What is the difference between a custom object and a standard object in Salesforce?

Categories: Salesforce Basics Questions       

In Salesforce, both custom objects and standard objects are used to store and manage data, but they differ in their origin and characteristics:

  1. Standard Objects:

    • Standard objects are pre-defined objects provided by Salesforce out of the box.
    • Examples of standard objects include Account, Contact, Opportunity, Lead, and Case.
    • Standard objects come with predefined fields and functionalities designed to support common business processes.
    • They are essential components of the Salesforce platform and are integral to standard CRM functionalities.
  2. Custom Objects:

    • Custom objects are objects that you create to store information unique to your organization’s needs.
    • You can define custom objects to represent specific data entities or business processes that are not covered by standard objects.
    • Custom objects allow you to define custom fields, relationships, and behaviors tailored to your organization’s requirements.
    • They can be used to track specialized data, such as custom products, projects, events, or any other entity relevant to your business.
    • Custom objects provide flexibility and scalability, allowing organizations to extend the Salesforce platform to support their unique business processes.

In summary, while standard objects are provided by Salesforce and serve as foundational components of CRM functionality, custom objects are user-defined entities tailored to meet specific organizational needs and extend the capabilities of the Salesforce platform.