Salesforce Advanced Admin key terms

The baseline record-sharing setting for each object, defining whether records are private, publicly readable, or publicly editable. Role hierarchy, sharing rules, and manual sharing can only widen access beyond this default; they never make it stricter.

A tree of roles where a user placed above another gains the same record access that the lower user has, as long as the object's sharing settings allow it. It widens access upward and never removes access.

A rule that opens access to records beyond organization-wide defaults by granting read or read/write access to roles, public groups, or territories, filtered either by record ownership or by field-based criteria.

A collection of permissions and settings assigned to users on top of their profile. Permission sets only add access, a user can hold many of them, and they are not tied to a single job function.

A container that bundles several permission sets and recalculates permissions automatically when its membership changes, letting admins manage access for a job function in one place instead of assigning sets individually.

A filter that hides records from users on an object even when sharing would otherwise grant access, based on record owner or queue. It narrows visibility only and helps scope very large data sets.

Settings on profiles and permission sets that determine whether a user can view or edit a specific field. Field-level security applies across page layouts, list views, reports, and API access.

A tight parent-child link where the child record inherits the parent's owner and sharing, is deleted when the parent is deleted, and supports roll-up summary fields. The child cannot exist without a parent.

A loose link between two objects where each record stands on its own. Lookups do not change ownership, sharing, or deletion behavior, and the field can usually be left blank.

A field on the parent record that calculates count, sum, minimum, or maximum across related child records, optionally filtered by criteria. It is available only on the parent side of a master-detail relationship.

A formula field that pulls values from a related record through a lookup or master-detail relationship, letting a record display data from a parent without duplicating or syncing that data.

A custom object holding two master-detail relationships, which links two other objects in a many-to-many relationship. It can carry its own fields and roll up values from either side.

Configuration records defined like custom object data that deploy with metadata, can be queried in SOQL, and can be referenced in formulas and code, so configuration moves between orgs instead of being recreated manually.

A record page feature that lets admins place individual fields and field sections on a Lightning page instead of relying on a page layout, with visibility rules applied per component for different users.

A log in Setup that records configuration changes made over the last 180 days, showing who made each change, what changed, and when. It can be downloaded for external review or compliance evidence.

A setting that stores previous and current values for selected fields on an object, up to a per-object limit, so changes can be reported on later. Tracked history counts toward data storage.

An add-on that produces log files of user activity such as logins, API calls, and page views. Admins analyze these files through the log file browser or API to investigate behavior and security incidents.

A record of successful and failed login attempts showing user, time, IP address, browser, and platform. It is viewable in Setup and retained for six months.

A capture of system, validation, flow, and Apex activity for a specific user, used to troubleshoot errors. Logs expire after a set time and size and can be viewed in Setup or downloaded.

A real-time rule built on event monitoring that detects certain user activities and then blocks them, requires a challenge, or sends a notification. The add-on product is required for it to function.

A client application that imports, updates, upserts, deletes, and exports records in bulk using CSV files and the API. It handles large volumes and can run interactively or from the command line.

A field flagged as an external identifier that holds a unique key from another system. It enables upsert matching and relationships without relying on Salesforce record IDs.

A single operation that creates records that do not exist and updates those that do, matching on an external ID or another unique field. It reduces duplicate creation during recurring loads.

A holding area for deleted records that keeps them for 15 days so they can be restored together with their relationships. Records sitting in the bin still count against storage limits.

A rule that defines what happens when a record matches existing records according to a matching rule, typically an alert that blocks or allows the save, or a report-only warning.

A flow that launches when a record is created, updated, or deleted, running either before the record is saved or after it. It is the main replacement for workflow rules and Process Builder.

A record-triggered flow that runs before the record is committed and assigns new values to the triggering record's fields without an extra update step, making it faster than after-save alternatives.

A flow that runs at defined times and intervals, gathers records with a query, and processes them in batches. It suits recurring cleanup or reminder automation and needs no record event to start.

A setup tool that routes a record through approvers and steps, with actions for submission, approval, rejection, and recall. It can lock records and can post updates when it finishes.

A formula condition that must be false for a record to save. When it evaluates as true, the user sees an error message and the save is blocked, protecting data quality.

A container of metadata components sent from one org to another, usually sandbox to production. It carries only supported metadata types, not data, and cannot be edited once uploaded.

A separate copy of production used for development, testing, and training. Sandbox types differ in the data and metadata they include and in how often they can be refreshed.

An API that retrieves and deploys customizations as structured XML files rather than through the user interface. Change sets, command-line tools, and packages are built on top of it.

A command-line tool for authenticating to orgs and running metadata retrieve, deploy, test, and scratch org commands. It supports scripted, repeatable releases and source-driven development.

A package type for distributing metadata to other orgs where subscribers can modify components after installing. Versions are created and deployed through the command line, aimed at internal or partner applications.

A rule that assigns new cases to users or queues based on criteria such as product, priority, or origin. Only one assignment rule can be active at any time.

A time-based rule that reassigns or notifies on cases that pass age thresholds, helping teams meet service commitments. Escalation runs on a schedule and must be enabled for cases.

A record describing the support terms a customer is owed, such as response and resolution times. Entitlements drive milestones and determine whether a case is within its service agreement.

A routing engine that pushes work items such as cases, chats, and leads to agents based on capacity, skills, and availability, rather than leaving work sitting in queues for manual pickup.

A guided-selling component on opportunity records that shows which key fields to complete at each stage, helping reps follow a consistent sales process.