Salesforce Platform Developer Practice Exam

What is a key limitation of Roll-Up Summary fields?

1. They can display on edit pages

2. They cannot reference other fields directly

3. Changes cannot be made to the detail object after creation

4. They are visible in validation rules

The correct answer is: Changes cannot be made to the detail object after creation

Roll-Up Summary fields are powerful tools within Salesforce that allow users to consolidate data from detail records to a master record. One of the inherent limitations of these fields is that once the detail records are created and associated with the master record, modifications to those detail records can impact what data is aggregated. However, the limitation highlighted in the correct answer indicates that significant changes to the detail records are restricted after their creation. This means that although certain updates, such as changes to related fields, could typically be made, the design of Roll-Up Summary fields imposes constraints that can prevent modifications when they would affect the roll-up calculation, ensuring data integrity within the master-detail relationship. This limitation is crucial to understand because it impacts how data is managed and aggregated in Salesforce. For users relying on Roll-Up Summary fields for accurate reporting and data analysis, it is essential to recognize that the detail records should be stable after being created to maintain the correctness of the roll-up results. Understanding this helps in designing data models and processes within Salesforce that align with business requirements.