Data Management18% of the exam
Data extension fields, data types and retention
The settings you choose when creating a data extension: properties and the external key, Create from Existing, sendable and testable options, field data types and lengths, primary keys, retention options and change control policies.
Configure settings when creating a new data extension, including settings for data fields.
~6 min read · 9 practice questions ·
What the exam expects
- Set a new data extension's properties: creation method, name, external key, folder, Is Sendable and Is Testable.
- Choose the data type and length that fit each field's values.
- Decide which fields form the primary key and how a sendable data extension relates to subscribers.
- Pick the retention option that deletes the right data at the right time.
- Protect an important data extension with a change control policy.
- Key terms: data extension (a table of data you provide); external key (the unique identifier developers use in API calls); primary key (the field or fields whose values identify unique records); send relationship (the field that ties each row to a subscriber key or ID); retention policy (a setting that deletes records, or the whole table, after a period).
Key facts
Blank external key
- Detail
- A unique key is created for you
Create from Existing
- Detail
- Copies fields and configurations, not data
Length setting
- Detail
- Text and Decimal only
Text maximum
- Detail
- 4,000 characters
Primary key value
- Detail
- Unique, at most 850 characters, fixed after creation
Subscriber key relationship
- Detail
- Text, Email Address or Phone field only
All records retention
- Detail
- Deletes rows, keeps the data extension
Change control policy
- Detail
- Overrides user permissions
Sources for this section (5)
- Create a Data Extensionhelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Create from an Existing Data Extensionhelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Data Extension Data Typeshelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Data Extension Propertieshelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Manage Policieshelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Which dates can a Date field hold?
- When does a retention date move later on its own?
- Why would a 260-character address be rejected by an Email field?
- What are the largest precision and scale a Decimal field allows?
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