sf-schema

Scaffold custom objects, fields, validation rules, permission sets, and other schema metadata as SFDX source XML. Use when asked to create objects, custom fields, permission sets, validation rules, or

SKILL.md

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Schema Design & Permission Management

You are a Salesforce schema and metadata specialist. Generate valid SFDX source format metadata.

Custom Object

<!-- force-app/main/default/objects/Invoice__c/Invoice__c.object-meta.xml -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<CustomObject xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <label>Invoice</label>
    <pluralLabel>Invoices</pluralLabel>
    <nameField>
        <label>Invoice Number</label>
        <type>AutoNumber</type>
        <displayFormat>INV-{000000}</displayFormat>
    </nameField>
    <deploymentStatus>Deployed</deploymentStatus>
    <sharingModel>Private</sharingModel>
    <enableActivities>true</enableActivities>
    <enableHistory>true</enableHistory>
    <enableReports>true</enableReports>
</CustomObject>

Custom Fields

<!-- force-app/main/default/objects/Invoice__c/fields/Amount__c.field-meta.xml -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<CustomField xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <fullName>Amount__c</fullName>
    <label>Amount</label>
    <type>Currency</type>
    <precision>18</precision>
    <scale>2</scale>
    <required>true</required>
</CustomField>

Common Field Types

<!-- Text -->
<type>Text</type>
<length>255</length>

<!-- Long Text Area -->
<type>LongTextArea</type>
<length>32768</length>
<visibleLines>5</visibleLines>

<!-- Picklist -->
<type>Picklist</type>
<valueSet>
    <restricted>true</restricted>
    <valueSetDefinition>
        <sorted>false</sorted>
        <value><fullName>Active</fullName><default>true</default><label>Active</label></value>
        <value><fullName>Inactive</fullName><default>false</default><label>Inactive</label></value>
    </valueSetDefinition>
</valueSet>

<!-- Lookup -->
<type>Lookup</type>
<referenceTo>Account</referenceTo>
<relationshipLabel>Invoices</relationshipLabel>
<relationshipName>Invoices</relationshipName>

<!-- Master-Detail -->
<type>MasterDetail</type>
<referenceTo>Account</referenceTo>
<relationshipLabel>Invoices</relationshipLabel>
<relationshipName>Invoices</relationshipName>
<reparentableMasterDetail>false</reparentableMasterDetail>
<writeRequiresMasterRead>false</writeRequiresMasterRead>

<!-- Checkbox -->
<type>Checkbox</type>
<defaultValue>false</defaultValue>

<!-- Date -->
<type>Date</type>

<!-- DateTime -->
<type>DateTime</type>

<!-- Number -->
<type>Number</type>
<precision>18</precision>
<scale>0</scale>

<!-- Formula -->
<type>Text</type>
<formula>Account__r.Name &amp; ' - ' &amp; TEXT(Amount__c)</formula>

Validation Rules

<!-- force-app/main/default/objects/Invoice__c/validationRules/Amount_Required.validationRule-meta.xml -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ValidationRule xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <fullName>Amount_Must_Be_Positive</fullName>
    <active>true</active>
    <errorConditionFormula>Amount__c &lt;= 0</errorConditionFormula>
    <errorDisplayField>Amount__c</errorDisplayField>
    <errorMessage>Amount must be greater than zero.</errorMessage>
</ValidationRule>

Permission Sets

<!-- force-app/main/default/permissionsets/Invoice_Manager.permissionset-meta.xml -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<PermissionSet xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <label>Invoice Manager</label>
    <hasActivationRequired>false</hasActivationRequired>
    <objectPermissions>
        <object>Invoice__c</object>
        <allowCreate>true</allowCreate>
        <allowDelete>false</allowDelete>
        <allowEdit>true</allowEdit>
        <allowRead>true</allowRead>
        <modifyAllRecords>false</modifyAllRecords>
        <viewAllRecords>true</viewAllRecords>
    </objectPermissions>
    <fieldPermissions>
        <field>Invoice__c.Amount__c</field>
        <editable>true</editable>
        <readable>true</readable>
    </fieldPermissions>
    <fieldPermissions>
        <field>Invoice__c.Status__c</field>
        <editable>true</editable>
        <readable>true</readable>
    </fieldPermissions>
</PermissionSet>

Custom Permissions (for Flow Bypass)

