# Object permissions, View All and Modify All levels

*Platform Sharing and Visibility Architect Study Guide · Permissions to Standard Objects, Custom Objects, and Fields · Last updated October 26, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-sharing-and-visibility-architect/permissions-to-standard-objects-custom-objects-and-fields/object-permissions-view-all-and-modify-all-levels*

How Read, Create, Edit, Delete, View All Records and Modify All Records stack and depend on each other, how they differ from View All Data and Modify All Data, and how a minimal profile, permission sets, permission set groups, muting and user access policies deliver the least-privilege level.

- Certification: Salesforce Platform Sharing and Visibility Architect
- Exam section: Permissions to Standard Objects, Custom Objects, and Fields
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-sharing-and-visibility-architect

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a scenario, recommend the right level of object permissions needed to provide the appropriate access to a set of users.

## What the exam expects

- Pick the smallest set of object permissions (Read, Create, Edit, Delete, View All Records, Modify All Records) for a persona, including each level's dependencies.
- Choose between object-scoped View All / Modify All Records and org-wide View All / Modify All Data, knowing none grants field access or suits external users.
- Recommend a minimal profile plus permission sets and groups, with muting when one group must lose a permission.
- Name the system permissions that run a security model, and apply least privilege, defense in depth and fail securely.

Key terms: **object permission** (base-level access to one object); **View All / Modify All Records** (one object, overrides sharing); **View All / Modify All Data** (every object, overrides sharing); **muting permission set** (removes permissions inside one group); **user access policy** (automates access assignments).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Delete prerequisites | Requires Read and Edit on the same object | [ObjectPermissions](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.object_reference.meta/object_reference/sforce_api_objects_objectpermissions.htm) |
| Modify All Records prerequisites | Requires Read, Delete, Edit and View All Records; Create isn't required | [ObjectPermissions](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.object_reference.meta/object_reference/sforce_api_objects_objectpermissions.htm) |
| Master-detail dependency | Child View All or Modify All Records needs parent View All Records; Setup fixes it on first save, the API doesn't | [Object Permissions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_profiles_object_perms.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Excluded objects | No View All or Modify All Records for ideas, price books, article types, products | [View All overview](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_profiles_view_all_mod_all.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| External users | Can't be assigned View All Data, Modify All Data, or View All, Modify All Records or View All Fields | [View All overview](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_profiles_view_all_mod_all.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Modify All Data rows | ObjectPermissions returns Ids starting with "000" that can't be updated or deleted | [ObjectPermissions](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.object_reference.meta/object_reference/sforce_api_objects_objectpermissions.htm) |
| Muting limit | Up to one muting permission set per permission set group | [Muting Permission Sets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.perm_set_groups_muting.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| User access policy order | Lowest Order value wins when several active policies match | [User Access Policies](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&type=5&id=platform.perm_user_access_policies.htm) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't Modify All Records be granted to a persona that must never delete records?
- When does a Setup save change permissions on a parent object you didn't touch?
- Which permission lets HR find every user when the User default is Private, without exposing other data?
- Why does muting Delete in a permission set group not stop a rep who still deletes records?

## Sources

- [Object Permissions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_profiles_object_perms.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [View All and Modify All Permissions Overview](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_profiles_view_all_mod_all.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [ObjectPermissions (Object Reference)](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.object_reference.meta/object_reference/sforce_api_objects_objectpermissions.htm)
- [Enable Object Permissions in Permission Sets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.perm_sets_objects_and_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Permission Sets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.perm_sets_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Muting Permission Sets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.perm_set_groups_muting.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [User Access Policies](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&type=5&id=platform.perm_user_access_policies.htm)
- [Delegate Administrative Duties](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.admin_delegate.htm&type=5)
- [Manage Salesforce Object Access (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/data_security/data_security_objects)
- [Trust | Salesforce Well-Architected](https://architect.salesforce.com/docs/architect/well-architected/guide/trust.html)
- [Reliability | Salesforce Well-Architected](https://architect.salesforce.com/docs/architect/well-architected/guide/reliability.html)
- [Enforce User Mode for Database Operations](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexcode.meta/apexcode/apex_classes_enforce_usermode.htm)
- [Keep Manual Shares When Transferring Records](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.security_sharing_keep_manual_transfer.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create a User Role](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.admin_roles.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)
- [View a User's Access Summary](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_access_summary.htm&language=en_US&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 Sharing and Visibility Architect pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams