Updated for Winter '26 Release
Last Updated: November 2025 | Exam Version: Winter '26
This exam guide reflects the latest Salesforce Winter '26 release (November 2025). Key updates include Agentforce Lookalike Segments, Real-time Data Kits, and Dynamic LWR Personalization.
⚡ What Changed from Spring '25 to Winter '26?
AI-powered engine to build segments of new prospects that look like your best customers
New connectors for real-time event streaming and simplified data kit setup (e.g., Snowflake)
Activate segments directly to Experience Cloud LWR components for real-time personalization
Salesforce Certified Data Cloud Consultant
Your complete guide to ingestion, modeling, segmentation, and activation of customer data
📊 Exam At a Glance
📝 Note: As of July 21, 2025, all Salesforce exams are delivered through Pearson VUE (Trailhead Academy). The exam can be taken at a testing center or online with remote proctoring.
Exam Objectives & Weightage
1. Data Ingestion & Modeling
28%Configure Data Streams for batch and real-time ingestion. Map source data to Data Model Objects (DMOs) and understand the relationships between DMOs, DLOs, and CIs.
Understanding the configuration of Real-time Data Kits (e.g., Snowflake, S3) is now a key part of the data ingestion objective.
View Key Topics ▼
- Describe the different types of Data Streams (Batch, Real-time)
- Map source data fields to Data Model Objects (DMOs)
- Understand the standard DMO bundles (Sales, Service)
- Explain the relationship model and category (Profile, Engagement, Other)
2. Identity, Insights, & Segmentation
30%Configure Identity Resolution rulesets to create unified profiles. Build Calculated Insights for complex metrics and create segments for activation.
This section now includes Agentforce Lookalike Segments as a new AI-powered method for segment creation and audience expansion.
3. Activation & Measurement
24%Configure Activation Targets (e.g., Marketing Cloud, S3, Experience Cloud). Define and publish segments to these targets and understand data attribution.
Activating segments to Dynamic LWR Personalization components in Experience Cloud is a new testable activation scenario.
📝 Sample Exam Questions
💡 Test Your Knowledge
These sample questions reflect the style and difficulty level of the actual Consultant exam. Practice with these to assess your readiness.
Question 1: Data Ingestion & Modeling
A consultant needs to ingest 5 years of historical order data from an external data warehouse. The data is provided as CSV files in an Amazon S3 bucket and should be refreshed nightly. Which Data Stream type is required?
A) Website SDK
B) Mobile SDK
C) Cloud Storage Connector (S3)
D) Real-time API
✓ Correct Answer: C) Cloud Storage Connector (S3)
Explanation: The Cloud Storage Connector is designed for batch ingestion of data from sources like Amazon S3, Azure Blob, or Google Cloud Storage, which fits the nightly CSV file requirement.
Question 2: Identity & Segmentation
A customer exists as a Lead (with an email address) and a Contact (with a phone number). What Data Cloud feature is used to combine these records into a single Unified Individual profile?
A) Identity Resolution Ruleset
B) Calculated Insight
C) Data Stream Mapping
D) Activation Target
✓ Correct Answer: A) Identity Resolution Ruleset
Explanation: Identity Resolution is the feature specifically designed to match and link disparate source records (like Leads and Contacts) into a single Unified Profile based on defined rules (e.g., Email or Phone).
Question 3: Activation
A marketer wants to send an email from Marketing Cloud to all customers who have a "Lifetime Value" over $1,000. How should a consultant build this audience in Data Cloud?
A) Create a Data Stream, then create an Activation Target.
B) Create a Calculated Insight for "Lifetime Value", then build a Segment based on that insight.
C) Create an Identity Resolution rule, then add a filter to the rule.
D) Create an Activation Target, then create a new Data Model Object.
✓ Correct Answer: B) Create a Calculated Insight for "Lifetime Value", then build a Segment based on that insight.
Explanation: This is a classic pattern. First, use a Calculated Insight (CI) to perform the aggregation (SUM of all orders) to find "Lifetime Value." Second, create a Segment that uses the CI as a filter (e.g., "Lifetime Value > 1000").
Question 4: Segmentation (Winter '26 Feature)
A company wants to expand its audience by finding new prospects who share the key attributes of their "Top Customers" segment. What new Winter '26 feature should the consultant recommend?
A) Real-time Data Kits
B) Agentforce Lookalike Segments
C) Dynamic LWR Personalization
D) A new Identity Resolution Rule
✓ Correct Answer: B) Agentforce Lookalike Segments
Explanation: The new Agentforce Lookalike Segments feature is specifically designed to analyze an existing "seed" segment (e.g., "Top Customers") and use AI to find other profiles that are statistically similar, expanding the audience.
💡 Exam Tip: The consultant exam is all about connecting business requirements to the Data Cloud model. Know the difference between a DMO, a DLO, and a CI, and when to use each one.
📚 Study Resources & Preparation
🎯 Recommended Study Plan (4-6 Weeks)
Confirm Admin cert. Study the Data Model (DMOs, DLOs), data mapping, and Identity Resolution concepts.
Hands-on. Ingest data from S3 and Web SDK. Build Identity Rulesets. Create Calculated Insights and Segments.
Take practice exams. Configure Activation Targets (MC, S3). Review data ethics and governance controls.
💡 Exam Day Tips
Many scenarios are solved by correctly mapping source data to the right DMO (e.g., Individual, Contact Point, Sales Order).
Know the difference. A Calculated Insight (CI) creates a *metric* (like 'Lifetime Value'). A Segment creates an *audience* (like 'People with LTV > 1000').
Understand the lifecycle: Data Stream → Data Model (DMO) → Identity Resolution → Calculated Insight → Segment → Activation.