Salesforce CCPA compliance refers to the policies, controls, and configurations that allow organizations to meet California Consumer Privacy Act requirements while managing personal data inside Salesforce. Because Salesforce often serves as the system of record for marketing, sales, service, and support, it is central to how regulated data is collected, stored, and shared.

The CCPA expands consumer rights, regulates sensitive personal information, and increases accountability for how data is used, including automated decision-making and vendor sharing. For companies that meet the law’s revenue or processing thresholds, these obligations reach into daily Salesforce operations. A single misconfiguration can trigger statutory fines, lawsuits, and reputational damage.

This guide outlines how to apply Salesforce’s native capabilities to meet CCPA obligations, from enforcing consumer rights to reducing compliance risks and preparing for audits.

CCPA Requirements and Salesforce Capabilities

CCPA, strengthened by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) in 2023, gives state residents specific rights over their personal information. 

For-profit organizations must comply if they meet at least one of these thresholds:

• Annual revenue above $25 million
• Personal data from 100,000 or more California residents or households
• At least 50 percent of revenue from selling personal data

Penalties for violations are significant: up to $7,500 per intentional violation and $2,500 per unintentional violation, plus potential private lawsuits for certain data breaches.

In Salesforce, compliance obligations translate into clear operational requirements. 

The platform functions as a “service provider” under the CCPA, offering tools such as encryption, audit logs, deletion APIs, and consent management features. These tools support, but do not fulfill, compliance requirements on their own. Organizations must configure them correctly, design supporting processes, and maintain evidence that consumer requests are handled within the 45-day statutory window.

Key requirements to address in Salesforce include:

• Identifying objects and fields that contain personal or sensitive data
• Mapping how that data flows to integrated systems
• Enforcing least-privilege access, retention policies, and automated workflows for processing consumer requests

Manual processes increase the risk of errors. Teams address this by adding governance frameworks and change tracking, while also relying on audit trails and automated backups to strengthen Salesforce controls and produce verifiable compliance evidence.

How to Align CCPA Rights to Salesforce Features 

Each consumer right in the CCPA maps to specific Salesforce features. Understanding this mapping allows compliance teams to configure controls, generate audit-ready evidence, and respond quickly to regulator or consumer requests.

Right to Know

Consumers can request a complete report of their personal information. In Salesforce, Data Classification metadata tags relevant fields so they can be included in targeted reports or Data Export jobs. To meet full compliance, ensure source, purpose, and sharing details are captured in structured fields or related records. Without this governance, reports will omit critical disclosure elements.

Right to Delete

Consumers may request deletion of personal data, with certain exceptions. Standard REST or Bulk API DELETE calls remove records, while Data Mask can anonymize information that must be retained. A common approach is to hard-delete operational records, then use a Flow to replace remaining identifiers with generated tokens.

Right to Opt-Out

If personal information is sold or shared, opt-outs must be honored. In Salesforce, an Experience Cloud preference center can set a Do_Not_Sell boolean on Contact, Lead, and Person Account objects. Process Builder or Flow then propagates the flag to integrated marketing platforms or data brokers via API.

Notice and Transparency

Organizations must disclose data collection and usage practices. Field History Tracking and Setup Audit Trail log changes to consent and notice fields, while Salesforce CMS can manage notice text across public sites and in-app banners to maintain version consistency. These logs are not immutable, so combine them with deployment or version control data to create a complete history.

Data Security (CPRA Expansion)

Reasonable security measures are required. Shield Platform Encryption protects data at rest, Event Monitoring tracks most API calls and UI access to sensitive fields, and profiles and permission sets enforce least-privilege access. 

Role hierarchy controls record visibility, while Transaction Security Policies can trigger real-time alerts for high-risk actions like bulk data exports.

Maintain a centralized matrix mapping each CCPA right to the Salesforce feature that satisfies it, along with the report or audit evidence that proves compliance. Update this matrix whenever data fields, integrations, or processes change. 

Because Salesforce acts as a “service provider” under CCPA, confirm that a signed Data Processing Agreement is in place — technical alignment without contractual coverage leaves a compliance gap.

How to Configure Salesforce for CCPA Compliance

Implementing CCPA controls in Salesforce involves steps that cover data discovery, security, and consumer rights processes. The order may vary by environment, but each control should be implemented, documented, and tested to maintain audit readiness.

