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pcave_jrpcave_jr 

Making a custom lookup field required

I have a custom object with a Contact lookup field. Is it possible to make this field required? It would need to be required through both the API and the Salesforce.com interface. Is this only possible with a trigger?

 

Thanks,

Phillip 

flewellsflewells

I was surprised to discover that you can't make a lookup field universally required, like you can for text fields, for example, when creating the custom field. 

 

For a lookup, I think you'll want to do a combination of things.  First, for users entering data through the UI, you should make the field required on the page layout.  Then, for the API, you should create a validation rule on your custom object that fires when someone tries to save and your lookup field is blank.

pcave_jrpcave_jr

Me too!

 

I ended up going with a simple trigger. It works in the web interface as well as through the API.

 

 

trigger requiredContactTrigger on Ice_Cream_Survey__c (before insert, before update) {
	for (Ice_Cream_Survey__c i: Trigger.new) {
		if (i.Contact__c == NULL) {
			i.Contact__c.addError('Contact is required');
		}
	}
}
 
 
 


Manish S.ax896Manish S.ax896
Hi 
 
You can also do this using a simple validation rule on your custom object Ice_Cream_Survey__c
ISBLANK( Contact__c )
 
With Regards
Manish