Organizational data are often linked together in several ways. When entered in the Salesforce platform, these data are connected together through different kinds of relationships. This post will focus on explaining what external lookup relationships are, and how to create one.
External Lookup Relationships Defined
Salesforce’s external lookup relationship connects one child object to an external parent object. Types of objects that are allowed to link to the external parent object include either standard, custom, or another external object.
Why is this Relationship Type Used?
Creating external lookup relationships allows users a fast and easy way of integrating various kinds of data into one seamless list. That way, users can navigate through related data at one quick glance without having to go through different data sources scattered throughout the interface.
The objects are also linked without interfering with their individual security properties, thus, keeping the org’s data safe and secured.
How is it Done?
Carry out these steps to link two external objects together in an external lookup field relationship:
- Navigate to Setup.
- Click on Develop. Then, select External Objects.
- Select an external object that will function as the parent.
- Select an object field, then choose Edit.
- Hit Change Field Type. Change the data type to External Lookup Relationship. Hit Next.
- Assign another external object under the Related To value. It’ll be the object that will link to the parent. Hit Next afterwards.
- For the field length, enter 18. Do not touch the other options, as they have to retain their default values. Click on Next.
- Locate the checkbox named Visible. Tick the box if this new relationship field is allowed to appear in all profiles on the org. If not, then leave it unchecked.
- Click on Next. Other options with checkboxes will appear, but leave them as they are.
- Save everything.
A new lookup relationship has been created. Two external objects are linked together, which will then create a new related list on the child object’s page.