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Salesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation – Complete 2026 Guide
Stage one of the CTA assessment. You work through an enterprise scenario with a Salesforce evaluator, design a solution and discuss it. Passing opens access to the review board.
Required Prerequisite
You must complete this certification before attempting this one.
| Official exam name and code | Salesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation (CTA Step 1) |
|---|---|
| Questions | Scenario-based |
| Time allotted | Timed session |
| Passing score | Evaluator decision |
| Exam fee | ~$1,500 |
| Retake fee | $750 |
| Prerequisite certifications | Salesforce Certified Application Architect |
| Study guide release | Summer '26 |
Exam Topics
Last updated:
Who is the Technical Architect Evaluation exam for?
- CTA candidates preparing to apply: You hold both architect credentials and need to clear this stage before the review board opens.
- Senior architects testing readiness: You want an honest signal on whether your design and defence skills are board standard.
- Practice leads coaching candidates: You prepare others for CTA and need to know what this stage actually assesses.
Exam Fees & Registration
Exam Fee
$1,500
One-time registration fee
Retake Fee
$750
If you need to retake the exam
Comparing certs? View all Salesforce exam fees in one place →
Certification Validity
Maintenance and renewal requirements vary. Check the issuer’s current credential page for requirements that apply to you.
How to Register
Check current Salesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation credential and registration details with the issuer.
View official credential detailsOfficial references: Use the issuer’s current materials to confirm exam objectives, format, and fees before booking.
Official sources: Salesforce exam pricing·Independent exam-prep resource; details may change.
Exam Tips
- 1Scenario Analysis is 40%. Practice reading complex scenarios and identifying requirements.
- 2Solution Design is 35%. Know how to design secure, scalable, integrated solutions.
- 3Time management is critical, you have limited time for scenario analysis and design.
- 4Review past CTA evaluation scenarios and practice under time pressure.
Prerequisites
- •Application Architect
- •System Architect
- •Years of complex implementation experience
Focus Areas
- •Scenario Analysis
- •Solution Design
- •Technical Knowledge
Study Strategy
Practice analyzing scenarios quickly.
Design solutions under time pressure.
Review CTA prep materials and past scenario examples.
Exam Format and First-Attempt Readiness
The Salesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation exam has Scenario + MC questions in Timed, passing score Per exam. Most Salesforce exams test scenario-based decisions. Focus on when to use each feature, not just terms.
- Study high-weight topics first. Then close gaps.
- Do timed question sets. Build pacing and confidence.
- Review why wrong answers are wrong. It improves scenario reasoning.
- Book the exam once your mock scores are steady.
Is the Technical Architect Evaluation Exam Hard?
Is the Technical Architect Evaluation Exam Hard?
This is stage one of the CTA assessment, not a standard exam. You work through a scenario with a Salesforce evaluator, produce a design and discuss it. Its job is to confirm you are ready for the review board before you commit to the larger fee.
- Not a multiple-choice exam. You are assessed on a scenario-based design and how you explain it.
- Prerequisites first. Application Architect and System Architect must both be active.
- It gates the board. Passing this stage is what gives you access to the review board.
- Fee: third-party sources put this stage at around US$1,500, with the board separate. Confirm current fees with Salesforce.
Pass Rate Guidance
You are ready when you can read a scenario, produce a defensible design inside the time given, and explain each choice without notes. If you have never been challenged on a design out loud. Practise that before booking.
Technical Architect Evaluation Exam Format Explained
Technical Architect Evaluation Exam Format Explained
This stage is a scenario-based assessment with an evaluator, not a question paper. Here is what to expect:
Total Questions
Scenario + MC scored questions
Time Limit
Timed
Passing Score
Per exam
Question Type
Multiple-choice & multiple-select
Best Way to Pass on Your First Attempt
- Read the scenario twice before designing: Most lost marks come from solving a slightly different problem from the one described.
- Work to a structure: Cover data, security, integration, development lifecycle and licensing every time, so nothing is forgotten under time pressure.
- Say what you rejected: Naming the alternative and why you did not take it is what demonstrates judgement.
- Practise with a timer: The constraint is time, not knowledge. Produce complete designs under the clock before you book.
CTA Evaluation: Key Concepts for Success
What This Stage Is For
The architect evaluation exists so that neither you nor Salesforce spends the time and cost of a full review board before you are ready. It uses the same raw material as the board, a hypothetical company with goals, systems and constraints, but on a smaller scale and with a single evaluator rather than a panel. Passing it is the gate to booking the board. Treat it as a genuine attempt: the skills it checks, reading requirements accurately and justifying design choices, are the same ones the board will test more harshly.
