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Specifying Dynamic Page Layouts

Dynamic layouts streamline the application for end users by allowing them to manage only the subset of information that is relevant in a given situation. For example, your company might track several different types of accounts, such as customer-type accounts, prospect-type accounts, or partner-type accounts. With the dynamic page layout feature, you can configure different layouts that show a different set of account fields and related items, based on the type of account. You can then associate the different layouts with one or more user roles. When the user drills down on a particular account record, the user is shown the appropriate page layout, based on the user’s role and the type of account.

When you define dynamic page layouts for a record type, a pre-defined picklist value is used to drive the dynamic rendering of the page layouts. You specify a page layout to be displayed for each value of the picklist. The users can then see different page layouts for different records of the same record type, based on the picklist value that they select in the record.

You must associate your dynamic page layouts with user roles as required. There is a many-to-many relationship between dynamic page layouts and user roles.

Each picklist value has only one layout associated with it, but a page layout can be associated with multiple picklist values. There is a limit of 200 associations between picklist values and page layouts. You cannot delete a layout that is already associated with a user role.

Caution: It is recommended that all dynamic layouts associated with a driving picklist include the driving picklist. If one of your assigned layouts does not have the driving picklist, and the picklist value associated with that layout is selected and saved for a record, you will not see the driving picklist on the layout, and so you cannot edit the field.

The following table shows the predefined driving picklist values for each record type.

Page layouts and role privileges can be used to limit the fields that users can search for, view in lists, and export. When a user creates or refines a list of records or uses advanced search to find records, the privileges and page layouts assigned to the user’s role determine which fields the user can search and view, as follows:

• If the All Fields in Search and Lists privilege is enabled on the user's role, then the user can search all fields and display all fields on the returned records.

  NOTE: It is recommended that company administrators do not enable the All Fields in Search and Lists privilege for most user roles. When the privilege is not enabled, fields that your company does not use are not visible in search and list pages. This reduces clutter and makes it easier for users to see the fields that they are most interested in.

• If the All Fields in Search and Lists privilege is not enabled on the user's role, then the user can search and display only the fields that are displayed on the Detail page layout that is assigned to the user role for that record type. If dynamic page layouts are created and assigned to the user's role, then the user can search and display all of the fields that are displayed on the various dynamic page layouts assigned to the user's role.

When a user exports a list, if the List - Export Displayed Fields privilege is enabled on the user's role, but the List - Export all Fields privilege is not enabled , then the user can export the fields that are displayed in the list, but cannot export all fields on the records in the list.

Before you begin. To perform this procedure, your role must include the Customize Application privilege and the Customize Application - Manage Dynamic Layouts privilege.

To create or modify a dynamic page layout

1. In the upper right corner of any page, click the Admin global link.
2. In the Application Customization section, click the Application Customization link.
3. In the Record Type Setup section, click the link for the required record type.
4. In the Dynamic Layout Management section, click the record type Dynamic Layout link.
5. In the Dynamic Page Layout list, do one of the following:
   • Click Edit or Copy to modify an existing layout.
   • Click the New Layout button to create a new layout.

     The Dynamic Layout Wizard guides you through the process.

6. In Step 1 Layout Name:
   1. Enter a name for the Dynamic Layout.
   2. Select a Default Layout. This layout is presented as the default layout in the next step.

      The Driving Picklist field shows the picklist whose values determine which layout is seen by the users.

7. In Step 2 Assign Layouts, associate each of the picklist values with a layout name.

   NOTE: For each dynamic page layout, there is a limit of 200 associations between driving picklist values and page layouts.

   The layout you select is displayed when a record has the corresponding picklist value.

8. Click Finish.