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Once you have decided to implement record types in Salesforce, it’s time to think about what the differences of each type actually are. This goes without saying, but your initial build should be in a sandbox – once you have built and tested, deploy your record type to your production environment (which I’ll cover later in this guide).

Step 1: Document the Differences

List all of the important fields that must be filled out on your records, and then document what the differences are for each planned record type. You may want to map this out in a format that makes sense to you, but here’s how I approach this exercise. 

Let’s use Support Cases as an example. My company wants to have four record types for Support Cases: Suggestion, Problem, Question, Other. Depending on the type, we need different picklist values, different default values, and different requirements on the page layout.

Step 2: Custom Fields

Create all the custom fields you will need, and add all the picklist values you plan on using in all of your record types.

Step 3: Object Processes

This section applies to record types on Cases, Leads, and Opportunities. If you’re working with any other object, including custom objects, you can skip this step.

As above, these objects have an additional special requirement: You must create the corresponding “process” for each object. The process controls the main Status/Stage field for its object.

Step 4: Create Page Layouts

Now create your page layouts – one for each record type. Arrange the fields and make any requirements as needed.

Step 5: Create Record Types

Now you can create your record types. You will need to enter the details about this record type, and don’t forget to select the correct Process, if needed (from Step 2).

Make sure you add a description – this will help your users decide which record type to choose. Then you’ll need to select the profiles that will be able to use this record type, and if this record type should be the default.

Step 6: Record Type Page Layout Assignment

Assign each record type to the correct page layout.

Step 7: Record Type Picklists

This is the fun part! Notice that we can click on the name of each record type. You will also see a list of all the picklist values on the object. This is where you’re going to choose which picklist values are available on each record type, and which one is the default.

Here’s our Suggestion record type, and all the picklists I can make selections for:

Notice the same picklist, but two different record types. “Priority” has two different default values, and two different sets of options for the user, depending on the record type.

Step 8: Test It Out

Create some test records in each record type, and make adjustments as needed.