Configuration and Setup — Salesforce Platform Administrator practice questions

Which sandbox type best supports full-volume integration testing against production-like data?

1. Developer, which copies metadata only and is sized for individual build work
2. Developer Pro, which copies metadata with more space but still carries no data
3. Partial Copy, which carries metadata plus a sampled subset defined by a template
4. Full, which copies production metadata together with the complete data set
5. A scratch org, which is a short-lived source-driven environment for developers

Answer: D — Full, which copies production metadata together with the complete data set

D) Only a Full sandbox reproduces production metadata with all of its data, which is what full-volume performance, integration and user acceptance testing needs; it also has the longest refresh interval. A) and B) contain no records. C) Partial Copy is the nearest miss: it holds sampled data governed by a template, so volume-sensitive defects can hide. E) Scratch orgs are ephemeral developer environments.

A user reports they cannot see the App Launcher waffle icon. What is the most likely cause?

1. The apps they need are not visible to their profile or permission set
2. Their browser is unsupported, so Lightning Experience components fail
3. Sharing rules withhold the records behind each app's default landing tab
4. They are missing a permission set that grants the App Launcher itself

Answer: A — The apps they need are not visible to their profile or permission set

A) Right. What appears in the App Launcher is driven by which Lightning apps and tabs are visible to the user's profile or permission sets, so an empty launcher usually means no visible apps. B) Salesforce supports the mainstream browsers and would fail more broadly. C) Sharing rules affect records, not navigation. D) There is no separate permission that switches the launcher on.

A user asks whether moving from Salesforce Classic to Lightning Experience needs a different licence. What is true?

1. Classic users are billed at a higher rate than Lightning Experience users
2. The same user licence covers both interfaces; new orgs start in Lightning
3. Lightning Experience needs an add-on licence assigned per user in Setup
4. Classic can no longer be opened, so every session lands in Lightning

Answer: B — The same user licence covers both interfaces; new orgs start in Lightning

B) Right. The user licence is the same for both interfaces, and Lightning Experience is the assumed interface for administration today, with new orgs provisioned on it. A) and C) invent a pricing or entitlement difference that does not exist. D) Classic can still be reached where an org permits it, so the switch is a configuration choice rather than a hard cutoff.

Which feature lets the admin lock a user out after five failed login attempts?

1. A sharing rule that removes record access after repeated failed attempts
2. A validation rule on the User object that rejects the next login attempt
3. A login flow that screens the user once authentication has already succeeded
4. Password policies on the profile: maximum invalid logins and lockout period

Answer: D — Password policies on the profile: maximum invalid logins and lockout period

D) Right. Password policies on the profile set the maximum invalid login attempts and the lockout effective period. A) Sharing rules control records, not authentication. B) Validation rules run on save and never see a login. C) A login flow runs after credentials are accepted, so it cannot stop repeated failures.

For production-scale UAT with realistic data volumes, which sandbox is appropriate?

1. Developer
2. Developer Pro
3. Partial Copy
4. Full Copy

Answer: D — Full Copy

D) Correct. Only Full Copy mirrors production data and storage. A/B) Metadata-only, no production data. C) Partial Copy holds a sample (up to 10K records per object) — useful but not full UAT.

What is the best tool to deploy metadata between a sandbox and production?

1. A change set between connected orgs, or the Metadata API via Salesforce CLI
2. Data Loader, which moves records between orgs in bulk through the API
3. Recreating each component manually in production during a change window
4. The Data Import Wizard, which loads records from CSV with duplicate matching

Answer: A — A change set between connected orgs, or the Metadata API via Salesforce CLI

A) Right. Change sets are the declarative deployment path between a sandbox and its connected production org, and the Metadata API through Salesforce CLI is the source-driven alternative. B) and D) move records, not configuration. C) Manual rebuilding is slow and drifts from the tested version.

A certified administrator misses the deadline for the required Trailhead maintenance modules. What happens to the credential?

1. It is permanently revoked and the full certification exam must be retaken
2. It becomes inactive and is reinstated once the outstanding modules are completed
3. It converts automatically into a lower-tier credential with reduced privileges
4. It is unaffected, because maintenance is optional guidance rather than a rule
5. It stays valid provided a paid renewal is purchased within the following year

Answer: B — It becomes inactive and is reinstated once the outstanding modules are completed

B) Missing a maintenance deadline moves the credential to an inactive state, and completing the outstanding free Trailhead maintenance modules reactivates it at no cost. A) Nothing is revoked and no re-sit is required, which is the fear this question plays on. C) Credentials do not downgrade. D) Maintenance is mandatory, not advisory. E) There is no purchase involved: the maintenance modules are free on Trailhead.

What is the recommended way to onboard 200 new users at once with similar settings?

1. Creating each user record by hand in Setup, assigning licences one by one
2. A sharing rule that grants the new team access to the records they will need
3. A permission set group bundling the permissions the new hires all require
4. Loading a CSV of User records with Data Loader, mapping profile, role, licence

Answer: D — Loading a CSV of User records with Data Loader, mapping profile, role, licence

D) Right. The User object is loadable, so a mapped CSV through Data Loader creates the cohort in one pass with consistent profile, role and licence values. A) Does not scale and invites typos. C) A permission set group is useful afterwards but creates no users. B) Sharing rules govern record visibility, not provisioning.

Which company information setting determines the default time zone for new users?

1. A time zone field on the profile, applied to everyone the profile is assigned
2. The locale reported by each user's browser at the time of their first login
3. The time zone of the role sitting at the root of the org's role hierarchy
4. The Default Time Zone setting on the Company Information page in Setup

Answer: D — The Default Time Zone setting on the Company Information page in Setup

D) Right. Default Time Zone on the Company Information page seeds every new user record, and each user can override it on their own record. A) Profiles carry permissions and layout assignments, not a time zone. B) The browser locale affects formatting in the session, not the stored user setting. C) Roles govern record visibility.

An admin must require multi-factor authentication for interactive logins. What is the supported approach?

1. Assign the Multi-Factor Authentication for User Interface Logins permission
2. Build a custom login page that challenges users before their session starts
3. Add a validation rule on the User object that blocks saves without MFA
4. Create a sharing rule limiting records until the user verifies their identity

Answer: A — Assign the Multi-Factor Authentication for User Interface Logins permission

A) Right. The Multi-Factor Authentication for User Interface Logins system permission, assigned by profile or permission set, enforces the challenge, and Session Settings apply related org-wide controls. B) Custom development is unnecessary for a standard platform permission. C) Validation rules fire on record save, not at login. D) Sharing rules govern record access.

Sharing rule types?

Owner-based (records owned by certain users) and criteria-based (records meeting criteria).

OWD options?

Private, Public Read Only, Public Read/Write, Public Read/Write/Transfer (Cases/Leads), Controlled by Parent.

Field-level security?

Set on profile or permission set. Controls visibility of specific fields.

Production vs sandbox?

Production: live org with real users. Sandbox: copy for development/testing.