<!-- force-app/main/default/customPermissions/Bypass_Automation.customPermission-meta.xml -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<CustomPermission xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <label>Bypass Automation</label>
    <isLicensed>false</isLicensed>
</CustomPermission>

Additional Field Types

Formula Field:

<CustomField xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <fullName>FullName__c</fullName>
    <label>Full Name</label>
    <type>Text</type>
    <formula>FirstName__c &amp; ' ' &amp; LastName__c</formula>
    <formulaTreatBlanksAs>BlankAsZero</formulaTreatBlanksAs>
</CustomField>

Rollup Summary Field (master-detail only):

<CustomField xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <fullName>Total_Amount__c</fullName>
    <label>Total Amount</label>
    <type>Summary</type>
    <summarizedField>LineItem__c.Amount__c</summarizedField>
    <summaryOperation>sum</summaryOperation>
    <summaryForeignKey>LineItem__c.Order__c</summaryForeignKey>
</CustomField>

Geolocation Field:

<type>Location</type>
<displayLocationInDecimal>true</displayLocationInDecimal>
<scale>6</scale>

Global Value Set (Reusable Picklist):

<GlobalValueSet xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <masterLabel>Industries</masterLabel>
    <sorted>false</sorted>
    <customValue><fullName>Technology</fullName><default>false</default><label>Technology</label></customValue>
    <customValue><fullName>Healthcare</fullName><default>false</default><label>Healthcare</label></customValue>
</GlobalValueSet>

Relationship Types

Type Delete Behavior Rollup Summary Reparenting Max per Object
Master-Detail Cascade delete Yes Configurable 2
Lookup Block/Clear/Restrict No N/A 40 (25 std)
External Lookup N/A No N/A -
Hierarchical N/A No N/A 1 (User only)
Junction (M2M) Two master-details On both parents - -

Record Types

<RecordType xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <fullName>Enterprise</fullName>
    <label>Enterprise</label>
    <active>true</active>
    <businessProcess>Enterprise Sales Process</businessProcess>
    <description>For enterprise accounts</description>
</RecordType>

Custom Metadata Types vs Custom Settings

Feature Custom Metadata Types Custom Settings (Hierarchy)
Deployable Yes (metadata) No (data)
SOQL required Yes (or getInstance) No (getOrgDefaults)
User/Profile override No Yes
Counts against SOQL limit Yes No
Use for Org config, mappings User preferences

Permission Set Groups

<PermissionSetGroup xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <label>Sales Team</label>
    <permissionSets>
        <permissionSet>Account_Manager</permissionSet>
        <permissionSet>Opportunity_Editor</permissionSet>
        <permissionSet>Report_Viewer</permissionSet>
    </permissionSets>
</PermissionSetGroup>

SFDX Source Directory Structure

force-app/main/default/
├── objects/
│   └── Invoice__c/
│       ├── Invoice__c.object-meta.xml
│       ├── fields/
│       │   ├── Amount__c.field-meta.xml
│       │   └── Status__c.field-meta.xml
│       ├── validationRules/
│       │   └── Amount_Must_Be_Positive.validationRule-meta.xml
│       └── listViews/
│           └── All.listView-meta.xml
├── permissionsets/
│   └── Invoice_Manager.permissionset-meta.xml
├── customPermissions/
│   └── Bypass_Automation.customPermission-meta.xml
└── layouts/
    └── Invoice__c-Invoice Layout.layout-meta.xml

Gotchas

  • Max 40 custom relationships per object (25 for standard objects)
  • Formula fields cannot reference LongTextArea, RichTextArea, MultiSelectPicklist, or Encrypted fields
  • Rollup Summary fields work only on Master-Detail relationships — not Lookups
  • Global Value Sets cannot be converted back to local picklists once shared
  • Encrypted Text fields are not searchable or sortable
  • Record type-dependent picklists require explicit value mapping per record type
  • Permission Set Groups recalculate asynchronously — changes may take minutes to apply
  • Custom Metadata Type records cannot be created/updated via DML in production — deploy only
  • Profiles are notoriously merge-conflict-prone — prefer Permission Sets for everything

References

  • Schema Reference — formula fields, rollup summaries, geolocation, Global Value Sets, record types, page layouts, FlexiPages, custom metadata, platform events, Big Objects, quick actions, custom labels

Workflow

  1. Understand object/field requirements
  2. Generate SFDX source format XML files
  3. Generate permission set for new objects/fields
  4. Deploy schema first, then code that references it
  5. Verify with: sf org list metadata -m CustomObject --target-org myOrg