1. Conduct a Data Audit and Inventory Personal Data

Identify every field, file, and integration that stores personal information. Use Reports, SOQL queries, and Schema Builder to locate common fields (e.g., Contact.Email, Lead.Phone) and work with business owners to uncover less obvious data in custom objects. Maintain this inventory as the source of truth for fulfilling Right to Know requests within CCPA’s 45-day window.

2. Apply Data Classification Metadata

Label the personal and sensitive fields found in Step 1 using Setup → Object Manager → Field & Relationships → Edit → Data Classification. Assign categories such as Personal Data or Sensitive Personal Data and mark the compliance group as CCPA. This enables targeted reporting during data subject requests and supports consistent governance.

3. Enforce Least-Privilege Access

Restrict personal data access to only those users who require it. Consolidate redundant profiles, grant exceptions through permission sets, and review profile-to-user mappings quarterly to prevent access drift. These preventive controls reduce both insider risk and accidental exposure.

4. Encrypt Sensitive Data with Shield Platform Encryption

Enable encryption for high-risk fields such as SSN, bank account numbers, or biometric identifiers. In Setup → Platform Encryption, generate a tenant secret or upload a BYOK key. Apply encryption selectively and test API integrations to avoid impacting functionality.

5. Enable Event Monitoring

Track and analyze access to personal data through Login, API, Apex, and Analytics events. Configure subscriptions to high-risk event types in Event Manager and forward logs to a SIEM for review. These detective controls provide the audit trail regulators expect and can help detect misuse early.

6. Activate Field History Tracking

Track changes to up to 20 key fields per object on records that store personal information. This captures before-and-after values along with the user ID for transparency obligations. Archive history periodically to manage storage while complying with retention rules.

7. Automate Retention and Deletion Policies

Use Flows or scheduled jobs to identify and process records for deletion or anonymization based on age or other criteria. Replace identifiers with anonymized values when analytics retention is required. For complete removal, export qualifying record IDs and process them in bulk operations, logging all actions for audit purposes.

8. Implement a Do Not Sell Mechanism

Provide a “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” option in Experience Cloud sites and intake forms that collect California resident data. Configure a Flow to set a Do_Not_Sell__c flag and send outbound messages to connected systems to stop sharing the flagged records.

9. Manage Privacy Notices in Salesforce

Centralize privacy notice content and version history in Salesforce CMS or Experience Cloud to ensure consistent updates across all channels. Track changes using Field History Tracking or a custom version control process so you can prove exactly what notice language was in place at a given time. Keep these records easily accessible for audits or regulatory reviews.

10. Maintain a Data Processing Agreement with Salesforce

Ensure a signed Data Processing Agreement (DPA) is in place with Salesforce, confirming the platform processes personal information only under your documented instructions. Review it annually or when regulations change. Store the current agreement in a system where it can be retrieved quickly during a vendor audit or regulatory inquiry.

11. Test and Validate Controls

Run simulated Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) to confirm configurations work as intended. Test access reports, deletion workflows, encryption, logging, and opt-out propagation to downstream systems. Document test results to maintain proof of operational compliance.

How to Handle CCPA Data-Subject Requests in Salesforce

A defined process for managing Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) in Salesforce helps you meet deadlines and prove compliance during audits. The goal is to centralize intake, verify identity, automate fulfillment, and maintain complete documentation for at least 24 months.

1. Intake and Identity Verification

Handling Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) starts with consistent intake. A dedicated Salesforce object—either Case or a custom DSAR record—provides a central place for tracking and reporting. Submissions can come from multiple channels, including Experience Cloud forms, web-to-case, or a dedicated email alias that routes directly into Salesforce.

Once a request is received, identity verification is the next step. The verification process should:

• Record the method, timestamp, and outcome directly on the DSAR record
• Use portal authentication with MFA when available
• Fall back to knowledge-based authentication (KBA) for users who are not authenticated
  

2. Automated Fulfillment Workflows

Once a DSAR has been verified, fulfillment should follow a repeatable process that minimizes manual handling and completes each request accurately and on time. 

Automating these workflows reduces the risk of human error, speeds up delivery, and consistently applies your organization’s CCPA policies. 

This stage relies on the data classification, access controls, deletion policies, and opt-out mechanisms already configured in earlier compliance steps.

