Picklist Administration

Get Started with Picklists

Decide when to add a picklist field. Decide which type of picklist you need. Create a custom picklist.
  • Three types of picklists:
    • Standard: Available in org before any customization
      • Ex: Lead Source, Account Source
    • Custom: Created by admins/developers
    • Custom Multi-Select: Created by admins/developers, can have multiple items selected
  • Picklist Properties:
    • Restricted: keep users from adding new values - helpful for keeping data consistent.
      • Use checkbox: “Restrict picklist to the values defined in the value set”
    • Dependent or Controlling
      • Dependent: filters values for one picklist based on selection from another picklist or checkbox on the same record
      • Controlling: value that results in filtering of dependent picklists
  • Reports referencing multi-select picklists should use “contains” or “includes” (not equals) to collect all results that contain more than one value

Manage Your Picklist Values

Manage values for picklists. Use formulas to define picklist values dynamically. Explain what happens to existing data as you change picklist values.
  • Help article on subject of picklist limitations
  • On the “Fields & Relationships” page for an object, some fields are identified as “Indexed.”
    • Indexed fields are stored in the database in a way that supports quick retrieval, which optimizes report generation, list views, etc.
    • Salesforce automatically analyzes performance and periodically assigns fields to be indexed.
  • Active values appear in picklists, inactive values don’t, but they’re not entirely removed from the org. Inactive values selected in existing record are not removed from the org, inactive values are just not available in the picklist for new records
  • Standard picklist fields can be dependent, but not controlling, fields
  • Default values for picklists can have formulae that change the default based on:
    • CASE(MONTH(TODAY()), 1, "Gingerbread", 2, "Strawberry", 3, "Chocolate")
    • IF($Profile.Name = "Fast Response Sales", "High", "Standard")

Share Values with Global Value Sets

Create global value sets. Manage global value sets. Promote an existing field’s values to a global value set.
  • Define global value sets from Setup > Quick Find > “Picklist” > Picklist Value Sets
  • It is possible to promote picklist value sets to Global value sets from the “Edit Field” page within setup
    • Global value sets offer efficiency and consistency across multiple picklists. But remember, global value sets are always restricted.
    • Independent custom field values are more flexible, but higher maintenance.