Page layouts versus record types
Key Takeaway
A page layout only shapes what appears on the record page. A record type also controls which picklist values and business process apply. Together with the user's profile, the record type decides which page layout appears.
Page layouts and record types both shape what users see on a record, but they do different jobs. A page layout arranges the record page. A record type gives different groups of users different business processes, picklist values, and page layouts. The page layout a user sees depends on their profile. When the object uses record types, it also depends on the record's record type.
What a page layout controls
A page layout controls the layout and organization of these items on an object's record pages:
- Buttons
- Fields
- S-controls
- Visualforce
- Custom links
- Related lists
A page layout also helps determine which fields are visible, read only, and required. Field access comes from both the page layout and field-level security. To check what users can actually reach, use the Field Accessibility page in Setup. There, you pick an object and check access by profiles, record types, or fields.
When you create a custom object, Salesforce automatically creates a default page layout for it.