How to create fields in Salesforce

Ever wondering how to properly create new fields in Salesforce. Below is text instruction.

For instruction with images, see this google doc. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lwtZiHjvTj4OWuNpWJ51bp5FVcdL8O0mmVBgBhBq6oA/edit?usp=sharing

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How to Create Fields in Salesforce Documentation

This document outlines how to create fields in Salesforce.com and add them to layouts.

8.22.2019

Login into Sandbox 1

Create Your New Fields 3

Edit Your Page Layout 4

Map Lead Fields Upon Convert 5

Deploying to Production 6

Login into Sandbox

It is important to not make changes in a Live Production instance of Salesforce. Be Sure to make changes in a sandbox first > test and then deploy

1. Click Gear Icon top left and then click Setup

• Note, you will not see this if you do not have the profile permission to do so.

1. Type Sandbox in the Quick Find box

• Click Sandboxes below
• Click Log in next to the sandbox you would like to login to.
• Note you can easily create a New Sandbox by clicking the button above

1. This will bring you to the login screen and add the sandbox name “.(sandbox name)” after your user name. Enter your password.

• Note: Salesforce sandbox and production passwords may be different. You may have to click Forgot Your Password?
• You are now in your sandbox!

Create Your New Fields

1. Click Gear Icon top left and then click Setup

• Note, you will not see this if you do not have the profile permission to do so.

1. Click Object Manager
2. Find the object your would like to create the field on. Note it is easiest to type in the Quick Find box and type in your object name. (example, Lead, Contact, or Account)

• Then, click the object you would like to select

1. Click Fields & Relationships,  then New button
2. Choose your field type (see this documentation to determine what field type to pick) 
3. Establish Field Level Security

• This means… What profiles can see (Visible) and/or cannot edit (Read-Only)
• Check appropriate boxes and click next

1. Add to page layouts.

• Best practice is to not apply to page layout. Because they will most likely be placed in areas you did not intend. We will do this in the next step.
• Save.

Edit Your Page Layout

1. Now let's put the field where it belongs on your page layout.
2. Click Page Layouts
3. Select your page layout
4. If you are unsure of what page layout. You can click the button Page Layout Assignment. This will show what profile and record type the page layout is assigned to.
5. The layout editor is a simple drag and drop interface.
6. Find your field in the Quick Find box under Fields
7. Drag and drop on the layout
8. Save

Congrats… you did it!

The next step is if you plan on mapping your new lead field to a Contact, Account or Opportunity Upon Conversion.

Map Lead Fields Upon Convert

1. First step is to create the same field you created on the lead on either the Account, Contact or Opportunity Object.
2. To do so: follow the instructions above 
3. Make sure the field Types (text, date, currency…) are the same, otherwise you will not be able to map them.
4. Go to Setup > Object Manager > Lead 
5. Fields and Relationships then click the button Map Lead Fields
6. Choose the object you want to map to
7. Choose the lead field and then select the corresponding object field
8. Save

Deploying to Production

Now that you have tested your new functionality and it working as expected. You will need to put these changes into what is called a change set to “copy” and “paste” into Production.

We recommend you trust this activity to an experienced salesforce admin. As there are many considerations as to what to move and when. 

Salesforce has many helpful articles online to help you as well - https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=changesets_about_outbound.htm&type=5

Fostering has years of experience and many certified Salesforce professionals to help with this as well. Please let us know if we can help.