---
schema_version: "1"
id: a9eb4ebc635a6f0d51e8a02008d3bc56e4b343e28fa4befcddcf4e42e9ca15d5
title: $Setup
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/platform/salesforce-pages-developers-guide/guides/pages/variables/pages-variables-global-setup.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-pages-developers-guide/guide/pages-variables-global-setup.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: a7c39ae9b390544a07c428c64a8814b60597b1f98e0743eb3be7fd35755ced7f
products:
  - Visualforce Developer Guide
  - Platform Developer Content
---

# $Setup

A global merge field type to use when referencing a custom setting of type “hierarchy.”

## Usage

Use `$Setup` to access hierarchical custom settings and their field values using dot notation. For example, `$Setup.App_Prefs__c.Show_Help_Content__c`.

Hierarchical custom settings allow values at any of three different levels:

1.  Organization, the default value for everyone
2.  Profile, which overrides the Organization value
3.  User, which overrides both Organization and Profile values

Salesforce automatically determines the correct value for this custom setting field based on the running user’s current context.

Custom settings of type “list” aren’t available on Visualforce pages using this global variable. You can access list custom settings in Apex.

## Example

The following example illustrates how to conditionally display an extended help message for an input field, depending on the user’s preference:

```visualforce
<apex:page>
    <apex:inputField value="{!usr.Workstation_Height__c}"/>
    <apex:outputPanel id="helpWorkstationHeight" 
        rendered="{!$Setup.App_Prefs__c.Show_Help_Content__c}">
        Enter the height for your workstation in inches, measured from the 
        floor to top of the work surface.
    </apex:outputPanel>
    ...
</apex:page>

```

If the organization level for the custom setting is set to `true`, users see the extended help message by default. If an individual prefers to not see the help messages, they can set their custom setting to `false`, to override the organization (or profile) value.