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Business Platforms & EA · Intermediate

Custom Setting

Cached custom data set that can be accessed efficiently by formulas, validation rules, flows and Apex.

Definition

Custom settings come as list or hierarchy types. Hierarchy custom settings resolve values for the user, then profile, then org default, making them useful for per-user switches such as bypassing automation. Records are data, so they do not deploy with change sets.

Example

A hierarchy setting Bypass_Automation__c lets integration users skip validation rules.

Exam tip

Only hierarchy custom settings can be referenced in formulas via $Setup; their records do not deploy as metadata.

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