Is SUBSTITUTE case-sensitive in Salesforce?

Yes. In my test, SUBSTITUTE("USA and usa", "USA", "US") returned “US and usa”. Wrap the field in UPPER() or LOWER() first to match every variant.

Can SUBSTITUTE replace only the first occurrence?

No. It replaces every match and accepts exactly three arguments, so a fourth “instance” argument fails Check Syntax. Use FIND(), LEFT() and MID() to rebuild the string around the first match.

Is there a REPLACE function in Salesforce formulas?

No. Check Syntax returns “Unknown function REPLACE”. Use SUBSTITUTE for exact text, or Apex String.replaceAll() when you need a regular expression.

How do I replace a blank or null value in a formula field?

SUBSTITUTE can’t do it, because a blank input gives a blank result. Use BLANKVALUE(Your_Field__c, "default text") to show a default when the field is empty.

Can I use SUBSTITUTE in a Salesforce flow?

Yes. Create a formula resource in Flow Builder and use the same syntax, for example SUBSTITUTE({!Phone}, "-", "").

SUBSTITUTE() in Salesforce: Syntax, Examples, Mistakes

The SUBSTITUTE() function in Salesforce finds a piece of text inside a string and replaces every occurrence of it with new text. It is the function admins reach for when they need to clean phone numbers, swap an email domain, standardise country names or strip unwanted characters in a formula field, without writing Apex.

In this tutorial, I will explain the syntax, show results I tested in a Salesforce Developer Edition org, walk through a formula field step by step, and clear up a few myths that other guides repeat: Salesforce formulas have no REPLACE or LET function, and SUBSTITUTE has no “occurrence” argument.

This Tutorial Covers: