salesforce record type assignment by profile

How to Create Custom Record Types in Salesforce

Do you or your developers find it challenging to create custom record types in Salesforce? If so, you’ve come to the right place.

According to research,  60% of businesses  struggle to implement and manage their entire Salesforce ecosystem. That includes knowing how to create custom record types. 

If your developers or Salesforce admins need some assistance in record type creation, this step-by-step guide will help them (and you) understand the process and get the job done. First, let’s review what Salesforce record types are and how they integrate with business processes.  

Key Takeaways:

• With custom record types in Salesforce, you can configure various business processes, picklist values, and link them to user profiles.
• Unless you are using an existing business process, you will need to create one. Otherwise, you can move directly into creating a custom record type.
• There are three ways how you can create custom records, including from the management settings, Object Manager, and customized picklists.
• Use cases for custom record types include displaying various page layouts, restricting field access, and denying record creation when necessary.

What is Salesforce Record Types?

With the help of Salesforce Record Types, you can define various value sets to customize the picklist – a widget that shows the selectable options from a list of pre-defined values. The purpose of record types is to implement custom business processes. Salesforce developers use them for several reasons. 

You can create record types in  Salesforce Classic and Lightning . This feature allows you to create segments of picklist values. That allows the company to meet its needs for data to evaluate processes and business or sales strategies.

You can create value sets based on specific requirements like segmenting by division, region, product line, or any other values. Due to these value segments, you’ll only need to create a few values. That means you will need to maintain fewer fields because of these segments.

What does that have to do with business processes? Business processes enable you to track individual lead, support, and sales lifecycles completed for various groups, divisions, and markets. 

The business processes listed below are the ones most commonly available in any business:

• Lead Process
• Sales Process
• Support Process 
• Solutions Process

How to Create a Business Process

You will need to create a specific business process to attribute it to before creating a custom record type. You can skip this part if you have already entered into Salesforce. 

If this is complete, move directly to custom record type creation. Otherwise, you will need to begin with step one of this process

• Navigate to Setup:  Once you have done this, look for the Quick Find box and type the word “process.” 
• Select process to create:  For example, choose Sales Process to create one for the Opportunity object. Click on New.
• Choose Master:  You will do this in the field marked Existing Sales Process . That will include every picklist value for the process. You can also opt to mimic an existing process. 
• Name the process (optional):  You’ll add a description and select Save .
• Select Picklist values:  Choose the value you want your process to contain. You cannot select the picklist if the value doesn’t exist. (Confirm you have added those values beforehand. Otherwise, you will need to come back and edit them afterward.)

Once you have done this, select Save and move to the next phase to create a custom record type.

How to Create Custom Record Types

After you create the business process (or select one previously entered), choose the object and navigate to the left of the Object Manager screen.

Once you have done this, Select Record Types . You will then see a list of all record types created for the object. Click on New in the upper right corner. That will allow you to create a new record type.

You will then select one of the three methods to create a record type. Here are the three different methods you can use in Salesforce:

From Management Settings

User permission is often required to create or change the record types for customized applications. Here are the steps for creating these records in the management setting:

• Click on Record Type
• Select the proper object type
• Choose Master from the drop-down menu
• Enter Record Type label (these are often unique to the object)
• Enter Record Type name
• Select business process type
• Enter the description
• Choose Active (to activate the record)
• Click on Enable the Profile
• Select the checkbox in the header row (to enable all profiles)

From Object Manager

Here are the steps to create a record type using Object Manager:

• From Setup, select Object Manager  
• Select the appropriate Account
• Fill out the fields as needed (see image) 

• Locate column header titled Enable for Profile
• Deselect the checkbox
• Click on Profile (either System Administrator or Sales User)
• Click on Page Layout
• Select Account Layout

From Customized Picklists

To create a custom record list in Salesforce using a customized picklist, here are the steps to this method:

• Locate the Action column
• Select Edit (next to the field marked Industry)
• Select required values from the ones listed
• Add or remove values as needed

Important Use Cases of Using Custom Record Types

Here are some noteworthy use cases of using Salesforce custom record types:

• Showing various page layouts of an object depending on business needs.
• Displaying additional picklist values depending on the requirements.
• Limit layouts field access based on page layouts and record types.
• Deny the creation of a specific record using record type assignment and profile.

Create Custom Record Types with Salesforce Integration

Salesforce developers have several options when customizing records. They are vital to business operations, and you can use them whenever you need them. Yet, if all of this seems a bit confusing, there are resources available to make using any of the Salesforce offerings a little more straightforward.

When you work with us here at Rainmaker, our consulting team from our  Salesforce managed services  helps you understand how to use the entire Salesforce ecosystem to reach your business goals. 

We can help you maximize your return on investment by leveraging our expertise to drive success. We can do this whether you’re creating custom record types or just learning the basics of Salesforce integration. 

For more information about how we can help you understand the benefits of integrating any of the Salesforce offerings,  contact us  today! 

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Creating Record Types

Step 1: document the differences.

