Salesforce record types let one object work for different teams or processes. Each record type decides which picklist values users can choose, which page layout they see and, on opportunities, cases, leads and solutions, which business process (sales stages, support statuses) applies. You might give Opportunity separate New Business and Renewal record types, while all deals still live in one object and one set of reports.
This post was first published in 2020 as "Record Types In Salesforce". It has been rewritten for 2026 to cover page layouts, Lightning pages, Dynamic Forms and Dynamic Actions alongside record types, including how to change a record's type.
What does a record type control?
A record type controls three things: the picklist values, the page layout and, on four objects, the business process a record follows. Trailhead's record types project sums it up: record types determine the business processes, page layouts and picklist values users have access to.
| What it controls | How | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Picklist values | Each record type uses a subset of the field's master picklist | Renewal opportunities can't pick the "Prospecting" source |
| Page layout | One layout per record type, either for all profiles or a different one per profile | Partner accounts show partner tier fields; customer accounts don't |
| Business process | Sales process (Opportunity), support process (Case), lead process (Lead), solution process (Solution) | Renewals skip the qualification stages |
| Lightning record page | Pages can be activated by app, record type and profile | A different record page for service cases and billing cases |
| Who can create it | Assigned to profiles and permission sets | Only the partner team can create partner accounts |
A record type does not control who can see a record. Sharing and the security model do that. Salesforce Help is explicit that a record type assignment only says which types a user can use when creating or editing records.
Record type vs the Type field
Many standard objects also have a picklist field called Type, such as Account Type (Customer, Partner, Prospect) or Opportunity Type. That field is just data: it groups records in reports but changes nothing on screen. A record type changes the picklists, layout and process users get. Use the Type field to categorise; use a record type only when the categories need different behaviour.
Signs you need record types
- Two teams use the same object with different stages or statuses.
- A picklist has values that only make sense for some records, and users keep choosing the wrong ones.
- Reports need a reliable split, such as New Business vs Renewal, that drives different processes.
If none of these apply, a layout per profile or Dynamic Forms is usually enough. Record types are part of the wider Salesforce data model, so design them with it.
How to create a record type, step by step
You create record types in Object Manager, after the master picklist values and any business process are ready.
- Clean up the master picklists first. Salesforce Help's Create Record Types page says to add every value any record type will need to the master picklist before you start.
- For opportunities, cases, leads or solutions, create the business process (for example a Renewal sales process with its own stages) in Setup.
- In Setup, open Object Manager, choose the object, then Record Types and New.
- Choose an existing record type to copy (or Master), and enter a label, a name and a description. "Master" is reserved and can't be used as a name.
- Select Active, pick the business process if the object has one, and choose which profiles can use the record type; select Make Default for profiles that should get it by default.
- Assign page layouts: one for all profiles, or one per profile.
- Open the new record type and edit each picklist to keep only the values that apply.
- If you want a different Lightning record page, activate it for that record type in Lightning App Builder.
Assigning record types: profiles vs permission sets
As of November 2026, defaults and page layouts are set only in profiles, while permission sets can add custom record types. Both can grant record types, with differences that catch people out (Salesforce Help: Assign Custom Record Types in Permission Sets):
| Profile | Permission set | |
|---|---|---|
| Grant custom record types | Yes | Yes |
| Grant the Master record type | Yes | No |
| Set the default record type | Yes | No |
| Assign page layouts | Yes | No |
The practical pattern: set the default record type and layouts in profiles, and use permission sets to give extra record types to the people who need them. Users with more than one available record type are asked to choose when they create a record, unless they set a default preference. Our guide to profiles in Salesforce explains how profiles and permission sets fit together.