Reading the Scenario Properly
Scenarios are written with detail that matters and detail that does not. Pull out the actual requirements, the constraints such as data residency, existing systems or budget, and the things that are merely background. The most common failure in this format is designing for the problem you expected rather than the one in front of you. Write the requirements down as a list and tick them off against your design before you present it, so you can show coverage rather than hope for it.
Producing a Defensible Design
A good answer is complete, not clever. Cover the data model, how records are secured and shared, how systems integrate, how changes are released, and what licences the solution implies. Prefer standard platform capability over custom build, and be explicit when you are choosing custom and why. Keep the design proportionate: an enterprise scenario does not require every Salesforce product, and adding components you cannot justify creates questions you will have to answer.
Explaining and Defending Choices
The discussion matters as much as the diagram. For each significant decision, be able to state the requirement it serves, the alternative you considered, and the trade-off you accepted. Acknowledge weaknesses before they are pointed out, which reads as analysis rather than defensiveness. If the evaluator challenges a choice, do not abandon it immediately, but do not dig in against a good argument either. Reasoned adjustment is a positive signal; capitulation and stubbornness are both negative ones.
Preparing for This Stage
Work from full scenarios rather than topic revision. Set a timer, produce a complete design, then present it to someone who will ask why. Build a repeatable running order so coverage is automatic. Record yourself and listen for the places where you talk around a decision rather than making one. Candidates who clear this stage comfortably have usually rehearsed the full cycle, reading, designing and defending, several times before booking.
The Evaluation blends multiple-choice technical knowledge questions with a written solution design component addressing a scenario’s requirements, constraints, and trade-offs, passing this is the prerequisite for attempting the live Review Board.
How to Pass the Salesforce Technical Architect Evaluation Exam
This stage rewards accuracy and structure more than ambition. Solve exactly the problem described, and show your reasoning as you go.
Requirement Coverage
List the stated requirements and map each to part of your design. Missing one is the most common and most avoidable failure.
Handling Ambiguity
If something is unclear, state the assumption you are making and carry on. An explicit assumption is acceptable; a silent one is not.
Clear Diagrams
A readable diagram you can talk through beats a dense one you cannot. Label the integrations and the data flows.
Justification Framework
Requirement, decision, alternative considered, trade-off accepted. Apply it to every significant choice.
Timed Practice
Knowledge is rarely the limit. Practise producing a complete design inside the time allowed.
Is the Salesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation Exam Hard?
DifficultyChallenging; plan about 8-16 weeks of focused prep.
Book When ReadyWork through timed mocks until you can explain every wrong answer before scheduling.
Use Practice, Not DumpsOriginal practice questions build skill without risking your credential.
Exam format: Scenario + MC questions, Timed, Per exam passing score.
Salesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation Practice Questions (With Explanations)
Test your knowledge with these 15 sample questions , practice scenario-style thinking and technical architecture concepts for the Architect Evaluation.
Question 1: What is the main purpose of the architect evaluation stage?
Key takeaway: It is a readiness assessment that gates access to the board, so neither side commits to the larger stage too early.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. To confirm a candidate is ready before they book the full review board
It is a readiness assessment that gates access to the board, so neither side commits to the larger stage too early.
- It does not replace any prerequisite credential.
- The credential is awarded after the board, not here.
- There is no coding component.
Question 2: A scenario states that customer data must remain in the EU. A candidate's design stores it in a US-hosted system without comment. What is the problem?
Key takeaway: Constraints in the scenario are requirements.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. A stated constraint has been ignored
Constraints in the scenario are requirements. Ignoring one, especially a regulatory one, is a serious failure.
- It is a compliance failure, not a cost question.
- The candidate is expected to address it unprompted.
- Data residency is an architecture decision, not someone else's problem.
Question 3: Partway through, a candidate realises a requirement is ambiguous. What is the best approach?
Key takeaway: Making an assumption explicit shows judgement and lets the evaluator follow the reasoning.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. State the assumption being made and design on that basis
Making an assumption explicit shows judgement and lets the evaluator follow the reasoning.
- Candidates are expected to proceed, not stall.
- Ignoring a requirement loses coverage.
- Designing for every interpretation produces a bloated, unfocused solution.
Question 4: Which approach to a design decision demonstrates the judgement being assessed?
Key takeaway: The assessment is about reasoning: what you chose, against what, and at what cost.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Naming the requirement, the option chosen
The assessment is about reasoning: what you chose, against what, and at what cost.
