---
schema_version: "1"
id: 439416fbfb69c9425e1f7a1f6fd73d7164185410350d901a5af0eed150fb9ce8
title: Create a Custom Field
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/adding_fields.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.adding_fields.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 050e0d1879b1959072d3b46f9804a1d97ae8a24862b701d101f6f8be4c67035f
description: Capture your unique business data by storing it in custom fields. When you create a custom field, you configure where you want it to appear and optionally control security at the field level.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# Create a Custom Field

Capture your unique business data by storing it in custom fields. When you create a custom field, you configure where you want it to appear and optionally control security at the field level.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition">
        <colgroup>
          <col>
        </colgroup>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: both Salesforce Classic and Lightning Experience</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>Available in: <strong>Contact Manager</strong>, <strong>Group</strong>, <strong>Essentials</strong>,
                <strong>Starter</strong>, <strong>Professional</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>,
                <strong>Unlimited</strong>, <strong>Developer</strong>, and <strong>Database.com</strong> Editions
              </p>
              <p>Salesforce
                Connect external objects are available in: <strong>Developer</strong> Edition and for an
                extra cost in: <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, and <strong>Unlimited</strong>
                Editions</p>
              <p>Custom fields aren't available on Activities in <strong>Group</strong>
                Edition</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Layouts aren't available in <strong>Database.com</strong></p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table> <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d182246e115">User Permissions
              Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d182246e115 ">To create or change custom fields:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d182246e115 ">Customize Application</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d182246e115 ">To add field-level security to profiles or permission sets:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d182246e115 ">Manage Profiles and Permission Sets</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-extend_click-264-0-0-production-enus/5f7d9219-b7b1-4552-8891-f1aba9b289fc/images/icon_important.png)

Important Where possible, we changed noninclusive terms to align with our company value of Equality. We maintained certain terms to avoid any effect on customer implementations.

Before you begin, determine the [type of field](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.custom_field_types.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Salesforce supports various field types, allowing you to select the right one for your data. You can also convert an existing field to a different data type if needed.. When you have data that doesn’t match any of the standard fields, your admin can create a custom field for that data. For example, create a Middle Name field for contacts to capture additional information.") you want to create and review the considerations. See [Considerations for Creating a Custom Field](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.adding_fields_considerations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Keep these considerations in mind when you create a custom field.").

![Tip](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-extend_click-264-0-0-production-enus/5f7d9219-b7b1-4552-8891-f1aba9b289fc/images/icon_tip.png)

Tip Instead of completing this task manually, get help from Setup with Agentforce. For example, ask the Setup agent, “Can you help me create a new custom field?” For more information, see [Data Model Management in Setup with Agentforce](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.setup_agentforce_data_model.htm&language=en_US).

1. From the management settings for the object you want to add a field to, go to Fields & Relationships.
    
    Custom task and event fields are accessible from the object management settings for Activities.
2. Click **New**.
3. Choose the type of field and then click **Next**.
4. For relationship fields, associate an object with the field and click **Next**.
5. For indirect lookup relationship fields, select a unique, external ID field on the parent object, and then click **Next**. The parent field values are matched against the values of the child indirect lookup relationship field to determine which records are related to each other.
6. Enter a field label.
    
    Salesforce populates Field Name using the field label. Use the field name for merge fields in custom links, custom s-controls, and when referencing the field from the API.
7. To base a picklist field on a global picklist value set, select the value set to use.
8. To specify whether the field must be populated and what happens if the record is deleted, enter field attributes and select the appropriate checkboxes.
9. For master-detail relationships on custom objects, optionally select **Allow reparenting** to allow a child record in the master-detail relationship to be reparented to a different parent record.
10. For a relationship field, optionally limit search results for the field by creating a lookup filter. Lookup filters aren’t available for external objects.
11. Click **Next**.
12. In Enterprise, Unlimited, Performance, and Developer Editions, specify the field’s access settings for each profile or permission set, and then click **Next**.
    
    To specify the field’s access settings for permission sets instead of profiles, enable **Field-Level Security for Permission Sets during Field Creation** on the User Management Settings page. If you specify access for permission sets, select **Permission sets with object permissions** to filter the list to permission sets that have Create, Read, Edit, or Delete access on the field’s object. To show all permission sets, deselect this option. If no permission sets have object permissions for the field’s object, the list contains all permission sets.
    
      
    | Access Level | Enabled Settings (Profiles) | Enabled Settings (Permission Sets) |
    | --- | --- | --- |
    | Users can read and edit the field. | **Visible** | **Edit Access** (**Read Access** is selected automatically) |
    | Users can read but not edit the field. | **Visible** and **Read-Only** | **Read Access** |
    | Users can’t read or edit the field. | None | None |
    
    By default, a custom field isn’t visible or editable for portal profiles unless the field is universally required.
13. Select the Dynamic Forms-enabled Lightning record pages that should include the field, then click **Next**.
    
    If you don’t have any Dynamic Forms-enabled Lightning record pages for the object, this step doesn’t appear.
14. Select the page layouts that should include the field, and then click **Next**.
15. For relationship fields, optionally click **Related List Label**, enter a new name to create an associated records related list, and then add it to the page layouts for that object. To add the related list to customized page layouts, select **Append related list to users’ existing personal customizations**.
16. Click **Save** to finish or **Save & New** to create more custom fields.

The number of custom fields allowed per object varies according to your Salesforce edition. For the total number of custom fields that you can create, see [Custom Fields Allowed Per Object](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.custom_field_allocations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "The number of custom fields allowed per object varies according to your Salesforce edition.").

Creating fields can require changing a large number of records at once. If your request is queued to process these changes efficiently, you receive an email notification when the process has been completed.

Want to customize Salesforce so it captures all your business data? This short video walks you through how to create a custom picklist field, from choosing the correct field type to applying field-level security.

Watch a Demo: [![Watch Video Demo](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-extend_click-264-0-0-production-enus/5f7d9219-b7b1-4552-8891-f1aba9b289fc/extend_click/images/play_btn.png) How to Create a Custom Field in Salesforce (Salesforce Classic)](https://salesforce.vidyard.com/watch/um8ZtKv_2awfCTitmz0vtA)

Want to add and arrange a new field while viewing an individual record for an object? This short video walks you through creating a picklist field while viewing a contact and then changing the page layout for the field.

Watch a Demo: [![Watch Video Demo](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-extend_click-264-0-0-production-enus/5f7d9219-b7b1-4552-8891-f1aba9b289fc/extend_click/images/play_btn.png) How to Add a Custom Field in Salesforce (Lightning Experience)](https://salesforce.vidyard.com/watch/y22hvtDSEpUKKPPUYGC1TX)

#### See Also

- [_Trailhead_: Custom Fields: Quick Look](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/custom-fields-quick-look)
- [_Salesforce Help_: External Object Relationships](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.external_object_relationships.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [_Salesforce Help_: Which Custom Fields Can I Encrypt?](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.security_pe_custom_fields.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [_Salesforce Help_: Differences Between Classic Encryption and Shield Platform Encryption](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.security_pe_vs_classic_encryption.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [_Salesforce Help_: Find Object Management Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.extend_click_find_objectmgmt_parent.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [_Salesforce Help_: Map Custom Lead Fields for Lead Conversion](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.customize_mapleads.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [_Salesforce Help_: Enable Field-Level Security for Permission Sets during Field Creation](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_set_fls_permsets.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [_Salesforce Help_: Set Field-Level Security for a Field on All Permission Sets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_fields_fls_permsets.htm&type=5&language=en_US)