Picklist Value during Data Import

Question

i came across this section in the Salesforce Documentation:

If you import a picklist value that doesn’t match an existing picklist value: For an unrestricted picklist, the Data Import Wizard uses the value that’s in the import file. For a restricted picklist, the Data Import Wizard uses the picklist's default value. (https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=notes_on_importing_data.htm&type=5)

When I import data (Data Import Wizard) containing non-existing picklist values to records that have restricted picklist fields, I always get the INVALID_OR_NULL_FOR_RESTRICTED_PICKLIST error whether or not I have set default values for those picklist fields.

How can the documentation be true? What am I missing here?

Answer 1

In my opinion, the documentation would benefit from making it clear any existing custom values already contained in a restricted picklist and the default values set forth in https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=000384457&type=1 will not be impacted by the attempt to add additional values to the picklist options using the Data Import Wizard.

Note: These are not USER defined default values. These are Salesforce defined default values.

The attempt itself will fail. The correct error message is " INVALID_OR_NULL_FOR_RESTRICTED_PICKLIST".

No new values can be added to a restricted picklist through the Data Import Wizard.

Answer 2

Check the field definition in Object Manager. If the Restrict picklist to the values defined in the value set option is enabled, it is a restricted picklist.

The default picklist value applies only if no value is specified during the import. Default value and restricted picklist are two completely different features.