For retaining historical data from a legacy donor management system, what should a consultant recommend for mapping 150 donation appeal source codes?

Mapping 150 donation appeal source codes is crucial for retaining historical data in a new system. By creating a custom text field for "Legacy Source Code" on both Contact and Opportunity objects, you allow for versatile and straightforward entry of data directly related to individual records. This approach provides several advantages.

First, it accommodates the specific historical data needs without the overhead of creating an entirely new object and relationship structure, which could complicate the system unnecessarily. A text field simplifies the data model while allowing users to retain the specific source codes linked to the donations or contacts.

Additionally, if a separate custom object were created, it would require more complex relationships and maintenance. Using a simple text field keeps the implementation lightweight and does not burden the user with additional clicks or navigation to find the necessary information.

Thus, employing a custom text field for "Legacy Source Code" on both Contact and Opportunity is a balanced solution that meets the requirements for data retention without introducing unnecessary complexity.