Creating a record name template

Every record has a special field that displays the record name and provides a link to a record's view page. If you create an object with the Contact attribute, Platform automatically sets the Record Name Template property with a value of: {!firstName} {!lastName}. Since the first and last name are required, when a user creates a new record and enters values, the first and last name are used as the value for the Record Name field. For objects without the Contact attribute, the record name field allows direct user input.

You might want to automatically populate the record name value using a record name template that inserts a value from another record field. A formula for a record name template can only contain tokens for non-dependent fields that have stored values for each record. Fields that brings values from other records, such as lookups for related fields, cannot be used in record name templates. For example, an object with an Auto-Number field, such as the Invoice Number, works well to in a record name template. If you want to use the value of a checkbox in a formula, use the #EVAL[] helper, such as: 

#EVAL[ {!club_member} ? "Member" : "Non-Member" ] {!title}

To set up a Record Name Template, follow these steps:

  1. Open the object definition.
  2. Click Edit.
  3. Locate the Record Name Template property.
  4. From the Template Helper, select one or more merge tokens and paste them in the Record Name Template field. Add separator characters as desired.
    The Record Name Template works like an Expression Field.
    • The Record Name field value will not be updated when related records are updated.
    • Record Name value is updated when the containing record is updated — not when the record is viewed.
  5. To update all existing records using the new template, check the box below the template called Update names of all existing object records using this template.
  6. Click Save.
Note:
  • Any record name template populated through expression field will take effect only after the record is updated.

  • The Record Name Template field value supports length up to 500 characters.