Auto Add Fields to Custom Report Types

Do you love custom report types but find them too difficult to manage? We understand that it can be time-consuming to add new custom fields to custom reports, especially when your org has many custom report types. Now admins can manage them even more easily by auto adding new fields to all custom report types without having to add them to each report type individually.

With our Winter’21 release in September/October, the “Auto Add Fields to Custom Report Type” feature is going “Open Beta“.

How do I opt in to this feature?

In Setup, from Reports and Dashboards Settings, select “Auto add new custom fields to custom report type layouts”, and save your changes.

How does it work?

You can add the new custom field to all applicable report types during the time of creation. When you add a new field to any object via the Setup menu, you will now see a checkbox that you can select if you want your fields to be added to all the corresponding active custom report types. Currently, this setting is automatic for standard report types but not custom report types (CRT).

As an admin, when you go into Setup → Object Manager → Object → Fields and Relationships → New Custom Field Details, you will now see the new checkbox show up. This field gets added to all entities at all levels of the CRT.

You can then see the field in the Outline section of your report and you can drag it to the field panel to be used in your report.

Let’s talk about a specific scenario

The company where you’re the Salesforce admin has created about 50 custom report types related to revenue and forecasting for the Opportunity object. The company has a new business process that requires you to add a “Discount“ field to the Opportunity object.

Previously you would have had to manually add the Discount field to each Opportunity report type and then add the field to the layout so you could use it in the corresponding reports. Imagine doing this for 50 report types!

Now, with our ”Auto Add to custom report type“ feature, you’ll see a checkbox when you add a new field. All you have to do is check that box and voila, the field gets auto-added to all the corresponding custom report types, ready to be used in your reports!

Where is the field added in the report?

The field is always added in the custom info section for that object in the report.

What are the limitations?

• If you have a previously created field, you won’t be able to add it to custom report types. This checkbox option is available only for new fields.
• You won’t be able to choose which custom report type you want the field to be added to. If you select the checkbox, the field is added to all the corresponding custom report types.
• The field doesn’t get auto-added if you data-load multiple fields at a time.
• The field isn’t added for inactive, hidden, or deprecated report types.

Do you have feedback to share? Let me know your thoughts by reaching out to me via email (ankita.dutta@salesforce.com), twitter (@adutta_sf), or Salesforce community (Ankita Dutta).

*Forward-looking statement

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