Custom Help is the admin-defined help text that shows up next to fields and on object detail pages — context-specific guidance for users. Per-field Help Text appears as a ? tooltip; per-object Custom Help can replace the default help URL with custom internal documentation.
- For per-field Help Text: Object Manager → object → Fields & Relationships → click into the field → Edit
On any custom or standard field. Help Text field is in the field-edit form.
- Type the help guidance
Plain text or basic HTML. Up to 510 characters. Aim for actionable: "Enter the customer's primary contact email — used for billing notifications."
- Save
Help Text now shows as a ? tooltip next to the field's label on Page Layouts.
- For per-object Custom Help: Object Manager → object → Custom Help
Override the default Salesforce help URL. Replace with your internal Confluence page, Knowledge article, or any URL.
- Set Help Page Type and Help Page URL
Help Page Type: standard URL / Visualforce page. Most orgs use a URL pointing at internal docs.
- Save
Users clicking Help on the object now land on your custom page.
Up to 510 chars, plain text, ? tooltip.
Override the default help URL.
URL / Visualforce.
- Help Text is up to 510 characters. Long help is truncated — keep it concise; for detailed guidance, link to a Knowledge article in the Help Text.
- Help URL overrides apply org-wide for the object. Different teams that want different help pages on the same object are out of luck — only one URL per object.
- Help Text shows on standard layouts but Lightning Pages may suppress it depending on configuration. Test that the ? tooltip appears in Lightning before assuming users see it.