Quick Actions in Salesforce: All You Need To Know

Whenever you want to create a related record in Salesforce, you must go to that particular record on which you want to create a related record and scroll down to go to that related list. There you will find a button new with the object name and then you have to click on that.  This opens a new page on which you enter the detail in there and click on save. If you have to go back to the previous page then, you have to click on the previous page button on the browser.  Instead of this, we can create a button or link which on click opens an interface where you can create the required record with the selected fields without moving to another page. All this can be achieved with the help of Quick Actions. We can not only create records but also update records, log calls, send emails and also call Visualforce Pages. Let’s discuss them in detail.

Quick actions can be created in the Group, Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, Contact Manager, Database.com, and Developer Editions.

Action:

Each and every Action has its own layout. It contains the fields which are available for that Object. The fields available on this layout can be customized according to requirements. These can be used in Salesforce Classic, Salesforce 1 and Salesforce Lightning.

Quick Action

Quick Actions let users complete common tasks right from the page they’re on, cutting out extra clicks and page loads. Instead of jumping to a related list or another screen, you can create or update records, log calls, send emails, or even launch custom Visualforce pages instantly. By surfacing only the fields you need, Quick Actions simplify workflows and keep users focused on their work.

Key Quick Action Capabilities

• Create Records: Add a new record tied to the current context—no page refresh required.
  
• Update Records: Edit fields on an existing record inline, speeding up routine updates.
  
• Log Calls & Emails: Capture interaction details or draft messages without leaving your feed.
  
• Invoke Visualforce: Launch a tailored UI for complex tasks, such as guided processes or custom forms.
  

Cross-UI Support: Works seamlessly in Salesforce Classic, Lightning Experience, and the Mobile app.

Quick Actions are categorized into 2 types

Types of Quick Actions:

• Object-specific quick actions
• Global quick actions

Salesforce offers two types of Quick Actions—each suited to different needs. Object-specific actions appear only on a particular object’s record pages, ideal when you need context. Global actions live everywhere (home, Chatter, groups), giving users one-click access to common tasks no matter where they are.

Global vs. Object-Specific

Object-Specific: Actions that only appear on a given object’s record page (e.g., “New Opportunity” on Account).

Global: Actions available everywhere (Home, Chatter, mobile) for universal tasks like “Log a Call.”

Object-specific quick actions:

The name itself specifies it’s related to a particular object. Whenever you want the action to be used only on a particular Object, we use Object Specific Actions. These actions are displayed on the details page layout of a record. It can only be used on the Object Page layout of the Object on which it is created.

Let’s take an example. We have Account and Order objects in Salesforce. If you want to create an Order from Account, we need to navigate to the related list and click on the ‘New Order’ button in the related list. Then it will be navigated to another page, where you can enter Order details and a new Order will be created. Now, I will be creating a ‘Quick Action’ button which on click creates Order without navigating to another page (below).

Global quick actions:

Global actions can be used anywhere in Salesforce globally on the chatter feed page, Home page and Groups page. These are not associated with any other objects. These can be used on any objects page layout and added to the global publisher layout. Global actions let users create or update records, log call details or send mails. When a global ‘Create action’ is created, it creates a new record which is not related to any other object.

In this way, we can create Quick Actions to reduce the time taken to perform a few types of Actions such as creating or updating records, log a call, send mails or we can also call Visualforce pages.

Where to Find Quick Actions in Salesforce

1. Object-Specific Actions 
   • In Lightning: Setup → Object Manager → [Your Object] → Buttons, Links, and Actions 
   • In Classic: Setup → Create → Objects → [Your Object] → Buttons & Links 
2. Global Actions 
   • In Lightning: Setup → Global Actions → Actions 
   • In Classic: Setup → Create → Global Actions 
3. Publisher Layouts 
   • Add or reorder actions on the global publisher: Setup → Global Publisher Layouts → Edit 
   • For object pages: Setup → Object Manager → [Your Object] → Page Layouts → Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions

How to Create Object-Specific Quick Actions

Object-specific actions run only on their parent object’s pages. To build one:

1. Go to Setup → Object Manager, select your object (e.g., Account). 
2. Click Buttons, Links, and Actions then New Action. 
3. Choose Action Type (e.g., Create a Record), pick the Target Object, and give it a clear name. 
4. Use the Action Layout Editor to add, remove, or reorder fields—keep it concise. 
5. Save, then open the object’s Page Layout, drag your action into the Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section, and save again. 
6. Test on a record page to confirm your new button appears and works as expected. 

How to Create Global Quick Actions

Global actions live on feeds, home pages, and wherever the global publisher appears. To set one up:

1. In Setup, go to Global Actions → Actions, click New Action. 
2. Select the Action Type (Create Record, Log a Call, etc.), enter the Label and Name. 
3. Customize the Action Layout—include only the fields or components needed for broad use. 
4. Save your action, then navigate to Global Publisher Layouts, edit the layout, and drag in your new action. 
5. Save and verify by clicking the +Action menu in your feed or mobile app to see it in action.

Steps to create Object-specific Quick Actions in Salesforce:

• Navigate to Object for which you want to create Quick Action. Here, I am navigating to Account. Go to Setup and search for ‘Account’. The below screen will be shown.

• Now, select ‘Buttons, Links, and Quick Actions’. The following screen will be shown where you can select the ‘New Action’ button to create a new Action.

• Now, enter the below details:
  • Action Type: I’m creating a new record, so it’s ‘Create a Record’.
  • Target Object: Object which needs to be created. ‘It’s Order’
  • Standard Label Type: ‘New Record’
  • Name: ‘NewOrder’

• Now click on ‘Save’. You will be navigated to ‘New Order Layout’ as shown below. Here, you can see the fields which are existing in the layout. These are mandatory which need to be provided while creating Order. You can add other fields that you want to include in the layout while creating Order.

• I’m adding a few other fields in the layout. Below is the layout after adding these fields.

• Now, let’s add it to the Account Navigate to Accounts Page Layout and select ‘Quick Actions’. There you will find the list of Quick Actions as shown below. Now, Select ‘New Order’ Quick Action and add it to the layout.

• Now, it is added to the layout and can be seen in the screenshot below.

• Now, click on ‘New Order’ below screen will be shown where you can enter the order details and a new Order will be created from the Account page without navigating to Order Page.

• Now, I have entered the details. On clicking ‘create’ a new Order is created. Below is the ‘Order’ related list where it’s shown.

Conclusion:

In this way, we can create Quick Actions in Salesforce to carry out  specific tasks. We sincerely hope that this was useful and any comment or feedback will be very helpful.

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