Salesforce Sharing and Visibility Certification Practice Exam

Which permission allows a user to view all data across all records in Salesforce?

1. View All Data

2. Modify All Data

3. View Reports in Public Folders

4. Access All Areas

The correct answer is: View All Data

The permission that allows a user to view all data across all records in Salesforce is the "View All Data" permission. This permission grants users the ability to see every record within the organization, regardless of the sharing settings or role hierarchy. It is particularly powerful because it overrides any restrictions that might be in place due to sharing rules or record ownership, ensuring complete visibility into all data within the Salesforce instance. In a typical use case, administrators and managers who need comprehensive access for oversight, reporting, or auditing purposes would utilize this permission. It is essential for users performing roles that require complete access to ensure they can effectively manage and analyze all data available in Salesforce. While "Modify All Data" allows a user to not only view but also edit all records, the focus of the current question is on viewing alone. Other options such as "View Reports in Public Folders" are more limited in scope, allowing access to specific reports rather than general data visibility. "Access All Areas" is not a recognized permission in Salesforce terminology and does not correlate to any actual settings within the platform.