Order Settings
Order Settings is the Salesforce Setup configuration that controls behaviors of the standard Order object: whether the Order object is enabled, whether negative quantities are allowed on Order Products, whether orders are required to have a contract reference, and how the Reduction Order capability (returns and partial fulfillment) functions.
Definition
Order Settings is the Salesforce Setup configuration that controls behaviors of the standard Order object: whether the Order object is enabled, whether negative quantities are allowed on Order Products, whether orders are required to have a contract reference, and how the Reduction Order capability (returns and partial fulfillment) functions. The Order object is part of the standard Sales Cloud data model, sitting alongside Opportunity and Contract as the artifact representing committed customer commitments after the deal closes.
Most organizations using Salesforce for commerce or post-sale fulfillment enable Orders and configure the settings during initial Sales Cloud rollout. Once enabled, Orders typically participate in workflow automation around fulfillment, billing, and revenue recognition. The Settings page is small but each toggle has downstream implications: enabling negative quantities affects how returns are recorded; requiring contract references affects how Orders flow from Opportunity. Plan changes deliberately because mid-life setting changes can break in-flight automation.
How Order Settings shapes Order behavior
Enabling the Order object
The Order object is included with Sales Cloud but requires explicit enablement. Setup > Order Settings > Enable Orders. Once enabled, the Order tab becomes available, Order is queryable through SOQL, and the standard relationships (Contract, Account) are exposed. Disabling Orders after data has been created is operationally expensive; treat enablement as a long-term decision.
Reduction Orders for returns
Reduction Orders represent returns or partial fulfillment of an original Order. They have a negative impact on the original Order's quantity. Order Settings exposes the toggle for enabling Reduction Orders and the related configuration for how reductions interact with revenue calculations. Common in retail, manufacturing, and any commerce scenario with returns.
Negative Quantities
The Negative Quantities option controls whether Order Products can have negative quantity values. Without it, returns must use Reduction Orders; with it, returns can be entered as negative-quantity Order Products. The choice affects accounting integration and reporting; consult finance before changing.
Contract requirement
Order Settings can require an Order to reference a Contract. This is common for B2B SaaS where every Order should be associated with a master agreement. Without the requirement, Orders can exist standalone. Enforcing the link is usually appropriate; it provides audit trail from Order back to the underlying agreement.
Sharing model
The Order object has its own org-wide default and sharing rules. Configuration is in Sharing Settings, not Order Settings. Plan sharing alongside enabling Orders; without proper sharing, users see Orders only for records they own.
Integration with downstream systems
Orders typically integrate with ERP, billing, and fulfillment systems. Order Settings affects what data those integrations receive; negative quantities versus Reduction Orders, contract linkage requirements, all matter to integration design. Coordinate Order Settings changes with integration teams.
Revenue Cloud and Order management
Salesforce Revenue Cloud (formerly CPQ and Billing) builds on the Order object with advanced quoting, configuration, billing, and revenue recognition. Order Settings interacts with Revenue Cloud configuration. For deeper order management, Revenue Cloud or Order Management products extend beyond what Order Settings alone provides.
Enable and configure Orders
Configuring Order Settings is a small but consequential set of decisions. The steps below cover the standard rollout.
- Decide on Order use case
Confirm Orders fit the business model. For pure pipeline-tracking orgs, Orders may be unnecessary; for commerce or post-sale fulfillment, they are essential.
- Open Order Settings
Setup > Order Settings. The page exposes the toggles.
- Enable Orders
Check Enable Orders. The Order tab becomes available; the object is queryable.
- Decide on Reduction Orders
Enable if you need to track returns or partial fulfillment as separate Order records. Common in retail and manufacturing.
- Decide on Negative Quantities
Alternative to Reduction Orders for handling returns. Choose based on accounting and integration requirements.
- Decide on Contract requirement
Enable if every Order should reference a master Contract. Standard for B2B SaaS; less common for one-off commerce.
- Configure Order sharing
Sharing Settings > Order. Set org-wide default and sharing rules aligned with the access model.
Master toggle for the Order object.
Enable returns/partial fulfillment as separate Orders.
Allow negative quantity on Order Products. Alternative to Reduction Orders.
Require Orders to reference a master Contract.
Per-Order workflow for activating Orders. Configurable separately.
- Disabling Orders after data exists is operationally expensive. Plan as a long-term decision.
- Reduction Orders versus Negative Quantities is an accounting choice. Consult finance before enabling either.
- Contract requirement affects how Orders flow from Opportunity. Audit Opportunity-to-Order paths before enforcing.
- Sharing model is separate from Order Settings. Without proper sharing, users see only owned Orders.
- Integration with ERP and billing systems may depend on specific settings. Coordinate changes with integration teams.
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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