Leverage those configurations to execute each request type:

• Access: Use predefined reports, Data Export jobs, or SOQL-driven Flows to gather all relevant personal data, review for exemptions, and deliver through a secure link.
• Deletion: Apply the same scoped search logic, then use either Flow for small volumes or Data Loader for large volumes. Emit Platform Events to alert downstream systems and log completion in the DSAR record.
• Opt-Out: Update the opt-out flag and propagate changes to all integrated systems via automation or outbound messages.

3. Request Tracking and Deadlines

Configure the DSAR object with fields for Opened Date, Verification Date, Deadline (Opened + 45 days), Status, and Owner. Automate deadline reminders at seven, three, and one day before the due date. Use Platform Events or dashboards so compliance officers can monitor all open requests in real time.

4. Documentation and Retention

Attach verification records, correspondence, and audit logs directly to the DSAR record. Protect them using Shield Field Audit Trail or other tamper-evident storage to preserve integrity. Keep DSAR records for at least 24 months, and update your retention policy if regulations or internal risk assessments require longer storage.

5. Ongoing Review and Optimization

Use analytics dashboards to track request volume, average response time, and bottlenecks. Adjust automation, staffing, or integration logic where delays occur. Regularly review the DSAR workflow to incorporate regulatory updates or changes to Salesforce architecture.

Common CCPA Compliance Gaps in Salesforce

Even mature Salesforce environments often share the same recurring privacy gaps. These issues create compliance risk but can be addressed with targeted operational changes that integrate into normal workflows.

• Unmapped data silos: Personal data often resides in custom objects, unmanaged packages, or legacy integrations that are missing from the official data inventory. These untracked stores become liabilities when fulfilling Right to Know or deletion requests. Prevent surprises by running quarterly cross-object inventories, using SOQL queries and AppExchange discovery tools to refresh your data map.
• Manual DSAR handling: Processing DSARs through spreadsheets and ad-hoc Data Loader sessions slows turnaround times and increases error risk. Automate intake with Web-to-Case or Experience Cloud forms, then orchestrate searches, exports, and deletions with Salesforce Flow. Automation keeps request handling consistent and within CCPA’s 45-day window.
• Inconsistent metadata classification: Identical data types may be classified differently across fields, environments, or business units, creating blind spots for encryption and reporting. Standardize Data Classification tags and enforce naming conventions in deployment pipelines to ensure consistency in discovery and security controls.
• Gaps in audit trails: Partial logging — such as enabling Field History Tracking on only a subset of objects — leaves investigators with incomplete evidence. Enable Shield Event Monitoring and Field Audit Trail on every object storing personal data, and centralize retention to meet CCPA’s evidence requirements.
• Outdated privacy notices: When data flows change faster than notices are updated, published content can fall out of compliance. Store notice text in Salesforce CMS or Experience Cloud, link it to custom metadata, and surface it through dynamic components so updates propagate instantly across sites, portals, and templates.
• Limited privacy training: Teams make configuration and campaign decisions daily, often without a privacy framework. Provide biannual, role-specific training that walks through DSAR processing, permission-set hygiene, and common Salesforce compliance issues. Scenario-based sessions are more effective than generic awareness programs.

Addressing these gaps turns CCPA compliance into a consistent operational practice. 

You fulfill requests on time, audits produce complete evidence, and personal data remains under controlled governance across the Salesforce environment.

How Flosum Supports CCPA Compliance in Salesforce

Flosum enables CCPA compliance in Salesforce by combining native DevSecOps, governance, and data management capabilities in a single platform that keeps sensitive information within Salesforce’s security perimeter.

Role-based access controls and approval workflows enforce least-privilege principles, so deployments do not expand data exposure without documented review. Immutable audit logs record every configuration change, field update, and deployment, allowing compliance teams to quickly answer who made a change, when, and why.

Automated backup and recovery maintain continuous snapshots of data and metadata, allowing precise restoration of individual records or entire environments if a deletion request is fulfilled incorrectly. Flosum can also be configured to support DSAR fulfillment by locating, exporting, or deleting records linked to a consumer and logging each action to provide defensible evidence for auditors.

Compliance dashboards give teams real-time visibility into open requests, deadlines, and system changes. By automating key privacy workflows and consolidating compliance evidence, Flosum reduces CCPA response times and strengthens audit readiness without relying on external tools or exporting data outside Salesforce.

Book a demo with Flosum today to see how it supports CCPA compliance.