Definition
Custom Links (also called Custom Buttons and Links) in Salesforce are administrator-defined URL links or JavaScript actions that appear on record detail pages, list views, or related lists. Custom Links can navigate to external websites, execute JavaScript (Classic only), open Visualforce pages, or construct URL-based integrations with external systems. They extend the actions available to users on Salesforce records.
Real-World Example
Consider a scenario where an admin at Redwood Financial is working with Custom Links to ensure the Salesforce org runs smoothly and securely. They configure Custom Links during a scheduled maintenance window, test it in a sandbox first, and then deploy to production. The result is tighter security and a more streamlined experience for all 200 users in the org.
Why Custom Links Matters
Custom Links (also called Custom Buttons and Links) are administrator-defined URL links or JavaScript actions that appear on record detail pages, list views, or related lists. They extend the set of actions available to users without requiring full code development. Custom Links can navigate to external websites, execute JavaScript (Classic only; JavaScript buttons aren't supported in Lightning), open Visualforce pages, construct URL-based integrations with external systems, or open another Salesforce record.
Custom Links are part of the older Classic-era customization model. In Lightning Experience, much of what Custom Links were used for has moved to Quick Actions, Lightning Web Components, and Flow actions, which are more capable and better integrated into the modern UI. JavaScript Custom Buttons in particular are a legacy pattern that doesn't work in Lightning; orgs migrating from Classic to Lightning typically need to rebuild any JavaScript Custom Buttons as Quick Actions or LWC-based components. Simple URL-based Custom Links (like links to external websites) still work in Lightning and remain useful for straightforward navigation.
How Organizations Use Custom Links
- •Redwood Financial — Uses simple URL Custom Links to link from Account records to the customer's page in their external KYC system. The link passes the customer ID as a URL parameter so the external system opens to the right record.
- •NovaScale — Rebuilt all their JavaScript Custom Buttons as Lightning Quick Actions during a Lightning Experience migration. The JavaScript buttons stopped working in Lightning, so the migration was mandatory.
- •BrightEdge Solutions — Maintains a Custom Link on their Case object that opens a Visualforce page with a special escalation workflow. The link is simpler to maintain than building a full custom component, and the Visualforce page works in Lightning via an iframe.