Step 2: Custom Fields

Step 3: object ‘processes’.

Step 4: Create Page Layouts

Step 5: Create Record Types

Step 6: Record Type Picklists

Step 7: Test It Out

Record type considerations –.

• When adding picklist values in the future, you’ll need to remember to also add them to the proper Record Type (and process, if needed – refer back to Step 3).
• You cannot use Inline Editing on a list view when Record Types are present, unless that list view has a filter displaying only one Record Type.
• You may need to remind your users to filter on Record Type when creating reports.
• You cannot use Record Type to determine visibility – see the Salesforce idea here . When you assign a Record Type to a Profile, you’re really just giving the potential ability to create that record type.
• Put descriptions everywhere – If you have a Community and are asking Community Users to create a record with a record type, be aware they may be able to see the descriptions!
• When you assign a record type to a profile by default, you are assigning the record type that appears by default in the picklist, just like the default value of any other picklist.

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About 30 mins

Learning Objectives

• Challenge +500 points

Discover More

Configure page layouts and record types.

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

• Set up the page layout for a record type.
• Create a record type.
• Use a record type to assign a page layout to a profile.

Create a Page Layout for Readers

Article readers and article authors perform different actions and see different fields on a knowledge article, so Maria must create different page layouts for these users. She creates the page layout for readers first. Let’s follow along and see what she does.

• Click Object Manager and select Knowledge .
• Click Page Layouts .
• Click New .
• If you’re basing the page layout on an existing layout, choose it. Maria selects None .
• Enter the name of your page layout. Maria enters Procedure - Reader .
• Click Save .

The layout editor opens. Let’s take a moment to get acquainted with it.

• Knowledge object (1)
• Page Layouts (2)
• Palette (3) —The palette contains Fields, Related Lists, and Mobile & Lightning Actions that you can add to your page layouts. In this example, Fields is selected, so the palette displays available fields. You can also create custom fields.
• Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions (4) —This section displays actions users can perform on the page. Drag items from the Mobile & Lightning Actions palette to add them to this section.
• Knowledge Detail (5) —Drag items from the Fields palette to add them to the page layout. In this example, the first section is named Knowledge Details, and it contains Title and URL Name.

Add Actions and Fields

Maria keeps the palette open and consults the list she made with Ada. She’s going to set up the page layout section by section: actions readers can perform, article information, article details, and article properties.

First, she sets up the actions that readers can perform on the article.

• In the palette, click Mobile & Lightning Actions .
• Hover over the Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section.

• Drag Post to the Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section. Post allows users to post to the Article Feed.
• Drag Poll next to Post.

Next, she sets up the Knowledge Detail section. The Title and URL name fields are already there and set as required. She adds one field.

• In the palette, click Fields .
• Drag Summary to the Knowledge Detail section.

Now she creates a section with more information about procedures.

• Name the section. Maria enters Article Details .
• Leave the defaults checked, then click OK .

Maria has to create custom fields to finish the Article Details section. She decides to create the other sections first and then come back to the custom fields. Here’s what she does.

• To reopen the editor after saving, click Page Layouts .
• To reopen the page layout, click Procedure - Reader .
• Create a section under Article Details. Maria uses the following values:
• Section Name: Properties
• Layout: 2-Column
• Tab-key Order: Top-down
• Add the following fields to the first column:
• Article Created Date
• Last Modified by
• Last Published Date
• Add the following checkboxes to the second column:
• Visible in Internal App
• Visible to Customer
• Visible to Partner
• Visible in Public Knowledge Base

Create Custom Fields

Maria has set up everything she can using the fields in the palette. On to creating custom fields for the Article Details section.

The first field she creates is Procedure Audience, a text field for describing an article’s audience.

• Click Fields & Relationships .
• Choose the field type. Maria chooses Text Area (Rich) .
• Click Next .
• Fill out the values. Maria uses these values.
• Field Label: Procedure Audience
• For Length, # Visible Lines, and Field Name she leaves the default values.
• Description: Use this field to identify who follows or executes this procedure.
• Help text: Who follows this procedure?
• Establish field-level security. Maria selects Visible for all profiles.
• Add the field to the palette for the page layout you’re creating. Maria chooses Procedure - Reader . Salesforce adds the new field as the last field in the first section by default. That’s where Maria wants it to go, but she can move it anytime if she changes her mind.

Maria repeats these steps to create custom fields for Procedure Warnings, Procedure Purpose, and Procedure Steps. She makes sure that the fields are in the correct order in the Article Details section.

Here’s her finished page layout for procedure readers.

Create a Page Layout for Authors

The Procedure - Author and Procedure - Reader page layouts are similar. But the author page has some different actions and an extra field for internal notes. The Internal Notes field is available only to agents who can author articles. Maria creates the Procedure - Author page layout from the existing Procedure - Reader layout.

• If you’re basing the page layout on an existing layout, choose it. Maria selects Procedure - Reader .
• Name the page layout. Maria enters Procedure - Author .

