Definition
A Salesforce security setting (also called CRUD permissions) that controls whether users can create, read, update, or delete records of a specific object based on their profile or permission set.
Real-World Example
When the system admin at BrightEdge Solutions needs to streamline operations, they turn to Object-Level Security to control how users interact with Salesforce data and features. After configuring Object-Level Security in the sandbox and validating it with key stakeholders, they roll it out to production. User adoption improves because the interface now matches how teams actually work.
Why Object-Level Security Matters
Object-Level Security is a Salesforce security setting (also called CRUD permissions, where CRUD stands for Create, Read, Update, Delete) that controls whether users can perform these operations on records of a specific object based on their profile or permission set. It's the broadest layer of the Salesforce security model: if a user doesn't have read access to an object, they can't see any records of that object, regardless of sharing settings.
Object-Level Security is one of three main layers in the Salesforce security model: Object-Level (CRUD), Field-Level Security (which fields users can see and edit), and Record-Level (sharing rules and ownership). Together, these layers enforce who can do what with which data. Mature orgs configure object-level security thoughtfully, with profiles granting baseline access and permission sets adding privileges for specific roles or scenarios. Granting unnecessary CRUD permissions is a common mistake that undermines security.
How Organizations Use Object-Level Security
- •BrightEdge Solutions — Configures object-level security tightly through profiles, granting only the CRUD permissions each role actually needs.
- •NovaScale — Uses permission sets to grant additional CRUD permissions for specific scenarios without modifying profiles.
- •Cobalt Ventures — Audits CRUD permissions periodically as part of access governance, ensuring permissions match current roles.