Salesforce Error: You Can't Use More Than X Characters When Editing a Field

To resolve this error, avoid pasting content from formatted sources. Instead, copy content from a plain text editor such as Notepad or Notepad++, then paste it into the Salesforce field. This removes hidden formatting and brings the content within the character limit. Note that some text formatting is lost when using a plain text editor.

Cause

When content is copied from Microsoft Word or a website, hidden HTML formatting tags are included. These tags are invisible to the user but count toward the field's character limit. For example, a single line of text may appear short but contain many additional hidden characters due to formatting markup.

Special Characters Note

Some special characters encode into HTML when entered into a Rich Text Area (RTA) field, even when copied from a plain text editor. For example, a single apostrophe encodes to the equivalent of 5 characters, resulting in a net gain of 4 characters. Take this into account when setting field length limits.