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SFMiesterSFMiester 

converting existing picklist fields to global value sets (work around)

Hi Experts,

I'm having a bit of a challenge with implementing global value sets (aka Global Picklists) in my current org. I believe this functionality came with Winter 17.

The Challenge: I have 5 picklist fields in a CustomObj.
  • Field1 - Picklist1 (has 167 values)
  • Field2 - Picklist1 (has 167 values)
  • Field3 - Picklist2 (has 98 values - Subset of Picklist1)
  • Field4 - Picklist2 (has 98 values - Subset of Picklist1)
  • Field5 - Picklist3 (has 35 values - Subset of Picklist1)
Currently Field1 to Field5 are not global value sets and it will save me a lot of time to have these converted to global value sets

I know that we can't convert existing picklist fields to global value sets so heres my question

Can something like this work?
  • Create new fields pointing to the respective global value sets
  • Move field data from Old fields to New fields
  • Validate! 
  • Temporarily change the API name of the old field
  • Change API Names of new fields to match old fields
  • Test!
Appreciate the help!
RD@SFRD@SF

Hi Shawn,

Yep that should do it.
I suggest you also export a copy of data before you begin the change as a fail safe.
Create three different picklist value-sets/global picklists so that any change in sub sets can be handled in future.
Apart from that you are on the right track

Regards
RD