What are Record Types and how to use them?

Record Types allow you to classify data in contacts, accounts, deals, and custom modules so users from different roles can consume and update data in the CRM in different ways. This is possible by having different field permissions and data scoping per record type per role. Based on the record type, administrators can also set up different types of follow-up processes or automations like workflows, sequences, auto-assignment rules.

For example, Acme is an architecture and home improvement company providing services to customers, who are looking for home renovation/architectural needs, through vendors offering such services. 

A salesperson from Acme would cater to two types of customers - contacts and vendors. The information that the salesperson would want to capture for both contacts and vendors would be different. In addition, both types follow different business processes, eg: A workflow can be configured to trigger a profile page creation for confirmed vendors but no such process is required for customers. A sales sequence can be configured for customers for sending follow-up emails/SMS.

Let’s go through the details with an example

Sample fields for vendor type

Business service category

Sub-category

Company type

Website URL

Business description

Sample fields for customer type

Business service category

Sub-category

Project status

Time to start

Price level

Quality level

All of the fields listed above can be created under the Contacts module but only relevant fields can be selected for relevant types using Record Types configuration . Some fields can be common across one or more record types. So in the above example, business service category and sub-category should be marked ‘editable’ in both the contact types. Company type, website URL, business description should be marked ‘editable’ in Vendor type but ‘hidden’ in customer type and vice-versa for project status, time to start, price level, and quality level. This same type of configuration can be extended to a role level. For example, a marketing user need not have access to ‘quality level’ field in customer type but a sales user will require access.

How to create a new Record Type?

To create a new Record Type,

Go to Admin Settings > Roles > Choose a role. For example: Sales User

In the Record Types tab, choose the module for which you want to create a Record Type. For example, Contacts

Click Add contact type

In the ADD CONTACT TYPE overlay, give the Record Type a name, for eg. Vendor. You can select only those roles which need access to the new record type you are about to create. Administrator and Account admin roles will have access to all record types always.

Click Save. The Vendor record type is now created. 

Record Types Scope

You can choose the scope of the record type for the role - Editable/Read only/Hidden from the drop down.

Editable - All records belonging to the vendor type will be accessible and editable. 

Read only - All records belonging to the vendor type will be read only 

Hidden - All records belonging to the vendor type will be hidden 

Note:Role Precedence for a Global/Territory/Restricted scope with a hidden record type: The Record type scope will take precedence as the user will not be able to see records with the hidden record type.  

Field Permissions

On creation of a record type, field permissions will be fetched from the configuration set for the module  (Admin Settings > Module settings). You can customize on top of the initial configuration by clicking on ‘Manage field permissions’ next to the Vendor record type

You can configure these field permissions per role per record type - Read-only, Hidden, Editable, Field choices, and Required.

Note: Choice selection is the same for all roles of a record type, and can vary for record types.

Click Save

Note:The admin should configure the field permissions for all record types and for all roles as explained above.