- An unexplained client preference is not architecture.
- Advanced is not the same as appropriate.
- Unjustified components invite questions you cannot answer.
Question 5: A candidate designs a custom solution for something a standard Salesforce feature already does. How is this likely to be viewed?
Key takeaway: Standard capability is preferred.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Negatively, unless the candidate can justify why the standard feature was unsuitable
Standard capability is preferred. Custom build needs a reason, such as a requirement the standard feature genuinely cannot meet.
- They are not equivalent: custom build carries maintenance cost.
- Depth is shown by judgement, not by building more.
- Flexibility does not outweigh the cost without a reason.
Question 6: What must be in place before taking this stage?
Key takeaway: Both role-based architect credentials are prerequisites for the CTA path.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Active Application Architect and System Architect credentials
Both role-based architect credentials are prerequisites for the CTA path.
- Superbadges are not a CTA prerequisite.
- There is no employment-length rule.
- Administrator alone is far short of the requirement.
Question 7: Why is timed practice more useful than further reading for this stage?
Key takeaway: Candidates at this level usually know the platform.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. The constraint is producing a complete design in the time given, not knowledge
Candidates at this level usually know the platform. What they lack is speed and structure under pressure.
- Reading is useful, just not the binding constraint.
- The scenario is not published beforehand.
- Nothing guarantees a pass.
Question 8: An evaluator challenges a candidate's integration choice with a reasonable objection. What is the best response?
Key takeaway: Reasoned adjustment shows judgement.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Engage with the objection and adjust if the argument is sound
Reasoned adjustment shows judgement. Both instant capitulation and stubbornness read badly.
- The requirements are fixed.
- Dropping a decision at the first challenge suggests it was never reasoned.
- Refusing to engage fails the communication element.
Question 9: Which set of areas should a complete design cover?
Key takeaway: A complete answer addresses all of these, which is why a repeatable structure helps under time pressure.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Data, security and sharing, integration, development lifecycle and licensing
A complete answer addresses all of these, which is why a repeatable structure helps under time pressure.
- Integration is one area among several.
- User interface is a small part of an enterprise design.
- A data model alone leaves most of the scenario unanswered.
Question 10: How does this stage relate to the review board?
Key takeaway: The evaluation comes first and gates the board, which is the final stage.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Passing it gives access to book the review board
The evaluation comes first and gates the board, which is the final stage.
- There is no route to CTA that skips the board.
- The order is evaluation first, then board.
- They are separate stages with separate fees.
Question 11: A candidate produces an excellent design but cannot finish explaining it in the time available. What does this suggest?
Key takeaway: Covering the required ground in the time given is part of the skill, and a set running order is how candidates achieve it.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. They need a repeatable presentation structure and timed rehearsal
Covering the required ground in the time given is part of the skill, and a set running order is how candidates achieve it.
- An unexplained design cannot be assessed.
- Time pressure is a deliberate part of the format.
- More detail makes the time problem worse.
Question 12: What should a candidate do with the stated requirements before presenting?
Key takeaway: Demonstrating coverage requirement by requirement is the most direct way to show the design answers the scenario.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Check each one against the design and be ready to show where it is met
Demonstrating coverage requirement by requirement is the most direct way to show the design answers the scenario.
- Business requirements matter as much as technical ones.
- Repeating them without mapping shows nothing.
- The candidate must show coverage, not assume it.
Question 13: Which is the best description of the material used in this stage?
Key takeaway: Both CTA stages are built on hypothetical enterprise scenarios.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. A hypothetical company with goals
Both CTA stages are built on hypothetical enterprise scenarios.
- There is no hands-on configuration.
- Your own projects are not the basis of the assessment.
- There are no multiple-choice questions.
Question 14: A design includes middleware that the scenario does not obviously need. What is the risk?
Key takeaway: Every component invites a question.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. The candidate must justify it, and cannot
Every component invites a question. Anything you cannot justify weakens the overall defence.
- One unjustified component is not an automatic failure, but it does damage.
- It lengthens the discussion, in the wrong way.
- Middleware is a choice with costs, not a default.
Question 15: What is the most useful form of rehearsal before this stage?
Key takeaway: The format tests designing and defending under time pressure; which only live practice develops.
Show correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Producing timed designs and presenting them to someone who challenges you
The format tests designing and defending under time pressure; which only live practice develops.
- Passive review does not build the defence skill.
- Those guides cover the prerequisite exams.
- Limits are assumed knowledge at this level.
