Custom Settings

Custom settings are similar to custom objects and enable application developers to create custom sets of data, as well as create and associate custom data for an organization, profile, or specific user. All custom settings data is exposed in the application cache, which enables efficient access without the cost of repeated queries to the database. This data can then be used by formula fields, validation rules, flows, Apex, and the SOAP API.
There are two types of custom settings:
List Custom Settings
A type of custom setting that provides a reusable set of static data that can be accessed across your organization. If you use a particular set of data frequently within your application, putting that data in a list custom setting streamlines access to it. Data in list settings does not vary with profile or user, but is available organization-wide. Examples of list data include two-letter state abbreviations, international dialing prefixes, and catalog numbers for products. Because the data is cached, access is low-cost and efficient: you don't have to use SOQL queries that count against your governor limits.
Hierarchy Custom Settings
A type of custom setting that uses a built-in hierarchical logic that lets you “personalize” settings for specific profiles or users. The hierarchy logic checks the organization, profile, and user settings for the current user and returns the most specific, or “lowest,” value. In the hierarchy, settings for an organization are overridden by profile settings, which, in turn, are overridden by user settings.
The following examples illustrate how you can use custom settings:
  • A shipping application requires users to fill in the country codes for international deliveries. By creating a list setting of all country codes, users have quick access to this data without needing to query the database.
  • An application displays a map of account locations, the best route to take, and traffic conditions. This information is useful for sales reps, but account executives only want to see account locations. By creating a hierarchy setting with custom checkbox fields for route and traffic, you can enable this data for just the “Sales Rep” profile.

You can create a custom setting in the Salesforce user interface: from Setup, enter Custom Settings in the Quick Find box, then select Custom Settings. After creating a custom setting and you’ve added fields, provide data to your custom setting by clicking Manage from the detail page. Each data set is identified by the name you give it.

For example, if you have a custom setting named Foundation_Countries__c with one text field Country_Code__c, your data sets can look like the following:
Data Set Name Country Code Field Value
United States USA
Canada CAN
United Kingdom GBR
You can also include a custom setting in a package. The visibility of the custom setting in the package depends on the Visibility setting.
Note

Note

Only custom settings definitions are included in packages, not data. If you need to include data, you must populate the custom settings using Apex code run by the subscribing organization after they’ve installed the package.

Apex can access both custom setting types—list and hierarchy.
Note

Note

If Privacy for a custom setting is Protected and the custom setting is contained in a managed package, the subscribing organization cannot edit the values or access them using Apex.

Accessing a List Custom Setting

The following example returns a map of custom settings data. The getAll method returns values for all custom fields associated with the list setting.
Map<String_dataset_name, CustomSettingName__c> mcs = CustomSettingName__c.getAll();
The following example uses the getValues method to return all the field values associated with the specified data set. This method can be used with both list and hierarchy custom settings, using different parameters.
CustomSettingName__c mc = CustomSettingName__c.getValues(data_set_name);

Accessing a Hierarchy Custom Setting

The following example uses the getOrgDefaults method to return the data set values for the organization level:
CustomSettingName__c mc = CustomSettingName__c.getOrgDefaults();
The following example uses the getInstance method to return the data set values for the specified profile. The getInstance method can also be used with a user ID.
CustomSettingName__c mc = CustomSettingName__c.getInstance(Profile_ID);
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