Layout Rules

Layout Rules provide the ability to create dynamic Forms that adapt and offer additional options as data is entered.

About Layout Rules

As data is entered into a form, Layout Rules can be used to:

• Hide or show fields or entire sections of a form.
• Disable or enable fields
• Assign a value to a field
• Hide or show values in a Picklist
• Hide or show values a Button
• Display a message

Sample use cases:

• Show a discount button when an amount reaches some value
• Hide a section to prevent access to data until after a specific date and time.

Working with Layout Rules

Users that have the Customize Objects permission can edit Layout Rules.

Layout Rules use an IF...THEN...ELSE model to customize a form layout:

IF some <condition> is TRUE

THEN do a <thing>

ELSE do another <thing>

The <condition> is written as a Formula Expression, which can make use of most of the fields in the record, as well as some related fields.

Considerations

• Each Layout Rule can include multiple actions
• Actions are executed in the order in which they are displayed
• Actions can be added, edited, deleted or reordered
• Sections can be opened based on a condition
• A condition can be applied on Add, View or Update of a Record
• To be available for use in a Layout Rule, the field must not be hidden in the layout.
  (If it should be hidden at times, then hide it using a Layout Rule.)
• Multi Object Lookup fields cannot be used to specify criteria for a Layout Rule.
  Learn more: Multi Object Lookup#Considerations

Note: A field can be referenced in either: a. A section for which Show Empty Fields in View has been disabled     (using Advanced Options in a Section), or b. A Layout Rule condition. But it cannot be referenced in both places. The Reason: If the field is empty, the server removes it from the page. The Layout Rule, meanwhile, is a JavaScript function in the page. When the Layout Rule tries to test that field, an error occurs.

Adding or Editing a Layout Rule

1. Click the [Layout Rule] button at the top of the page.
2. Click the [Add New Rule] button to add a new Layout Rule,
   or click the name of an existing rule to edit it.

   Name

   Name of the Layout Rule

   Enabled

   Check the box to enable the Layout Rule, or uncheck it to disable the Layout Rule

   Description

   Description of the rule

   Apply rule during

   Executes the Layout Rule when any of the selected actions are taken on a record in the Object

   • Add Record
   • View Record
   • Update Record

   On Success do not continue to next Rule

   Checkbox, unchecked by default

   • If checked, and this rule is Triggered, then any rules that follow are not processed
   • The order of processing rules is controlled with the [Reorder Rule] button

   Use the Layout Rule Builder to create an IF, THEN, ELSE statement. This statement defines the behaviors and actions of the Layout Rule.

3. Click [Save]

Reorder Layout Rules

1. Click the [Layout Rule] button at the top of the page.
2. Click the [Reorder Rule] button to change the order in which rules are executed.

Layout Rule Builder

The Layout Rule Builder has three sections:

IF Section

Specify the condition that will trigger this rule

• Create a Formula Expression (using <FIELD_NAME> <OPERATOR> <FUNCTION>) that evaluates to a TRUE/FALSE state
• The contents of the Field list may differ based on the object

• If the condition resolves to TRUE, take the action associated with the THEN condition
• If the condition resolves to FALSE, take the action associated with the ELSE condition

THEN Section

Optionally, create action(s) to take when the expression is TRUE; Actions are displayed in rows which can be added, edited, deleted or reordered

ELSE Section

Optionally, create action(s) to take when the expression is FALSE; Actions are displayed in rows which can be added, edited, deleted or reordered

Available Actions

Available actions include:

• Show/Hide Sections or Fields
• Disable/Enable Fields
• Assign Value to Fields
• Setup Value in Picklist
• Display Message:

• Once During Form Save Only
• When Condition Matches

• Show/Hide Buttons

Using Enumerated Picklists in Layout Rules

Layout Rule criteria can be specified using Enumerated Picklist Values. The Display Label is not considered valid for criteria in Layout Rules.