Salesforce Platform Developer Practice Exam

Which of the following best describes the Master-Detail relationship?

1. The master record controls the details, including sharing and ownership.

2. Detail records can exist independently of the master record.

3. A detail record cannot be shared, while a master record can.

4. Master records cannot have more than one detail record.

The correct answer is: The master record controls the details, including sharing and ownership.

The Master-Detail relationship in Salesforce is characterized by the control that the master record has over the detail records. When a master record exists, it dictates key aspects of the detail records, including their sharing settings and ownership. This means that the detail records inherit the sharing settings of the master record, and the ownership of a detail record is automatically assigned to the owner of the master record. This relationship creates a strong link where the lifecycle of the detail record is dependent on the master record; if the master record is deleted, all associated detail records are also deleted. This dependency and ownership structure emphasize the controlling nature of the master record. In contrast, the other choices do not accurately reflect this relationship's core characteristics. For instance, detail records cannot exist independently from the master record; they are dependent on it. The assertion that a detail record cannot be shared while a master record can also misrepresents the concept, as the sharing is dictated by the master record's settings. Finally, the statement about master records being limited to only one detail record is incorrect, as a master record can have multiple detail records associated with it, which showcases the hierarchy inherent in this relationship.