How to Make Additional Salesforce Fields Searchable Using Custom Text Fields and Flows

Step 1: Evaluate the Use Case Before Proceeding

Before implementing this solution, evaluate whether the workaround is appropriate for your org's scale and requirements.

Note: Populating a large number of records (several thousands) with identical field values in a custom text field may not be a scalable solution. This can result in search crowding or truncation, where Salesforce returns too many results matching the same value. Review the Help Users Find Missing Records documentation (in Additional Resources) for implications.

Also consider whether search filters could provide an alternative approach to help users narrow results without requiring additional indexed fields. See the Configure Salesforce Search documentation in Additional Resources.

Step 2: Create a Custom Text Field

Create a custom text field on the object whose records you want to make more searchable. Since this field is used only for search indexing purposes, do not add it to page layouts.
Refer to the Create a Custom Field article in Additional Resources for step-by-step instructions.

Step 3: Create a Record-Triggered Flow to Populate the Field

Create a Salesforce Flow to automatically populate the custom text field with the value you want to make searchable whenever a record is created or updated.
Use the following Flow configuration:

• Flow Type: Record-Triggered Flow
• Trigger: A record is created (optionally, also when a record is edited)
• Condition Requirements: Set desired conditions, or choose None to run the Flow on every record creation/edit
• Optimize for: Actions and Related Records

Add an Update Records element to the Flow with the following settings:

• How to Find Records to Update: Use the record that triggered the Flow
• Filter Conditions: None (Always Update Record), unless specific conditions apply
• Set Field Values: Field = the custom text field created in Step 2; Value = select $Record > choose the source field you want to make searchable

Save and Activate the Flow.

Step 4: Update Existing Records

The Flow will automatically populate the custom text field for new records going forward, but existing records must be updated manually. See the Mass Update Records in Salesforce and How to Retroactively Trigger a Workflow on Existing Records articles in Additional Resources for instructions.
If users are still unable to locate records after completing these steps, see Unable to Find Records in Global Search in Additional Resources for additional troubleshooting.