Is there a way to ignore a required field for records auto created with Process Builder?

Question

Through Process Builder, I am auto creating opportunities. There is a custom field 'Volume__c' that I want to make required. However, at the time of auto creating the Opportunity record, I want to ignore the field because the volume varies. After Opportunity is auto created, I want to force the Sales reps to enter a value in the Volume__c field.

What I tried so far ?

Option 1: Creating a static value of 1, however this is misleading.

Option 2: Validation Rule, however I want this to be enforced to only those opportunities created after the validation rule is activated. I don't want the field required on historical data

Option 3: At the file level set Required = False, At the page layout level set Required = true

With the last option, Process builder successfully creates a record, but how to I ensure users enteres a value after the record is auto created.

Can some one please guide?

Answer 1

Option 3 is the way to go. Make it not required on the field itself.

Note that when you make a field required it's saying to the system this is universally required anytime a record is created. Sort of like 'CloseDate' is universally required it has to be there.

Making it required on the page layout will ensure that your users populate it whenever they update the record. This way you can create it blank through process builder or API and then force the users to populate it.

If the users update the record through API (data loader) or workflow or code it would not be required because it's not universally required at the field level.

As long as your users act in normal end users ways they should always be forced by the page layout to do what you tell them to do.

My historical Opportunities are locked so I don't have users updating old ops. However, if you don't have that then requiring it on the page layout and someone edits an old record they would be forced to populate it. Just keep that in mind.