Field data types for data quality
Key Takeaway
Match each field's data type to your formatting standards: Date for dates, Currency for money, and Picklist when a field has a standard list of values.
A field's data type controls what users can enter and how Salesforce stores, formats, and rounds the value, so choosing the right data type is one of the simplest ways to keep data consistent. Making a field universally required adds a second control, because the field must then have a value every time a record is saved.
Choosing the data type for a field
The first step in creating a custom field is choosing its data type. You can also convert an existing field to a different data type later if needed.
Match each field's data type to your formatting standards:
- Use Date for custom date fields.
- Use Currency for custom money fields.
- Use Picklist when a field has a standard list of values.
A Picklist lets users select a single value from a list you define. A Picklist (Multi-select) lets users select more than one value, and it displays the values separated by semicolons.
For example, for addresses you can set up state and country/territory picklists. Users then choose states and countries from a standardized list instead of typing them.