Object Manager
Object Manager is the central Setup area in Salesforce Lightning Experience for managing every standard and custom object in an org.
Definition
Object Manager is the central Setup area in Salesforce Lightning Experience for managing every standard and custom object in an org. From a single list, admins can open any object and configure its fields, relationships, page layouts, record types, validation rules, triggers, buttons and links, compact layouts, list views, and search layouts. It replaces the scattered per-object menus that Salesforce Classic kept under Setup > Customize > [Object Name].
The Object Manager opens through Setup > Object Manager and lists every object alphabetically, including standard objects like Account, Contact, Opportunity, Case, custom objects ending in __c, and external objects ending in __x. Filter by Object Label, API Name, or Type to find a specific object quickly. Inside each object, a left-nav menu lists every customization area, and a Schema Builder shortcut sits at the top right for ER-diagram-style visualization.
How Object Manager organizes every customization touchpoint per object
Why Object Manager replaced Customize menus
In Classic, admins had to navigate Setup > Customize > Account > Fields, then back to Setup > Customize > Account > Page Layouts, then Setup > Customize > Account > Triggers. Every menu sat under a different breadcrumb. Object Manager consolidates all of it under one path: pick the object once, then jump between customization areas via the left nav. Frequent admins notice the time saved within hours. The Classic Customize menu is still accessible but Salesforce has deprecated new development there; all new metadata features ship to Object Manager only.
Standard, custom, external, and big objects
Object Manager lists four object types. Standard objects (Account, Contact, Opportunity) ship with Salesforce and have rich pre-built UI. Custom objects (created by admins, suffix __c) appear once created and behave almost identically. External objects (suffix __x) live in Salesforce Connect and proxy data from an outside system; they have limited customization options. Big Objects (suffix __b) hold high-volume data with restricted customization; field types and relationships are more limited than custom objects. Each type shows different left-nav options inside Object Manager.
The left-nav inventory inside each object
Click into an object and the left nav shows: Details (header info, help link), Fields & Relationships, Page Layouts, Lightning Record Pages, Buttons, Links, and Actions, Compact Layouts, Field Sets, Object Limits, Record Types, Related Lookup Filters, Search Layouts, List View Button Layout, Restriction Rules, Sharing Settings, Triggers, Validation Rules, and the recently added Hierarchy Columns for hierarchical custom objects. Sandbox-only objects also show Apex Sharing Reasons. The menu adapts to the object type and licensed features.
Where Object Manager has gaps
Some configuration still lives outside Object Manager. Person Account settings sit under Setup > Account Settings, not on the Account object inside Object Manager. Lead conversion mappings live in Setup > Lead Settings. Picklist value translations are managed under Translation Workbench, not on the picklist field directly. Approval Processes, Email Templates, and Quick Action layouts have separate Setup nodes. Power admins keep a mental map of which configuration is "object" and which is "setting" because the boundary is not always intuitive.
API integration: Tooling API and Metadata API
Every change made through Object Manager writes to underlying metadata that the Metadata API and Tooling API can deploy. CustomObject, CustomField, ValidationRule, RecordType, and Layout are the most-used metadata types. DevOps pipelines pull these definitions from sandbox via sfdx force:source:retrieve and deploy to production. Object Manager itself is just one of several ways to author the same XML; experienced developers often edit XML directly when a config has dozens of similar changes (renaming 50 picklist values, for example).
Permissions to access Object Manager
Most Object Manager customization requires the Customize Application permission. Read-only access to view the schema requires View Setup and Configuration. Profiles like System Administrator have both by default; custom profiles need both permissions enabled if admins outside the System Admin group will use Object Manager. Add the Field Audit Trail or Schema Builder license if your org tracks every metadata change for compliance.
How to use Object Manager to customize an object
Object Manager is the starting point for every per-object customization in Lightning. Open it from the Setup gear menu, search for the target object, and use the left nav to reach the specific area you need.
- Open Object Manager
Setup gear > Setup > Object Manager. The full list of objects appears. Use the Quick Find box to filter by name; alphabetical scrolling works too.
- Open the target object
Click the object label or API name. The object's detail page loads with the left-nav menu of customization areas.
- Navigate to the customization area
Pick the area: Fields & Relationships to add a field, Page Layouts to edit a layout, Validation Rules to add validation, Triggers to manage Apex. Each area loads its own list.
- Make the change
Click New, Edit, or Delete depending on the action. Object Manager keeps the changes inside the same object context, so you never lose track of which object you are editing.
- Validate in a sandbox or with field-level permissions
After saving, log in as a test user and verify the change is visible and behaves correctly. Field-Level Security and Profile permissions can hide changes from end users even after Object Manager shows them.
Default Lightning UI for managing objects. Always use this for new customizations.
Legacy alternative. Still functional but deprecated for new features. Avoid unless reverse-compatibility forces it.
Visual ER-diagram view of every object and field. Useful for understanding relationships before editing.
Command-line alternative for bulk or repeated metadata changes. Pairs with version control for DevOps workflows.
- Not every object setting lives in Object Manager. Person Account, Lead conversion mappings, and picklist translations live under their own Setup nodes; this catches new admins constantly.
- Changes made through Object Manager are immediate in the org. There is no draft mode. Use a sandbox for non-trivial changes and deploy via change set or DX once tested.
- Object Manager shows up to 20 records per page by default. Big custom orgs with hundreds of custom objects need to filter or paginate; the URL supports parameters for advanced search.
- Standard fields cannot be deleted, only hidden via Field-Level Security. Custom field deletion is a soft delete with a 15-day recycle bin window; restore is possible during that window.
Trust & references
Cross-checked against the following references.
- Object Manager OverviewSalesforce Help
- Navigate SetupSalesforce Help
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on Object Manager.
- Customize Objects with Object ManagerSalesforce Help
- CustomObject Metadata ReferenceSalesforce Developers
Hands-on resources to go deeper on Object Manager.
About the Author
Dipojjal Chakrabarti is a B2C Solution Architect with 29 Salesforce certifications and over 13 years in the Salesforce ecosystem. He runs salesforcedictionary.com to help admins, developers, architects, and cert/interview candidates sharpen their fundamentals. More about Dipojjal.
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