Maria changes the actions. Instead of Poll and Post actions, Maria includes: Edit, Publish, Delete Article, Change Record Type, Edit as Draft, Delete Draft, Submit for Approval, Assign, Archive, Restore, and Post.

She creates a custom field for Internal Notes using the following values.

• Data type: Text Area (Rich)
• Field Label: Internal Notes
• Field-level security: Custom: Support Profile . Maria created this profile for Ursa Major when she set up the knowledge base.
• Page layout: Procedure - Author . This adds the field to the Procedure - Author page layout at the bottom of the first new section. Maria makes a note to ask Ada later if she should add this field to the FAQ - Author page, too.

Here’s what Maria’s page layout for Procedure - Author looks like with the new fields.

Create and Assign a Record Type for Procedures

Maria has created two different page layouts—one for readers and one for authors. Now she creates a record type to show the correct page layout to the correct users. How does she know which users are which? By their profiles. Customers see the Procedure - Reader page layout. Agents see the Procedure - Author page layout.

Here’s how Maria creates and assigns the Procedure record type.

• Click Record Types .
• Select an existing record type to use as a template. The new record type includes the picklist values of the selected record type. Maria chooses Master .
• Enter a label for your record type. Maria enters Procedure .
• Enter a description. Maria enters For step-by-step instructions .
• Select Active to make this record type available immediately.
• Select the profile that will use this record type. Maria selects Make Available next to the Customer profiles listed.
• Select the page layout that users with these profiles see for this record type. Maria chooses Procedure - Reader .

All users assigned the Customer profiles see the Procedure - Reader page layout. They can view articles, but they can’t edit them.

Next, Maria assigns the Procedure - Author page layout to agents using the regular profile user interface. Agents can edit articles.

• Enter Profiles in the Quick Find box, then select Profiles .
• Select a profile. Maria chooses Custom: Support Profile , a profile she created earlier.
• Scroll down to Custom Record Type Settings and click Edit .
• Move the needed record types from the Available Record Type box to the Selected Record Types box. Maria adds FAQ and Procedure .
• Choose a default record type. Maria chooses FAQ .

Maria’s configured a new type of article, procedures, in Ursa Major’s knowledge base. To do it, she created different page layouts and assigned them to the correct users via record types. It’s time for Ada to start creating the procedures.

In addition to page layouts, you can also add and customize components on record pages. Maria doesn’t need that level of customization, but you might. To learn more, check out the Lightning App Builder module.

• Salesforce Help: Create Custom Fields
• Salesforce Help: Page Layout Considerations for Lightning Knowledge
• Salesforce Help:  Record Type Considerations for Lightning Knowledge
• Salesforce Help: Create and Edit Articles
• Trailhead: Lightning App Builder
• Salesforce Help: Assign Record Types and Page Layouts in the Enhanced Profile User Interface

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How to assign different record types to different users of the same profile

I have a scenario: There are two groups of users in the same profile, Group A and Group B. I have two Record Types on a custom object, say R1 and R2. The Record Type R1 is the record type assigned to this profile.

The requirement is as: Group A must have only R1 record type and Group B must have only R2 record type assigned to it. It means that while creating a new record, Group A users must be able to create a record of type R1 only and Group B users must be able to create a record of type R2 only .

I tried this : Create a permission set with R2 record type assigned to it. Add all the Group B users to this permission set. Now, users of Group B will have the option to select from R1 and R2 at the time of creating a new record. But I want that Group B users must be able to create a record of type R2 and not R1.

One Possible solution is : Clone this profile, assign R2 record type to it and add all the Group B users to this profile. But I don't want to increase the number of profiles in my org.

Is there any other possible solution?

• record-type

• What's the difference between the recordtypes? Are the page layouts for new records different? If not, you might put the recordtype assignment in a workflow rule. –  Guy Clairbois Commented Mar 11, 2014 at 14:00
• Yes, the page layouts assigned to both the record types are different. So a workflow would not serve the purpose. –  user7290 Commented Mar 12, 2014 at 5:35

2 Answers 2

This works:

• Create permission set P1 with record type R1 only assigned to it
• Create permission set P2 with record type R2 only assigned to it
• Add P1 or P2 to the appropriate Users
• Ensure R1 and R2 are not set on the profile, leaving just the Master record type selected there

Then when the SObject is created it is automatically given the record type according to the permission set of the user (with no record type selection prompt) which is the behaviour I believe you want.

• Thanks Keith. I tried it and yes, it meets my requirement. –  user7290 Commented Mar 12, 2014 at 5:29

Sharing Rules would allow you to do this. You could add two sharing rule on the object that you want. The sharing rules would share based on the record type. See the example below where contacts are being shared with 2 groups. You would need to do something similar

• Thanks Bar. Actually my requirement is not about sharing of records, it deals with the creation of records. That means that while creating a new record, the Group A users must be able to create a record of type R1 by default and Group B users must be able to create a record of type R2 by default. –  user7290 Commented Mar 11, 2014 at 10:48
• @user7290 it would be worth updating your question with that information. –  BarCotter Commented Mar 11, 2014 at 10:50

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