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“What to Do if the Lookup Record Is Deleted?” Options Are Not Available on a Custom Lookup Field

Дата публикации: Apr 2, 2026
Описание

When creating or editing a custom lookup field, Salesforce typically provides options to define behavior when the referenced (lookup) record is deleted:

  • Clear the value of this field
  • Don’t allow deletion of the lookup record
  • Delete this record

However, users may notice that this section is missing in some cases.

This occurs when the lookup field is self-referential, meaning the field looks up to the same object it is created on (for example, a lookup from Object_A to Object_A).

Решение

 

This behavior is by design.

When a lookup field references the same object:

  • Salesforce removes the deletion behavior options to prevent cascade deletion risks
  • In complex relationships (for example, circular references), allowing record deletion could unintentionally delete multiple related records

Example scenario:

  • Record A → Record B → Record C → Record A
  • If cascade delete were allowed, deleting one record could delete the entire chain

To prevent this, Salesforce enforces a default behavior:

  • The lookup field value is automatically cleared when the referenced record is deleted

No additional configuration is available for this type of lookup relationship.

 

Номер статьи базы знаний

000383277

 
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Salesforce Help | Article