Configuring Record Types

Record types allow administrators to classify Entity records into different categories. For example, Account records can be categorized into three types: Client, Partner, and Manufacturer. With different record types, administrators can separate record data when creating Reports. A separate list of picklist values can be configured according to the record's record type. Record Type access can also be assigned to security roles. For more information on Record Type access, see Assigning Record Types to Security Roles.

Before You Begin

Requirements

To add fields to Entities, users must be assigned a security role with the following permissions:

• Administrator System Role

Understanding Record Types

Record Types provide a way to differentiate records within the same entity based on their purpose, process, or characteristics. They enable administrators to:

• Offer different picklist values for different business processes
• Assign different page layouts to different types of records
• Control which record types are available to different security roles
• Segment data in reports based on record type

When to Use Record Types

Use Record Types when:

• Different types of records follow different business processes
• Different user groups need to see different fields or picklist values
• You want to provide tailored user experiences for different record categories
• You need to segment data for reporting purposes

Record Types and Salesforce

For Salesforce objects, Record Types can be imported from Salesforce into Magentrix. The Record Types configured in Salesforce are synchronized to Magentrix, maintaining consistency between systems.

Record Types and Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics CRM does not support Record Types. This feature is only available for native Magentrix entities and Salesforce objects.

Creating a New Record Type

To create a new record type:

1. In the Setup Home page, click Create > Entities.

2. Click the Entity to which you want to add a new record type.

3. Select the Record Types tab.

4. Click New.

5. Configure the field details:

   Name: Enter a name for the record type (e.g., "Enterprise Account", "Support Case", "Sales Opportunity").

   Entity: This field is automatically populated with the selected entity.

   Active: Check the Active checkbox if you want this record type to be used and assigned to records. Inactive record types cannot be selected when creating new records but existing records retain their record type.

   External ID: For Salesforce entities only. This field stores the Salesforce ID for the record type, allowing Magentrix to map the record type correctly to the Salesforce Record Type. Leave blank for native Magentrix entities.

   Description: Enter a description of the record type's purpose and when it should be used (optional but recommended).

6. Click Save.

The Record Type is now created. You can proceed to configure picklist values, assign page layouts, and assign the record type to security roles.

Editing a Record Type

To edit a record type:

1. In the Setup Home page, click Create > Entities.

2. Click the Entity to which you want to edit.

3. Select the Record Types tab.

4. Click the Record Type you want to edit.

5. Click Edit.

6. Configure the field details:

   • Update the Name
   • Check or uncheck Active
   • Update the Description

7. Click Save.

Note: The External ID should not be modified for Salesforce record types as it maintains the mapping to Salesforce.

Activating and Deactivating Record Types

Record Types can be activated or deactivated to control their availability:

Active Record Types

• Appear in the Record Type selection when users create new records
• Can be assigned to new records
• Existing records with this record type continue to display correctly
• Available for assignment to security roles

Inactive Record Types

• Do not appear in the Record Type selection for new records
• Existing records retain the record type and continue to function
• Cannot be selected for new records
• Users can still view and edit existing records with inactive record types
• Useful for phasing out old record types without affecting historical data

To Activate or Deactivate

1. Navigate to the Record Type detail page
2. Click Edit
3. Check or uncheck the Active checkbox
4. Click Save

Configuring Record Type Picklist Values

When Record Types are configured for an entity, you can specify different available picklist values for each Record Type. This allows you to tailor the available options based on the type of record being created.

To Configure Record Type Picklist Values

1. In the Setup Home page, click Create > Entities.

2. Click the Entity that contains the record type and picklist fields.

3. Click the Record Types tab.

4. Click on the Record Type you want to configure.

5. On the Record Type detail page, scroll to the bottom to see Picklists Available for Editing.

6. Locate the picklist you want to configure and click the Dropdown beside the picklist name.

7. Select Edit.

8. In the picklist configuration screen:

   Available Values (left column): Values that are NOT available for this Record Type

   Selected Values (right column): Values that ARE available for this Record Type

   • Use the arrow buttons to move values between the columns
   • To make a value available for this record type, select it from the left column and click the right arrow
   • To remove a value from this record type, select it from the right column and click the left arrow
   • Select multiple values by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac)

9. Optionally, select a Default Value for this Record Type from the dropdown at the top. This value will be pre-selected when users create new records of this type.

10. Click Save & Close.

Users creating or editing records of this Record Type will only see the picklist values you configured.

Example Scenario

Entity: Case Record Types: Support Case, Sales Inquiry, Bug Report

Status Picklist Configuration:

• Support Case: New, Open, Pending, Resolved, Closed
• Sales Inquiry: New, Qualifying, Quote Sent, Won, Lost
• Bug Report: New, Confirmed, In Development, Testing, Fixed, Closed

Each record type shows only relevant status values for its business process.

Importing Record Types from Salesforce

For Salesforce objects, Record Types can be imported from Salesforce into Magentrix.

To Import Salesforce Record Types

1. Navigate to Extend > Salesforce.

2. Click the Salesforce object that has record types configured in Salesforce.

3. Select the Record Types tab.

4. Click Import.

5. The system retrieves all record types configured in Salesforce for this object.

6. Select the record types you want to import into Magentrix.

7. Click Import.

The selected Record Types are now available in Magentrix. The External ID field is automatically populated with the Salesforce Record Type ID to maintain the mapping.

