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PLAT-ARCH-201 Exam Topics and Domains
PLAT-ARCH-201 is organized into 6 weighted domains. Expect to work with Bulk API, Data Classification, Data Loader, Lightning Data, and more.
Data Modeling / Database Design
Lightning Platform Data Model Design Techniques
Compare and contrast various techniques and considerations for designing a data model for the Customer 360 platform (e.g., objects, fields & relationships, object features).
Scalable Data Model Design with Security and Sharing
Given a customer scenario, design a data model that is scalable, supports all business processes with appropriate level of customizations (click vs. code), while considering performance for large data volumes.
Business and Technical Metadata Management
Compare and contrast various techniques, approaches, and considerations for capturing and managing business and technical metadata (e.g., business dictionary, data lineage, taxonomy, data classification).
Big Objects vs. Standard/Custom Objects
Compare and contrast the different reasons for implementing Big Objects vs Standard/Custom objects within a production instance, alongside the unique pros and cons of utilizing Big Objects in a Salesforce data model.
Avoiding Data Skew
Given a customer scenario, recommend approaches and techniques to avoid data skew (record locking, sharing calculation issues, and excessive child to parent relationships).
Salesforce Data Management
Salesforce License Types and Object Access
Given a customer scenario, recommend appropriate combination of Salesforce license types to effectively leverage standard and custom objects to meet business needs.
Data Persistence and Quality Techniques
Given a customer scenario, recommend techniques to ensure data is persisted in a consistent manner.
Single View of Customer Across Systems
Given a scenario with multiple systems of interaction, describe techniques to represent a single view of the customer on the Salesforce platform.
Consolidating Data from Multiple Salesforce Instances
Given a customer scenario, recommend a design to effectively consolidate and/or leverage data from multiple Salesforce instances.
Large Data Volume Considerations
Scalable Data Model Design for LDV
Given a customer scenario, design a data model that scales considering large data volume and solution performance.
Data Archiving and Purging
Given a customer scenario, recommend a data archiving and purging plan that is optimal for customer's data storage management needs.
Data Virtualization
Given a customer scenario, decide when to use virtualized data and describe virtualized data options.
Data Migration
Data Quality at Load Time
Given a customer scenario, recommend appropriate techniques and methods for ensuring high data quality at load time.
Importing Data into Salesforce
Compare and contrast various techniques and considerations for importing data into Salesforce (e.g., serial load, parallel load, deferred sharing, managing locks, handling hierarchical relationships, Bulk load API limits).
Exporting Data from Salesforce
Compare and contrast various techniques and considerations for exporting data from Salesforce.
Data Governance
GDPR Compliance and Data Protection
Given a customer scenario, recommend an approach for designing a GDPR compliant data model including the various options to identify, classify and protect personal and sensitive information.
Enterprise Data Governance Program Design
Compare and contrast various approaches and considerations for designing and implementing an enterprise data governance program while taking into account framework for defining roles and responsibilities, policies and standards, ownership and accountability, data rules and definitions, monitoring, and measurement.
Master Data Management
MDM Implementation Styles and Techniques
Compare and contrast the various techniques, approaches and considerations for implementing Master Data Management Solutions.
Golden Record and System of Record
Given a customer scenario, recommend and use techniques for establishing a 'golden record' or 'system of truth' for the customer domain.
Data Attribute Consolidation from Multiple Sources
Given a customer scenario, recommend approaches and techniques for consolidating data attributes from multiple sources. Discuss criteria and methodology for picking the winning attributes (data survivorship rules).
Metadata Capture for Traceability
Given a customer scenario, recommend appropriate approaches and techniques to capture and maintain customer reference & metadata to preserve traceability and establish a common context for business rules.
How do I earn this certification?
Passing PLAT-ARCH-201 earns the Salesforce Certified Platform Data Architect certification. It sits in the Architect track.
- Sharing-Vis-201 - Salesforce Certified Platform Sharing and Visibility Architect
- Int-Arch-201 - Salesforce Certified Platform Integration Architect
- IAM-Arch-201 - Salesforce Certified Platform Identity and Access Management Architect
- DLDA-201 - Salesforce Certified Platform Development Lifecycle and Deployment Architect
- App-Arch-301 - Salesforce Certified Application Architect
- Sys-Arch-301 - Salesforce Certified System Architect
- Plat-Arch-401-Eval - Salesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation
- Data-Cloud-Consultant - Salesforce Certified Data Cloud ConsultantComplementary certification for Salesforce Data Cloud (CDP) expertise
- Int-Arch-201 - Salesforce Certified Platform Integration ArchitectComplementary architect certification for integration design skills
- Sharing-Vis-201 - Salesforce Certified Platform Sharing and Visibility ArchitectRequired alongside Data Architect for Application Architect credential
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The most effective way to prepare for PLAT-ARCH-201 is by using the PlanetCert Simulator to practice questions and review detailed explanations.
What's changed on this exam?
- ACTIVE
- Last content update: 2025-07-31
- Salesforce Data Cloud / Data 360 Rebranded October 2025 Awareness of naming change; Data 360 concepts may appear in unified customer view scenarios • Release date: 2025-10-14
- Bulk API 2.0 Current Key exam topic - understanding differences between Bulk API 1.0 and 2.0
- Platform Shield Encryption Current Data governance domain topic - distinguishing from Classic encryption
Who should take this exam?
- 1-2 years in Salesforce technology
- 5-8 years of experience supporting or implementing data-centric initiatives
- Experience communicating solutions and design trade-offs to business stakeholders