Formula field search and attribute restrictions
Key Takeaway
You can't use a formula field for search criteria. You also can't use long text area, encrypted, or Description fields in a formula at all.
A formula field is a read-only field that Salesforce calculates for you from values on the current record or on related records. It works much like a spreadsheet cell that computes its value from other columns. Formula fields save users from doing math in their heads. However, they come with firm rules about search, size limits, and the fields and values that can go inside them.
How formula fields act differently from standard fields
- Salesforce calculates them automatically.
- They are read-only on record detail pages. Users can't type a value into them, so the only way to change what they show is to change the formula or the fields it uses.
- They don't update last modified date fields.
- When you create a formula field, Salesforce fills it in on all existing records and all new records, so you never need to backfill data.