# Sharing model, folder access and territory visibility

*Platform Administrator II Study Guide · Security and Access · Last updated October 26, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-administrator-ii/security-and-access/sharing-model-folder-access-and-territory-visibility*

Predict who can see and change a record from org-wide defaults, Controlled by Parent, the role hierarchy and sharing rules, then apply the same reasoning to price books, report, dashboard and email template folders, and Sales Territories access and permissions.

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

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a scenario, determine the implications to record and field data access (Sharing model, controlled by parent, grant access by hierarchies, dashboard and report folders access, email folder access, Territory Management).

## What the exam expects

- Predict record access from org-wide defaults, including Controlled by Parent for contacts, detail records and activities.
- Decide when Grant Access Using Hierarchies can be deselected and what that changes.
- Explain sharing rule behaviour: implicit account access, queues, lead conversion, criteria fields.
- Choose the price book default that hides or exposes price books.
- Diagnose report, dashboard and Lightning email template folder access.
- Configure Sales Territories record access and permissions.

Key terms: **org-wide default** (baseline access to others' records); **Controlled by Parent** (access follows the associated record); **implicit sharing** (a child rule also opening the account); **Who Can Access** (a folder's share entries); **territory model** (one complete territory structure).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing features vs default | Only add access; can't restrict below the default | [OWD Overview](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.security_sharing_owd_about.htm&type=5) |
| Public Read/Write | Only the owner (and hierarchy) can delete or change sharing | [OWD Access Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.sharing_model_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Activity, Controlled by Parent | Editing needs edit on every associated record | [OWD Access Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.sharing_model_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Grant Access Using Hierarchies | Deselectable only on custom objects not Controlled by Parent | [Set Internal OWDs](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.admin_sharing.htm&type=5) |
| Sharing rule limit | 300 per object, up to 50 criteria-based or guest user | [Sharing Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.security_about_sharing_rules.htm&type=5) |
| Criteria fields | No lookup, formula, encrypted or derived fields | [Sharing Rule Considerations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.security_sharing_rule_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Price book No Access | Hides price books; share manually with chosen users | [OWD Access Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.sharing_model_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Folder share entries | 25 in the UI, 500 via the folder sharing REST API | [Share a Folder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.rd_folders_share_enhanced.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Email template folder creation | Create Folders for Lightning Email Templates permission | [Enable Template Folders](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.email_templates_enable_enhanced_folders_sharing.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Territory contact and case access | Settable only when their internal default is Private | [Territory Default Access](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.tm2_define_default_record_access.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why does Controlled by Parent on Contact remove the need for separate contact sharing?
- When does a lead sharing rule stop giving access to the business it describes?
- When can a user see a report folder but still fail to open its reports?
- Which permissions does a non-admin need to create account assignment rules?

## Sources

- [Organization-Wide Default Access Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.sharing_model_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Set Your Internal Organization-Wide Sharing Defaults](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.admin_sharing.htm&type=5)
- [Organization-Wide Sharing Defaults](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.security_sharing_owd_about.htm&type=5)
- [Controlling Access Using the Role Hierarchy](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.security_controlling_access_using_hierarchies.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Role Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.user_role_fields.htm&type=5)
- [Sharing Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.security_about_sharing_rules.htm&type=5)
- [Sharing Rule Considerations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.security_sharing_rule_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Report and Dashboard Folders](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.analytics_sharing.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Share a Lightning Report or Dashboard Folder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.rd_folders_share_enhanced.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Access Levels for Report and Dashboard Folders](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.analytics_folder_access.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Enable Folders and Enhanced Sharing for Email Templates](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.email_templates_enable_enhanced_folders_sharing.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Considerations for Email Template Folders and Sharing](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.template_folder_create_share_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [How Do Permissions for Territories Affect Feature and Data Access?](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.tm2_how_access_permissions_work.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Define Default User Access for Territory Records](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.tm2_define_default_record_access.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Sales Territories Concepts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.tm2_territory_mgmt_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Enterprise Territory Management Is Now Sales Territories](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_sales_spm_etm_to_sales_territories.htm&language=en_US&release=250&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 20 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Platform Administrator II pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams