It is possible to create a custom text field with default text defined?

Question

we need to include some explanation text related to some custom field in order to provide to the user the meaning of these fields and how it must to be completed. We have test with the help text option and the help page feature but we need that the explanation text appears always and any action be required from the user to show it. It is possible to create a new custom text field and define the explanation text as the default value? We have tested it but it does not work.

Answer 1

Assuming you have Enterprise or unlimited edition you can do this with a fairly simple workflow rule.

• Set the evaluation criteria to 'Created'.
• Set the Rule Criteria to a formula, and just put 'TRUE' in the formula. This way it always runs when a record is created.
• Then you create a field update that sets the text of your custom field to whatever default text you want.

You could of course also do this with a trigger, but why not use native functionality that is available.

Answer 2

I'm assuming that the requirement here is to have the help text appear when creating a new record (i.e. before it is saved) and when editing or viewing an existing record without having to hover over icons etc in order to save?

There's no way to do this with standard functionality I'm afraid. The real problem is create new, at which time there is no record to provide default field values to (or to update fields via workflow/trigger). Edit can be troublesome as well, as only fields that the user can change are displayed, so you'd stand a chance of them updating your help text.

If you were prepared to replace the standard pages with Visualforce equivalents, you can put whatever you like into any of the pages. It is likely to introduce overhead whenever you want to change things though.

The only way I know of to do this is via a sidebar HTML component (unsupported) that uses JavaScript to inject the help information into the page.

You might want to take a look at the improved help managed package (I have no affiliation other than using it a while back) as that is intended to provide this kind of additional functionality:

https://appexchange.salesforce.com/listingDetail?listingId=a0N30000009x9XeEAI