Page Layout
A Page Layout in Salesforce controls the arrangement of fields, buttons, related lists, and custom links on a record detail page.
Definition
A Page Layout in Salesforce controls the arrangement of fields, buttons, related lists, and custom links on a record detail page. Administrators use the drag-and-drop layout editor to organize which elements appear, in what order, and whether fields are required, read-only, or hidden for users assigned to specific profiles.
In plain English
“Here's a simple way to think about it: Page Layout is still the foundation of how a record actually looks. Even when Lightning App Builder renders the page, it pulls field arrangement, related lists, required-field rules from the underlying Page Layout.”
Worked example
The admin at VertexPharma creates two Page Layouts for the Case object: one for Tier 1 agents that shows basic fields and a prominent "Escalate" button, and another for Tier 2 agents that includes advanced fields like Root Cause, Engineering Notes, and a related list of linked Jira tickets. Each layout is assigned to the appropriate profile.
Why Page Layout is still the foundation of how a record actually looks to users
Lightning App Builder, Dynamic Forms, and Lightning Pages get most of the attention in modern Salesforce - but underneath all of them, Page Layout is still where the core decisions about a record live. Which fields appear in the highlights panel? Which related lists show up? What's required, what's read-only, what's hidden by profile? Even when a Lightning Page is doing the rendering, it's pulling that information from a Page Layout assigned to the record's profile.
The reason this page deserves real care is that page layouts are the most visible part of the platform - every user sees one every time they open a record. A messy layout (fields out of logical order, required fields buried, irrelevant related lists at the top) makes the platform feel disorganized and slow even when nothing is technically wrong. Audit layouts the way you'd audit a frequently-visited app screen: per persona, per record stage, with attention to what users actually scan first.
How to set up Page Layout
Page Layouts control field placement, related lists, and Salesforce Classic-style buttons on a record's Details tab. In Lightning, Lightning Record Pages (built in Lightning App Builder) sit on top — but page layouts still drive the Details tab inside them. They're not going away.
- Open Setup → Object Manager → [object] → Page Layouts
Object Manager → object → Page Layouts in the left rail.
- Click New (or Clone an existing)
New gives you a fresh layout. Clone is more common — gives you a starting point.
- Drag fields and sections from the palette
Top half of the editor is the palette; bottom half is the layout. Drag-and-drop. Sections can be 1- or 2-column.
- Set Field Properties (Required, Read-only)
Hover a field on the layout → wrench icon → Required / Read-only toggles. These apply on this layout only — not at the API level.
- Configure Related Lists
Related Lists section in the palette → drag in. Click the wrench on each related list to pick which columns show + sort order + buttons.
- Configure Mobile & Lightning Actions and Quick Actions
Drag from the Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section. These are what appears in the Activity composer / Highlights panel.
- Save → Page Layout Assignment
Save the layout. Then click Page Layout Assignment to map Profile × Record Type → this layout.
1- or 2-column. Drag fields in. Section headers are visible to users.
Required and Read-only toggles per field, per layout.
Which child objects show, in what columns, with what buttons.
Up to 7 fields shown at the top of the Lightning record page (configured via the Lightning Compact Layout or Lightning Page on most modern orgs).
Which quick actions appear in the activity composer.
Which Profile × Record Type combos see this layout.
- Required on a Page Layout is NOT required at the API level. A Validation Rule or a Custom Field with "Required" ticked at the field-definition level enforces across UI + API.
- In Lightning, Lightning Record Pages override layouts for everything except the Details tab. If you can't figure out why a button isn't showing, check the Lightning Page in Lightning App Builder, not just the Page Layout.
- Page Layout Assignment is per Profile × Record Type. Forget the Record Type axis and users with the wrong record type see the wrong layout.
How organizations use Page Layout
Per-profile Page Layouts let sales and service teams see the same Account differently; each role gets the fields and related lists they need.
Patient page layouts vary by care plan stage; Dynamic Forms layered on top surface fields conditionally.
Service Console layouts strip non-essential fields for agents; full-detail layouts reserved for power users.
Trust & references
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on Page Layout.
- Create Page LayoutsSalesforce Help
- The Enhanced Page Layout EditorSalesforce Help
Test your knowledge
Q1. Can a Salesforce admin configure Page Layout without writing code?
Q2. What is the primary benefit of Page Layout for Salesforce administrators?
Q3. Why is understanding Page Layout important for Salesforce admins?
Discussion
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