two permissions does a user need to run a duplicate job?
- Why is a Date field better than a text field with help text for contract dates?

## Sources

- [Things to Know About Duplicate Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=sales.duplicate_rules_overview.htm&type=5)
- [Things to Know About Matching Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.matching_rules_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Find Duplicates Across Your Org Using Duplicate Jobs in Lightning Experience](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.duplicate_jobs.htm&type=5)
- [Things to Know About Duplicate Jobs](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.duplicate_jobs_considerations.htm&type=5)
- [Validation Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.fields_about_field_validation.htm)
- [Validation Rule Considerations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.fields_validation_considerations.htm&type=5)
- [ISCHANGED](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.customize_functions_ischanged.htm&type=5)
- [PRIORVALUE](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_functions_priorvalue.htm&type=5)
- [ISNEW](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_functions_isnew.htm&type=5)
- [Tips for Working with Picklist and Multi-Select Picklist Values in Formulas](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.tips_for_using_picklist_formula_fields.htm&type=5)
- [Custom Field Types](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.custom_field_types.htm&type=5)
- [Let Users Select States, Countries, and Territories from Picklists](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.admin_state_country_picklists_overview.htm&type=5)
- [Enhance Business Growth by Improving Data Quality (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/data_quality/data_quality_improve_quality)
- [Get Started with Archive (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/archive-basics/get-started-with-archive)
- [Optimize Data with Archive (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/archive-basics/optimize-data-with-archive)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 8 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Platform Administrator II pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams