Standard versus custom objects
Key Takeaway
If Salesforce has no standard object for the data you need to track, and the data exists nowhere else, create a custom object. If a standard object fits but is missing a detail, add a custom field to it.
Objects hold your data in Salesforce, much like tables in a database. Standard objects, such as Account, Contact, Lead, Opportunity, and Case, come with Salesforce. Custom objects are ones you create to store information unique to your company or industry. Designing a data model starts with one decision: does a business need fit a standard object, need custom fields on a standard object, or need a new custom object?
Objects, fields, and records
Salesforce uses its own names for the parts of a database table.
| Database term | Salesforce term |
|---|---|
| Table | Object |
| Column | Field |
| Row | Record |
Salesforce supports several object types: standard objects, custom objects, external objects, platform events, and big objects. Standard and custom objects are the two most common.