Creating an Account is the most common entry point into the Salesforce data model. The clicks are simple. The decisions you make in those clicks set the trajectory of every related record. Treat the first Account in a new org the way you would treat the first migration in a new database. Deliberate, not reflexive.
- Open the Accounts tab
From the App Launcher (the 9-dot grid in the top-left), search for "Accounts" and open it. If you are already inside a Sales or Service app, the tab usually sits in the main nav.
- Click New
The New button is in the top-right of the list view. If it is missing, your profile or permission set lacks Create on Account. That is an admin conversation, not a workaround.
- Pick a record type if prompted
Orgs with multiple record types (Business Account vs. Person Account, or a partner-specific record type) show a picker. The choice changes the page layout and the picklist values, and it can gate which validation rules fire. Pick the one that matches who you are tracking.
- Fill the Account Name
Account Name is the only platform-required field for Business Accounts. Use the legal entity name when you have it, not the friendly trade name. Duplicates here cost the reporting team hours later in the quarter.
- Add the context fields your org expects
Industry, Type, Website, Billing Address, Owner. None are platform-required, but most orgs make them mandatory through some combination of page layout, validation rules, and matching rules. Fill anything marked with a red bar. If the field is blank but you know the value, save the rep behind you the round-trip.
- Save
Click Save (or Save & New). Duplicate-rule alerts fire here. Read them before you click Allow Save. The whole reason that rule exists is so you do not override it on autopilot.
Account Name. The only platform-required field on a Business Account. Person Accounts use LastName instead.
If your org has Person Accounts enabled and you pick that record type, LastName replaces Name as the required field. FirstName is optional but most orgs require it via page layout.
- Person Accounts must be enabled by Salesforce Support and cannot be turned off once they are on. Sandbox the change for a full release cycle before requesting it in production.
- Account Name is not unique by default. Most orgs layer a duplicate rule or a validation on (Name + BillingCity) so near-duplicates fail at save time.
- Owner defaults to the creating user unless an assignment rule fires. Re-check the Owner field before saving for a teammate, because changing it later re-cascades sharing across every child record.