Gian Vallejos

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Data Model in Salesforce can represent a collection of objects and fields in an app and how they are related to one another. That means, it can be created using Standard Objects, custom objects and relationships.

Creating a Data Model in Salesforce

• Is a way to represent data in a database consisting of tables with columns and rows.
• Objects represent the tables, fields represent the columns, and records represent rows in Salesforce.
• Standard Objects can be: Account, Contact, Case and Opportunity (Sales Objects Diagram)
• Custom Objects are used to store specific information about the company’s requirement.
• We can set up different relationship types such as lookup and master-detail.
• We can use Schema Builder for viewing and setting up the data model of our organization.

Choosing a Data Model in Salesforce

• A data model is typically created for a custom application in Salesforce.
• Business objects are provided by Salesforce, which means that custom objects are not required for them.
• The type of relationships depends on factors such as object type, security and deletion.
• Before create an object or field ask yourself: Does Salesforce provides us an object or field to handle this information? If not, create a custom object or field.

Types of Relationships

Lookup Relationships

• To link two objects together loosely, that means, without depends each other.
• Don’t have an effect on security or deletion.
• Can be required or optional in the field definition.
• Records of the child object can appear in a related list on the parent record.
• A lookup relationship field can be used to link an object with itself.

Master-Detail Relationships

• To link two objects together closely, it means that they depends each other.
• Deleting a parent record automatically deletes the child record.
• The child record inherit the sharing and security settings of the parent record.
• Can be defined between two custom objects, or a standard object and a custom object, where the standard object is the parent.
• A master-detail relationship field is always required on the detail record.
• Child records can appear in a related list on the parent record.
• Roll-up summary fields can be created on the parent object to summarize the child record.

Many-to-Many Relationships

• To link each record of an object to multiple records of another object and vice versa.
• A custom junction object is created with two master-detail relationships.
• Access to a junction object record is determined by a user’s sharing access to both master records.
• Junction object records are deleted when either associated master record is deleted.
• Roll-up summary fields can be created on both master objects to summarize data from the junction object.

Impact of Modifying Objects and Fields

• A custom object referenced in Apex or Visualforce cannot be deleted.
• The label of an object or field can be renamed even if its referenced by Apex.
• If a schema relationship is modified, Apex code that referes the relationship needs to be updated.

Impact of Field Modifications

• A custom field that is referenced in Apex cannot be deleted. A new temporary field can be created and the referenced field in Apex can be replaced with the temporary field.
• Data type of a custom field referenced by Apex or Visualforce cannot be changed.
• Any modification to a field from Salesforce can have impact on the Apex code that references the field.
• If new value is added to a picklist field, the logic used in Apex code may be updated.
• Modifying the lenght or decimal place of a field may cause data loss.
• If the value of a required field is not specified in Apex, it causes an error.
• If a roll-up summary field is modified, it can change the output of any Apex code.

Custom Settings

• Are similar to custom objects and can be queried like custom objects.
• To handle static data that needs to be queried many times from the database.
• The application cache enables efficient access to custom settings, avoiding repeated queries to the database.
• Formula fields, validation rules, flows, Apex, and SOAP API can then use this data.
• Can be accessed via custom setting methods or using $Setup variable.

For More Information

• Sales Objects
• Object Relationships Overview
• Considerations for Relationships
• Understand Custom & Standard Objects

If you want to see more information about Salesforce, can go to Write Unit Tests for Apex in Salesforce.

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