Formula Specific to Running User?

Question

I have a requirement where a certain field can be edited without the validations firing for a particular user. Now I tried to write rule like LastModifiedId != '005000000000000AAA' but the validation was still firing. Then I realized that until the record saves, the LastModifiedId does not change and the validations still fire, as the LastModifiedId would not be updated to the exempted User.

Is there any workaround or a way to check the Id of the User who is currently editing the record?

Answer 1

There are a few approaches you can take here, which I will list in order of preference. These should work just about anywhere merge fields can be used.

---

Create a Custom Permission

You can check if someone has a Custom Permission in a formula as follows:

$Permission.My_Custom_Permission__c

Steps:

1. Create Custom Permission
2. Add it to a Permission Set
3. Assign that Permission Set to any User you wish to exempt from validation

---

Hierarchy Custom Setting

If you don't find the above palatable for some reason, you can also check a Hierarchy Custom Setting in a formula as follows:

$My_Hierarchy_Setting__c.Is_Exempt_From_Validation_X__c

Steps:

1. Create Hierarchy Custom Setting
2. Add exemption field
3. Set Org Wide Default for this field to false
4. Set value to true for any User you wish to exempt from validation

---

Alias

You can check against an Alias in a way that in all environments as follows:

$User.Alias = "analias"

---

Username

Somewhat less clean than Alias, but you would check against a Username as follows:

BEGINS($User.Username, "[email protected]")

---

User Id

I would not adopt this approach unless you have compelling reasons none of the above are a good fit:

$User.Id = "00550000000lxVg"