---
schema_version: "1"
id: 8cad7e8c0bc8626cb8bd56a528dee8a9da61d7e33f6dda76db8a2dfb48073f4d
title: Protect Picklist API Names for Formulas and Integrations
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/fields_picklist_protect.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.fields_picklist_protect.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: ebfa44796fca2cbb55494a7f72024a0bbc1658ae479a5994c8c154966ae48b3e
description: When you create a picklist value, an API Name that matches the Label is assigned. By default, the API Name can be changed at any time, but you can choose to protect the API Name.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# Protect Picklist API Names for Formulas and Integrations

When you create a picklist value, an API Name that matches the Label is assigned. By default, the API Name can be changed at any time, but you can choose to protect the API Name.

### 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;">Available in: <strong>All</strong> Editions</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="d58311e63">User
              Permissions Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d58311e63 ">To customize picklist settings:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d58311e63 ">Customize Application</td>

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

A picklist value is identified by either the displayed value or the API Name. Formulas reference the API Name so that the formula continues to work even if the displayed value changes. An admin can prevent changes to the API Name to protect the references to the fields in formulas or during integrations, such as data import.

1. From Setup, enter picklist in the Quick Find box, then select **Picklist Settings**.
2. To prevent changes to the API names for any of the values, select **Disable editing picklist values' API names**.
    
    If you need to change an API Name later, you can deselect this option.

#### See Also

- [Create a Custom Picklist Field](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.fields_creating_picklists.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Create custom picklist fields to let your users select values from lists that you define.")
- [Replace a Picklist Value](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_replace.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "As your business changes, replace picklist values with more relevant alternatives. Replacing a value globally replaces that field value on all existing records.")
- [Add or Edit Picklist Values](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.updating_picklists.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Add new values or rename existing values in a custom picklist from the fields area of an object. If the picklist uses a global picklist value set, you can change its values only by editing the global value set. Your changes affect all picklists that inherit their values from that global value set.")