Synchronization Behavior

• Record Types imported from Salesforce maintain a link via the External ID
• Changes to record type names or properties in Salesforce are not automatically synchronized
• To update record types, import them again from Salesforce
• Picklist values for record types are managed in Salesforce and synchronized during entity schema refresh

Understanding External IDs

The External ID field serves a specific purpose for Salesforce record types:

Purpose

• Stores the Salesforce Record Type ID (18-character Salesforce ID)
• Maintains the mapping between Magentrix record types and Salesforce record types
• Ensures records created in Magentrix are assigned the correct record type in Salesforce
• Allows bidirectional synchronization of record types

Best Practices

• Do not modify the External ID for imported Salesforce record types
• Leave External ID blank for native Magentrix record types
• If the External ID is accidentally deleted or modified, re-import the record type from Salesforce

Assigning Page Layouts Based on Record Types

Assigning a page layout to a record type allows you to display different data based on the record type and the Security Role of the user viewing the data.

How It Works

Page layout assignment creates a matrix:

• Rows: Security Roles
• Columns: Record Types
• Cells: Assigned page layout

This allows you to assign different layouts based on both the user's role and the record's type.

To Assign Page Layouts to Record Types

1. In the Setup Home page, click Create > Entities.

2. Click the Entity to which you want to assign page layouts to Record Types.

3. Click the Page Layouts tab.

4. Click Layout Assignments.

5. The layout assignment matrix is displayed:

   • Each row represents a Security Role
   • Each column represents a Record Type (if Record Types are configured)
   • If no Record Types exist, you assign layouts by Security Role only

6. For each combination of Security Role and Record Type, select the desired page layout from the Layout dropdown.

7. Click Save.

Users will now see different page layouts based on both their security role and the record type they are viewing or editing.

Example Scenario

Entity: Opportunity

Record Types: New Business, Renewal, Upgrade

Security Roles: Sales Rep, Sales Manager

Layout Assignments:

• Sales Rep + New Business → Standard Layout
• Sales Rep + Renewal → Renewal Layout (shows renewal-specific fields)
• Sales Rep + Upgrade → Upgrade Layout (shows upgrade-specific fields)
• Sales Manager + New Business → Manager Layout (shows all fields including forecasting)
• Sales Manager + Renewal → Manager Renewal Layout
• Sales Manager + Upgrade → Manager Upgrade Layout

Setting the Default Record Type

When an entity has multiple record types, you can set a default record type for each security role.

Purpose

• Automatically pre-selects a record type when users create new records
• Reduces clicks for the most common record type
• Can be overridden by users if they have access to multiple record types

Configuration

Default record types are typically configured through security role settings or through record type assignment settings. Users can still change the record type during record creation if they have access to multiple types.

Best Practices and Recommendations

• Plan record types carefully: Think through your business processes before creating record types. They're difficult to change once records are created.
• Use descriptive names: Choose clear, descriptive names that users will understand.
• Start with fewer types: Begin with 2-3 record types and add more only if needed. Too many types create complexity.
• Document business processes: Maintain documentation of which record type applies to which business scenario.
• Configure picklist values thoughtfully: Ensure each record type has appropriate picklist values for its process.
• Assign layouts strategically: Different record types should have meaningfully different layouts; otherwise, record types may not be necessary.
• Test user experience: Create test records of each type to ensure the user experience is appropriate.
• Coordinate with security roles: Ensure users have access to the record types they need.
• Keep External IDs intact: Never modify External IDs for Salesforce record types.
• Phase out gradually: When deprecating a record type, deactivate it rather than deleting it to preserve historical data.
• Use consistent naming: Apply consistent naming conventions across related entities.
• Consider reporting needs: Record types are powerful for segmenting data in reports.

Troubleshooting Tips

Issue: Record type not appearing when creating new records.

Solution: Verify that the record type is marked as Active. Also check that the user's security role has been assigned access to this record type.

Issue: Wrong picklist values appearing for a record type.

Solution: Review the picklist configuration for that record type. Ensure the correct values are in the "Selected Values" column and that a default value is set if needed.

Issue: Cannot import record types from Salesforce.

Solution: Verify that record types exist in Salesforce for this object. Also check that you have appropriate permissions in Salesforce and that the Salesforce connection is active.

Issue: Existing records not showing correct layout after record type assignment.

Solution: Verify that page layouts are correctly assigned for the combination of security role and record type. Check the Layout Assignments matrix.

Issue: Users seeing record types they shouldn't have access to.

Solution: Check record type assignments to security roles. Users should only see record types assigned to their role.

Issue: Cannot delete a record type.

Solution: Record types cannot be deleted if records exist with that type. Deactivate the record type instead to prevent it from being used for new records while preserving existing data.

Issue: External ID missing for Salesforce record type.

Solution: Re-import the record type from Salesforce to restore the External ID and mapping.

Issue: Picklist values not synchronizing from Salesforce.

Solution: For Salesforce objects, picklist values are managed in Salesforce. Refresh the entity schema in Magentrix to synchronize the latest picklist configuration.

Issue: Default record type not being pre-selected.

Solution: Verify that a default record type is configured for the user's security role. Also check that the record type is active.

Issue: Page layout not changing when record type changes.

Solution: Page layouts are assigned based on record type and security role. Verify that different layouts are assigned in the Layout Assignments matrix. If the same layout is assigned to all record types, changing record type won't change the layout.

See Also

• Designing Page Layouts
• Configuring Magentrix Entity Picklists
• Assigning Record Types to Security Roles
• About Entity Management

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