Idea Themes ships disabled. An administrator enables it in Setup, then creates a theme from the Idea Themes tab. You need the Customize Application permission to change the setting, plus Read on Idea Themes and Create on Ideas to build a theme.
- Enable the feature
In Setup, use Quick Find to open Idea Themes Settings. Click Edit, select the option to enable Idea Themes, and save. This requires the Customize Application permission.
- Open the Idea Themes tab
Once enabled, the Idea Themes tab appears. From here you can view, filter, and moderate existing themes, or start a new one. Click New Idea Theme from a list view, or New from the overview page.
- Scope and define the theme
Select the zone the theme belongs to and click Continue. Set the Status, choose a Category, and enter a Title. Optionally add a Description using the HTML editor, where you can format text and embed images or video.
- Activate and promote
Save the theme, set its Status so the community can submit, and promote it inside the zone. Members then post ideas to the theme. Close the theme when the campaign ends and update the contributing ideas to reflect the decision.
The community or zone the theme lives in. Members of that zone are the audience who can see the theme and submit ideas to it.
Controls where the theme is in its lifecycle, from a draft state while you prepare it, to active while the community contributes, to closed once submissions stop.
A required classification for the theme. Ideas inside the theme can also carry their own category, giving you a second axis for reporting.
The prompt members respond to. Frame it as an open question so contributors propose ideas rather than answer yes or no.
Optional rich text that explains the prompt. The HTML editor supports formatting, images, and embedded video to make the theme page engaging.
- Creating a theme requires Create on Ideas, not a separate theme-create permission. Community managers without idea-create access cannot launch themes until you grant it.
- Deleting a theme also deletes every idea submitted under it, along with their votes and comments. Close themes instead of deleting them to preserve that history.
- An idea can belong to only one theme. If a contributor wants their idea counted in two campaigns, they must choose one theme or submit separately.
- Idea Themes is a legacy feature. Enabling it on a new org is possible where available, but for new programs Salesforce points teams toward Experience Cloud or a dedicated feedback platform.