Configuration and Setup · Topic 1 of 4
Company Settings and Declarative UI Configuration
Salesforce admin basics: company settings such as fiscal year, business hours and currency, plus UI settings, app menu, list views and global actions.
- 3 min
- Company Information holds the org's locale, time zone, currency locale and licenses.
- Standard versus custom fiscal years; custom fiscal years can't be disabled once enabled.
- Business hours and holidays drive escalation and case timing.
What it is
Company settings hold the information that applies to the whole org: its name, locale, default time zone, fiscal year, business hours, holidays and currencies. Declarative UI configuration is how an administrator shapes what users see without code: apps and the App Launcher, list views, global actions, user interface settings and Lightning App Builder pages.
How it works
Company settings
| Setting | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Company Information | Org name, default locale, language, time zone, currency locale, license counts |
| Fiscal year | Standard (12 months, chosen start month) or custom (non-standard periods such as 4-4-5); once custom fiscal years are enabled, the feature can't be disabled, and defining the first custom year deletes existing forecasts from that year's first period |
| Business hours | The hours the company works, used by escalation rules, entitlements and case age |
| Holidays | Dates excluded from business hours |
| Currency management | Single currency or multiple currencies; multi-currency, once enabled, can't be turned off |
| Default settings | Defaults for new users, such as locale and time zone |
Users can override personal settings such as their own time zone and locale.
User interface configuration
| Feature | Purpose |
|---|---|
| User Interface settings | Org-wide options such as enabling inline editing or collapsible sections |
| Apps and App Launcher | Lightning apps group tabs and items; the app menu controls which apps users see and in what order |
| List views | Saved filters of records; can be visible to only the creator, all users or selected groups and roles |
| Global actions | Actions available anywhere, such as "New Task" or "Log a Call", added to the global publisher layout |
| Lightning App Builder | Drag-and-drop editor for app pages, home pages and record pages |
Lightning pages
- App pages are home screens for an app.
- Home pages can be assigned by app and by profile.
- Record pages can be assigned org-wide, by app, by record type and by profile.
- Components can be shown or hidden with component visibility filters, such as a field value or the user's profile.
A worked example: a company works 8am to 6pm on weekdays in two regions. The administrator creates two business-hours records with the right time zones, adds public holidays, and assigns the correct business hours in escalation rules so cases escalate only during working time.
When a question asks how to show a different record page to sales users and service users, the answer is Lightning page assignment by app, record type or profile, not a separate object.
How the exam asks about this
- "Escalations must ignore weekends and holidays." Business hours and holidays.
- "The company reports on a 4-4-5 quarter calendar." A custom fiscal year.
- "Show a list of high-value opportunities only to the sales managers role." A list view shared with that role.
What to remember for the exam
- Company Information holds the org's locale, time zone, currency locale and licenses.
- Standard versus custom fiscal years; custom fiscal years can't be disabled once enabled.
- Business hours and holidays drive escalation and case timing.
- Multi-currency can't be disabled once enabled.
- Lightning App Builder builds app, home and record pages; assignments by app, record type and profile.
Enabling multiple currencies or a custom fiscal year is effectively permanent. Plan before you switch it on.
Common mistakes
Creating a new app when only the page needs to differ. Use Lightning page assignments.
Forgetting holidays in business hours. Escalations will fire on holidays.
Sharing a list view with everyone by default. Limit visibility to the right groups.
Check yourself
What can business hours be used for?
Defining working time for features such as case escalation rules, entitlements and case age calculations.
What is the difference between a standard and a custom fiscal year?
A standard fiscal year has 12 months starting in a chosen month; a custom fiscal year defines non-standard periods, and the feature can't be disabled once enabled.
How can different users see different record pages for the same object?
Assign Lightning record pages by app, record type and profile.
Topic 1 of 4 in Configuration and Setup
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