Get the Full Question Bank
Most candidates book once they can explain every wrong answer on a full mock.
If you’re planning to test this quarter, aim to complete full mocks at least 10–14 days before your exam date.
Contact us for more information on our full 60-question mock exams and a personalized study plan. Use the contact form.
Request Mock Exams & Study PlanSalesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation Exam FAQs
- What is covered on the Salesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation exam?
- This page shows the section-wise exam weightage so you know exactly which topics carry the most weight. Use the exam topics and practice questions above to align your study with the official outline.
- What is Technical Architect Evaluation?
- Technical Architect Evaluation is the first step to becoming a CTA. It's a written exam with scenario-based questions testing your ability to design secure, scalable solutions.
- What certifications do I need before Technical Architect Evaluation?
- You need Application Architect and System Architect. The Evaluation tests your ability to design solutions for complex scenarios under time pressure.
- Are there free practice questions for the Salesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation exam?
- Yes. This page includes free sample practice questions with explanations. Use them alongside the current official documentation.
- How do I prepare for the Salesforce Certified Technical Architect - Architect Evaluation certification?
- Use the exam tips, prerequisites, and study strategy on this page. Focus first on the highest-weighted sections, then take the sample practice questions. Schedule the exam when you consistently score well on practice tests.
Next Architect Certifications
Where this sits in the CTA path:
Fast Facts: the CTA Evaluation Exam Focus Areas
- Large data volumes and performance: Skinny tables for selective field queries on large objects, custom indexes for non-selective fields, data archiving with Big Objects, SOQL query optimisation, Apex batch processing at scale (chunking strategies, governor limit management), and platform cache usage for read-heavy workloads exceeding standard query limits.
- Enterprise integration architecture: Choosing between synchronous REST, asynchronous Platform Events, Change Data Capture (CDC), Streaming API, and MuleSoft for different integration scenarios. Designing idempotent integrations, handling API limits (concurrent API calls, daily API call limits), and designing for high-availability integration that tolerates downstream system failures.
- Multi-cloud and identity architecture: Designing multi-org Salesforce landscapes (single org vs. multi-org), external identity integration (SAML SSO, OAuth, delegated authentication), Experience Cloud authentication patterns, Salesforce Identity for external app authentication, and managing security across cloud boundaries.
Exam Domain Weighting (Approximate)
Domain weights are approximate. The exam draws from all architect-level credentials. Breadth across all domains is tested, not depth in one area.
Scenario Strategy: How to Approach CTA Evaluation Exam Questions
The CTA Evaluation Exam presents complex scenarios with multiple correct-seeming answers. The correct answer is the architecturally best solution, not just a working solution. Always consider scale, maintainability, and Salesforce best practices.
- For LDV questions: when an object exceeds 10 million records, standard SOQL queries without custom indexes can cause performance issues. Skinny tables (a stripped-down copy of frequently queried fields) dramatically speed up reporting queries. Defer sharing rules calculation for bulk data loads. Divide and conquer with batch sizes of 2,000 records max for Batch Apex. When a scenario describes reports timing out on a 50-million-record object, skinny tables are the first recommendation.
- For integration pattern questions: real-time synchronous integration (REST callout) is appropriate for user-facing transactions requiring immediate confirmation. Asynchronous (Platform Events, Queues) is better for high volume or when response latency is acceptable. Change Data Capture captures all record changes for downstream consumption without polling. When a scenario describes ’10,000 records updated per hour needing to sync to an external system’, use CDC, not synchronous REST callouts or scheduled Batch Apex.
- For multi-org questions: single-org is simpler but has limits (data, users, complexity). Multi-org provides isolation (separate release cycles, security boundaries) but requires integration. The CTA exam typically rewards single-org solutions when technically feasible. When a scenario describes different business units wanting separate release cycles, consider hub-and-spoke with Salesforce-to-Salesforce integration before recommending full multi-org architecture.
Study Plan for the CTA Evaluation Exam
6–12 months of targeted preparation after App Architect + System Architect credentials
Study all six architect-level credentials (Data Architect, Sharing & Visibility Architect, Integration Architect, Identity & Access Management Architect, Dev Lifecycle & Deployment Architect, and Platform App Builder) at exam-passing depth. The Evaluation Exam tests all of these simultaneously. Many candidates retake individual architect exams to refresh knowledge before attempting the CTA Evaluation.
3 Concepts That Fail Most Technical Architect Evaluation Candidates
These are not the hardest topics; they are the ones where candidates are most confidently wrong. Learn the distinction early.
