---
schema_version: "1"
id: 85f00576df0f1c22cc3a0fe75bd8b11a9fd872e9c8665aa5da694c15ae5c4960
title: Where are Formulas Used in Salesforce?
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/customize_formula_where.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_formula_where.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: a0f3aad4afeb0b14b85e4e8c1fe16f2e7aae0961cbc02aa8839bec659a4623d2
description: Many areas in Salesforce use formulas. Before you begin using formulas, review the differences in their uses.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# Where are Formulas Used in Salesforce?

Many areas in Salesforce use formulas. Before you begin using formulas, review the differences in their uses.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition">
      <colgroup>
        <col>
      </colgroup>
      <tbody>
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          <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>All</strong> Editions</p>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Reports and Approvals are not 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 ">
      <colgroup>
        <col style="width:26.13065326633166%">
        <col style="width:73.86934673366834%">
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      <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
        <tr class="">
          <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d178329e65">Use Formulas for:</th>
          <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d178329e68">To:</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Approval Processes</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Define the criteria a record must meet to enter the approval process.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Approval Steps</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Define the criteria a record must meet to enter the approval step.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Assignment Rules for Leads and Cases</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Define the criteria the lead or case must meet for it to be assigned.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Auto-Response Rules for Leads and Cases</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Define the criteria a lead or case must meet to trigger an auto-response rule.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Case Escalation Rules</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Specify criteria a case must meet for it to be escalated.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Custom Buttons and Links</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Define the content for custom links and buttons.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Custom Fields</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Create custom formula fields that automatically calculate a value based on other
            values, merge fields, or expressions. Users can view formula fields on record detail pages
            but can’t see the underlying algorithm or edit the value of a formula field.Custom
            formula fields are not available in Connect Offline, Web-to-Lead forms, or Web-to-Case
            forms.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Custom Summary Formulas in Reports</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Automatically calculate more totals based on existing report summaries using the
            values, merge fields, or expressions you specify. Users can’t change these
            totals.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Data Validations</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Verify that the data a user enters in a record meets the standards you specify before
            the user can save the record. A validation rule can include a formula such as <code>CloseDate &gt;= TODAY()</code>.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Default Field Values</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">
            <p>Apply a value to a custom field when a user creates a record. Use formulas to define a
              default value such as <code>TODAY() + 7</code>.</p>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Users can change a
              default value. Default field values can be based on a formula using values, merge fields, or
              expressions you specify.</p>
          </td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Escalation Rules</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Define the criteria that a case must meet to be escalated.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Formula Fields</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Automatically calculate the value of a custom field using the values, merge fields, or
            expressions you specify. Users can’t change the value of a formula field.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Reports</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Create custom summary formulas in your reports to calculate more totals based on the
            existing summaries in that report.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">S-Controls</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Define the content for s-controls.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Validation Rules</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Prevent users from entering an invalid value in a standard or custom field. Validation
            rules can be based on formulas and display an error message to users when the value they
            enter is not valid.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Workflow Field Updates</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Automatically change the value of a field to a value you specify. The formula can
            include other values, merge fields, or expressions. You can set field updates to occur as a
            result of a workflow rule or an approval process.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Workflow Rules</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Define the criteria a record must meet to trigger a workflow rule.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Use Formulas for:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e65 ">Visualforce Pages</td>

          <td data-label="To:" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d178329e68 ">Define the content for Visualforce pages.</td>

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

## Common Formula Processes

     
|   | When are they executed? | Read only? | Can include functions? | Can specify null handling? | Can include references to parent merge fields? |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Default Field Values** | Record creation | No | Yes | No | No |
| **Formula Fields** | Record display | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| **Validation Rules** | Record save | Not applicable | Yes | No | Yes |
| **Workflow Rules** | Record save | Not applicable | Yes | No | Yes |
| **Approval Processes** | Record submitted for approval | Not applicable | Yes | No | Yes |
| **Field Updates** | Workflow or approval process | Not applicable | Yes | No | Yes |
| **Custom Summary Formulas for Reports** | Report display | Yes | Yes, a limited subset of functions | Yes | No |