Record types vs page layouts vs Lightning pages vs Dynamic Forms
A page layout arranges fields, a record type changes process and picklists, a Lightning page changes the whole view, and Dynamic Forms shows or hides single fields. Pick the lightest tool that meets the need.
| Tool | What it changes | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Page layout | Fields, sections, related lists, buttons and actions on the record detail | Different profiles need different fields on the same kind of record |
| Record type | Picklist values, business process, which layout and Lightning page apply | Records follow genuinely different processes or need different picklist values |
| Lightning record page | The whole page: components, tabs, related lists, highlights | A team needs a different working view, by app, record type or profile |
| Dynamic Forms | Shows or hides individual fields and sections with visibility rules | The only difference is which fields appear, depending on values, profile, permission or device |
Salesforce itself pitches Dynamic Forms visibility rules as a way to reduce the number of page layouts and record types you need. Its Dynamic Forms considerations add three cautions: field rules re-evaluate as the user edits, but section rules only after save; hiding a field is not security (use field-level security for that); and dependent picklists don't respect visibility rules. Help also notes that a value typed into a field a rule has hidden isn't saved. Lightning pages can be activated as the org default, per app, or for a combination of app, record type and profile, per Help's activation page.
How to change a record's record type
Add the Change Record Type button or the Record Type field to the layout, and users with access to the new type can switch. Salesforce Help's change record type article gives two methods:
- Button: add the Change Record Type action to the page layout's Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section. Users find it at the top right of the record, or under the arrow next to Edit.
- Field: add the Record Type field to the layout; users click the change icon next to it and pick the new type.
The user must have access to the target record type. Switching an account between business and person account can't be done from the record page; Salesforce's record type considerations say it needs the API, for example an update to RecordTypeId through Data Loader. The Change Record Type button only works in Lightning Experience.
Showing the button only when it makes sense, with Dynamic Actions
With Dynamic Actions, you place actions on the Lightning record page in Lightning App Builder instead of the page layout, and add filters so an action appears only when, for example, a field has a certain value or the user has a permission. A common use is to show Change Record Type only while an opportunity is open, or only to sales operations. When the switch should also set fields, such as moving a case from Service to Billing and resetting its status, use a screen flow launched from an action instead: it changes the RecordTypeId and the dependent fields in one step and can validate the new picklist values. Our Salesforce Flow guide covers screen flows.
Record type mistakes to avoid
Most record type problems come from creating too many of them, or using them for jobs they were not built for.
- A record type per team when the process is the same. If only the fields differ, Dynamic Forms or profile-specific layouts are simpler.
- Using record types for security. They don't hide records; sharing does.
- Forgetting picklist values. Each record type keeps its own list of allowed values, so when you add a value to the master picklist later, check that it is available in every record type that needs it.
- Hard-coding record type IDs. IDs differ between sandboxes and production. In Apex, flows and formulas, use the developer name.
- Changing type without fixing data. A record moved to a type whose process lacks its current stage or status will fail validation on next edit. Check your validation rules for record type conditions too.
- Reports that ignore record types. Add Record Type as a filter or grouping so New Business and Renewal numbers aren't mixed; see our reports guide.
Getting help
Techila is a Salesforce Summit Partner. Our Salesforce implementation services team designs data models, record types and Lightning pages that match how your teams work. Talk to us about simplifying an org with too many record types and layouts.
Frequently asked questions
What is a record type in Salesforce?
A record type is a variant of an object that decides which picklist values, page layout and business process users get. For example, Opportunity could have New Business and Renewal record types with different stages and fields, while both stay in the same object and reports.
What is the difference between a record type and a page layout?
A page layout controls which fields, sections, related lists and buttons appear on a record. A record type controls which picklist values and business process apply, and which page layout is shown, per profile. A record type always points to a layout; a layout does not need a record type.
Can you assign record types with permission sets?
Yes, custom record types can be assigned in permission sets, but not the Master record type. The default record type and page layout assignments are set in profiles only, so most orgs set defaults in profiles and grant extra record types with permission sets.
How do I change the record type of an existing record?
Add the Change Record Type action to the page layout's Mobile and Lightning actions, or add the Record Type field to the layout and use the change icon next to it. The user must have access to the new record type. Switching between business and person accounts can't be done this way.
When should I use Dynamic Forms instead of record types?
When the only difference between groups is which fields are shown. Dynamic Forms visibility rules can show or hide fields and sections by field values, profile, permission or device on one Lightning page. Use record types when picklist values or the business process must differ.