Java API:Field Type Reference

This table shows how to format input data for the various Field Display Types in platform objects when using the Java API.

Field Display Types	Description
Auto Number	n/a
Checkbox	Specify 1 for Yes/True, 0 for No/False
Currency	Specify a decimal value, with no currency symbol and no separators other than the decimal point.
Custom Control	n/a
Date	A date. The field definition determines how the value is stored.
Date time	A date and time. The field definition determines how the value is stored.
Dependent Picklist	n/a
Email Address	A string containing text of the form name@domain.type. Example: friend@somewhere.com
File Field	To upload a file, do a Multipart REST request
Formula	n/a
Global Picklist	Specify a picklist value.
Image Field	To upload an image, do a Multipart REST request
Lookup	Specify a record ID from the target object.
Multiple Checkboxes	A comma-separated list of checkbox values.
Multi Object Lookup	The format is objectName:recordID. For example: cases:12345678
Multi Select Picklist & Multi Select Global Pick List	A comma-separated list of picklist values.
Number	An integer from -2,147,483,646 to 2,147,483,647.
Number with decimals	A number with a decimal point (and no other separators). The number of decimal places is specified in the field definition.
Percentage	A decimal value in the range 0 to 1. The number of decimal places is specified in the field definition.
Phone/Fax	A string of digits, with or without formatting. (Formatting this supplied is preserved. For example, "123.456.7890". Digits entered without formatting are displayed in the default format: 7 digits ("1234567") displays as "123-4567". 10 digits "1234567890" displays as "(123) 456-7890". 11 digits ("12345678901") displays 1-234-567-8901 Note: If the string is longer than 11 digits, it is displayed as entered. In that case, it's helpful to provide the desired formatting.
Picklist	Specify one of the picklist values. When you select this type for an object field, a text area lets you enter values. Enter the names of the values, one per line, in the order they will be displayed. When the user makes a selection, the value that is stored is the text entered on that line. So: If you change the order later, existing values are not affected. If you remove an entry at a later date, or change the spelling of a value, existing records that have that value are not affected. Either clean up the object data, or take that possible value into account in your design for backward compatibility.
Radio Buttons	Specify one of the radio button values. When you select this type for an object field, a text area lets you enter values. Enter the names of the values, one per line, in the order they will be displayed. When the user makes a selection, the value that is stored is the text entered on that line. So: If you change the order later, existing values are not affected. If you remove an entry at a later date, or change the spelling of a value, existing records that have that value are not affected. Either clean up the object data, or take that possible value into account in your design for backward compatibility.
Rich Text Area	A string containing text and a limited number of HTML tags: bold, italics, numbered lists, bullet lists, image tags
Text Area	A multi-line string that can contain alphanumerics (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) and special characters: / @ . - $ %
Text Field	A string containing a single line of text. Text can include alphanumerics (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) and special characters: / @ . - $ %
Time	A time. For example, "6:50 PM". The field definition determines how the value is stored.
URL	A string containing a web address. For example: http://yourCompany.com