Salesforce data retention & masking in 5 steps

Reducing Salesforce data footprint directly reduces the cost and risks of potential data leaks and embarrassment, as well as benefits your organization.

 

Here are 5 easy steps to automate data retention & masking for your Salesforce Org.

"Organizations that fully realize the value of reducing
obsolete data, still struggle with how to do it." 

In this article, we will discuss the 5 steps to reducing obsolete data.

Step 1 : Mask data in the sandbox
Protect your organization from exposing sensitive information in sandboxes to ensure security, compliance and trust

 

Sample Masking Policy:

Ensure that customer data is not accessible in the sandbox. Remove unnecessary business sensitive data from sandboxes and delete/update any other data.

Data Masker – AppExchange | Free | 5 Star rated!

 

Step 2: Build Consensus

Collaborate with internal stakeholders whose input produces a solid data reduction strategy

  • Run Salesforce data coverage tools like Cloud Compliance’s Personal Data Discovery or FieldTrip to get a snapshot of the ‘state of data’ in your Salesforce Org.
  • Share your findings and highlight the benefit of data reduction to your stakeholders

Step 3: Define Policy

 

Determine retention policy based on a classification of your data

Step 4:

Retain in production
Enforce and automate data retention policy to ensure security, compliance and trust

 

Typical Retention Policy:

Identify leads with no movement for 9 months. Remove (mask) their personal data after a year and delete the masked leads after another 6 months

Data Masker – AppExchange | Free | 5 Star rated!

 

Step 5: Monitor and Minimize

Ensure coverage for changing data model and adopt a minimalistic data collection practice

  • Monitor policy enforcement and execution
  • Ensure coverage for changing data model