1. Evaluation Format: Two Proctored Exams Before the Review Board
The Salesforce Technical Architect path includes two proctored multiple-choice assessments (Technical Architect Evaluation exams) before candidates are eligible for the Review Board. These exams test architecture knowledge across all domain areas. Candidates underestimate these proctored exams; they are rigorous and assess whether a candidate has the breadth of knowledge required to enter the Review Board process.
2. Covering All Salesforce Architecture Domains in Evaluation
The Technical Architect evaluation covers all architecture domains: Data Architecture, Integration, Sharing & Visibility, Development Lifecycle, Security, Identity, and Solution Design. Candidates focus on their strongest domain, the exam requires breadth across all domains, with especially high expectations on Integration Patterns, Deployment Strategy, and Data Architecture.
3. Scenario-Based Reasoning Over Feature Recall
The TA Evaluation exams are scenario-based: given a complex business requirement with constraints, choose the best architecture. Correct answers require justifying the approach based on the full context, not just identifying the "best practice." Candidates choose the textbook answer ignoring constraints, the exam penalises technically correct answers that do not fit the scenario constraints.
FAQs From Candidates
- What is the CTA Evaluation Exam and how does it differ from the Review Board?
- The Technical Architect Evaluation is the most prestigious credential in the Salesforce ecosystem, held by fewer than 1% of certified professionals. It validates the ability to design enterprise-scale Salesforce architectures across all domains simultaneously. CTAs command the highest salaries in the Salesforce job market and are sought by top SIs and consulting firms. The investment is significant (time, study, and fees), but for architects targeting the top of the Salesforce career ladder, it is widely considered the most valuable credential available.
- What topics are covered in the CTA Evaluation Exam?
- The CTA Evaluation Exam covers advanced topics across all Salesforce architectural domains: large data volumes and query optimisation, enterprise integration architecture patterns, identity and access management at scale, security architecture and field-level security at large data volumes, deployment strategy for complex multi-org environments, multi-cloud solution architecture, and Salesforce governance and release management.
- Is the Technical Architect Evaluation worth pursuing?
- The CTA Evaluation Exam has approximately 60 multiple-choice questions and a 120-minute time limit. The exact passing score is not publicly disclosed by Salesforce. The exam is notably more difficult than any other Salesforce written exam, it tests breadth across all architecture domains at an expert level, requiring you to hold and apply knowledge from the Application Architect and System Architect credential tracks simultaneously.
- Which credentials are recommended before attempting the CTA Evaluation Exam?
- Salesforce strongly recommends completing both the Application Architect credential (Data Architect + Sharing & Visibility Architect + Platform App Builder + System Architect) and System Architect credential (Integration Architect + Identity & Access Management Architect + Dev Lifecycle & Deployment Architect + System Architect) before the Evaluation Exam. Most successful candidates also have 5+ years of Salesforce architecture experience.
- What concepts do most Technical Architect Evaluation candidates get wrong?
- The most commonly misunderstood topics for the Technical Architect Evaluation exam are: (1) Evaluation Format: Two Proctored Exams Before the Review Board; (2) Covering All Salesforce Architecture Domains in Evaluation; (3) Scenario-Based Reasoning Over Feature Recall. Candidates are most confidently wrong on these. Learn the distinctions early to avoid losing marks on questions you expect to get right.
- Why do most Technical Architect Evaluation candidates fail questions about Evaluation Format?
- The Salesforce Technical Architect path includes two proctored multiple-choice assessments (Technical Architect Evaluation exams) before candidates are eligible for the Review Board. These exams test architecture knowledge across all domain areas. Candidates underestimate these proctored exams; they are rigorous and assess whether a candidate has the breadth of knowledge required to enter the ...
- Why do most Technical Architect Evaluation candidates fail questions about Covering All Salesforce Architecture Domains in Eval...?
- The Technical Architect evaluation covers all architecture domains: Data Architecture, Integration, Sharing & Visibility, Development Lifecycle, Security, Identity, and Solution Design. Candidates focus on their strongest domain, the exam requires breadth across all domains, with especially high expectations on Integration Patterns, Deployment Strategy, and Data Architecture.
- Why do most Technical Architect Evaluation candidates fail questions about Scenario-Based Reasoning Over Feature Recall?
- The TA Evaluation exams are scenario-based: given a complex business requirement with constraints, choose the best architecture. Correct answers require justifying the approach based on the full context, not just identifying the "best practice." Candidates choose the textbook answer ignoring constraints, the exam penalises technically correct answers that do not fit the scenario constraints.
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