Complete Guide to Page Layout in Salesforce

Page Layouts are a crucial aspect of User Experience design in Salesforce. It allows you to organize the field as needed or tailor it to meet the needs of different departments.

This includes rearranging fields, adding new sections, and controlling field visibility and editability based on user permissions. Let’s understand what page layouts are in Salesforce and how you can create them.

What is Page Layout in Salesforce?

Page Layout in Salesforce allows us to customize the design, organize details, and edit the pages of records. They can control the appearance of fields, related lists, and custom links on the detail and edit pages of standard and custom objects. They also hold which standard and custom buttons will be visible on detail pages and related lists.

Additionally, fields can be added or removed and set as required or read-only on page layouts. Page layouts can include Visualforce pages rendered within a field section when the page displays. You can control the size of Visualforce pages and determine whether labels and scroll bars are displayed.

Note: s-controls are retired and no longer supported.

In Salesforce, the one-page layout can be assigned to multiple profiles, as shown in the image below.

You can customize a page’s contents, such as the fields and buttons that appear on the page, by using a tool called the page layout editor. The page layout editor Salesforce, also known as page layouts, helps manage page content in both Classic UI and Lightning Experience. 

See the image below:

As shown in the image above, on the left-hand side, there is a list of page layout features. On the right-hand side, there are instances of these features that can be used in the page layout by simply dragging and dropping.

How to Create Page Layouts in Salesforce?

There are two main ways to create page layouts in Salesforce. Salesforce provides access to the Enhanced Page Layout Editor as the primary tool. With new updates, it has replaced the Salesforce Classic Page Layout Editor. Let’s take a look at both of these methods.

1. Using the Enhanced Page Layout Editor

This method is recommended for most users, as it’s more intuitive and offers more features. 

Step 1 – Navigate to Setup > Object Manager.

Step 2. – Select the object you want to create a page layout for.

Step 3 – Click on the “Page Layouts” tab.

Step 4 – Click on the “New” button.

Step 5 – Choose a layout type.

1. Standard Object Layout: Suitable for most basic needs.
2. Record Type Layout: Useful when you have different layouts for different record types.
3. Mobile and Lightning Experience Layout: Creates a layout optimized for both mobile and Lightning Experience.

Step 6 – Drag and drop fields, sections, and components from the palette onto the layout canvas. You can create two columns, single or reorder these sections. Also, can create Buttons, related lists, and the Quick Actions section.

Step 7 – Configure field properties: Visibility, read-only, required, etc.

Step 8 – Save and assign the layout to profiles or record types.

2. Using Salesforce Classic Page Layout Editor

This method is less user-friendly and available only for some objects. Here’s the basic process:

Step 1 – Navigate to Setup > Customize> Objects > [Object Name].

Step 2 – Click on the “Page Layouts” tab.

Step 3 – Click on “New.”

Step 4 – Choose a layout type.

Step 5 – Select which fields to include and their properties.

Step 6 – Save and assign the layout.

Features of Page Layout in Salesforce 

The following features of the page layout help to manage various things on different pages of objects:

Fields

We can manage the field arrangement using page layout. We can hide/remove a field from the edit or detail pages. We can also make a field required, read-only, or hidden for a particular page layout, ensuring data integrity and convenience.

Buttons

We can also add custom or standard buttons to the record detail page. Standard buttons are for pre-built actions such as saving, deleting, and editing. On the other hand, customized buttons can trigger custom workflows, Visualforce pages, etc, for extended functionality.

Custom Links

We can add a common custom link to every record’s detail page. This feature is enabled only after we create a custom link for that object via the Button, Link & Actions feature in the Object manager.

Quick Actions

This feature adds or removes quick actions for the Salesforce Classic or Lightning experience UI. For example, if we want to add an immediate action, such as New Account, we can add it from the page layout. We can also configure quick-action labels, icons, and target locations to provide a user-friendly experience.

Mobile & Lightning Actions

The Mobile & Lightning Experience Actions section in the page layout controls which actions appear on the action bar, the Lightning experience, and the Salesforce application. Make actions available based on specific record types or user roles, ensuring relevance and efficiency.

Expanded Lookup

It determines the fields that will be shown on mobile cards. Expanded lookups and mobile-enabled Visualforce pages placed here display as mobile cards on a record’s home page in the mobile app. Visualforce pages in this area must be enabled for Salesforce mobile apps, or they won’t display.

Related List

Using page layout, we can determine which lists will be displayed in the Related List section of an object. Additionally, using the wrench icon, we can decide which fields from the related list appear on that page. 

Report Charts

This feature adds a report chart (graphical representation) to the record page by record ID, providing visual insights into key metrics and trends. Use dynamic filters to display chart data specific to the current record, providing personalized insights.

We can also configure chart type, size, and format for optimal readability and visual impact.

Advantages of Customizing Page Layouts

• Enhanced User Experience: Tailoring page layouts to user roles or departments ensures users see only what’s relevant to their responsibilities, making navigation more intuitive.
• Increased Productivity: By strategically placing fields and related lists, users can swiftly access critical information without unnecessary clicks or searches.
• Adaptability: Page layouts can be easily modified and adapted as business needs evolve, ensuring Salesforce remains aligned with organizational processes.

Note: Page Layouts should be assigned to the profiles using the Page Layout Assignment Salesforce button in the object manager. There are different layouts to assign to a profile for different record types. Only then would your changes be visible to profiles, once the assignment is saved.