---
schema_version: "1"
id: 967ad147fc4c6bdb91c9fce02b78087166c17e9319cc3763aaa57039d07d153d
title: Considerations for Using Merge Fields in Validation Rules for Person Accounts
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/sales/264-0-0/accounts_validation_rules_person_accounts.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.accounts_validation_rules_person_accounts.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: eb6d8d097f1e7ecd188d7adc67885a99a2f64743cb92ff147347caa6caaa60c2
description: A merge field incorporates values from a record. You can add merge fields to an email template, mail merge template, custom link, or formula. If your person account validation rules include merge fields, here are some things to keep in mind.
products:
  - Sales Cloud
release: "264"
---
# Considerations for Using Merge Fields in Validation Rules for Person Accounts

A merge field incorporates values from a record. You can add merge fields to an email template, mail merge template, custom link, or formula. If your person account validation rules include merge fields, here are some things to keep in mind.

### 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;">
            <p>Business accounts available in: both Salesforce Classic and Lightning
              Experience</p>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Business accounts available in: <strong>All</strong> Editions</p>
          </td>

        </tr>
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          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
            <p>Person accounts available in: Both Salesforce Classic and Lightning
              Experience</p>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Person accounts available in <strong>Professional</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>,
              <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions
            </p>
          </td>

        </tr>
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    </table>

- The list of available merge fields depends on the type of data that you’re working with.
- To define a validation rule that applies only to person accounts, use the `IsPersonAccount` merge field. For example, `Account.City = “San Francisco”` verifies that a business or person account’s city is San Francisco, while `IsPersonAccount ( Account.City = “San Francisco”)` verifies that a person account’s city is San Francisco.
- Handle person account and business account names separately in account validation rules.
    - For business accounts, use the `Name` merge field.
    - For person accounts, use the `FirstName` and `LastName` merge fields.
- Birthdate, Email, and other fields that are only supported for person accounts are available as merge fields in account validation rules. When you use one of those merge fields, business account records are processed as if those fields have blank values.

#### See Also

- [Person Accounts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.account_person.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "By default, Salesforce accounts are business accounts. Business accounts store information about companies or other entities. Person accounts extend the standard business-to-business account functionality by allowing you to store information about individual consumers. Person accounts combine certain account fields and contact fields into one record. You can use both business accounts and person accounts in the same org.")
- [Considerations for Using Merge Fields in Validation Rules for Person Accounts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.accounts_validation_rules_person_accounts.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "A merge field incorporates values from a record. You can add merge fields to an email template, mail merge template, custom link, or formula. If your person account validation rules include merge fields, here are some things to keep in mind.")
- [Account Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.account_fields.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Accounts have business account fields and person account fields.")