Can you explain the Salesforce sharing model?

The Salesforce sharing model is a framework designed to control access to data at different levels, ensuring data security while allowing flexibility in collaboration. It consists of various features and settings that collectively determine how records are shared among users in an organization.

At its core, the sharing model starts with organization-wide defaults (OWD), which set the baseline level of access for each object (like read-only or private). From there, access can be further refined using roles and hierarchies, sharing rules, manual sharing, and team sharing. Roles and hierarchies determine a user’s visibility into records owned by users below them in the hierarchy. Sharing rules, both criteria-based and owner-based, allow for automatic sharing of records based on specific conditions. Manual sharing allows record owners or users with appropriate permissions to share records with specific users or groups. Team sharing enables collaboration on accounts, opportunities, cases, or contacts by forming teams with varied access levels.

This multi-layered approach allows Salesforce to maintain robust data security while providing flexibility to accommodate complex sharing requirements of different businesses. It ensures that users have access to the data they need for their roles, while protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access.