In this Salesforce tutorial, we will learn how to add a bucket field in salesforce.
Recently, I got a requirement where I need to group and categorize data based on specific criteria such as ranges, categories, etc. To fulfill this requirement, I create a bucket field in Salesforce.
So, if you use Salesforce and want to learn How to add a bucket field in Salesforce Lightning and Salesforce Classic step by step you’ve come to the right place.
The following are the topics that we will cover in this salesforce tutorial.
- Bucket Field in Salesforce
- Advantages of Bucket Field in Salesforce
- Limitations of Bucket Field in Salesforce
- When to use Bucket Field in Salesforce
- How to add Bucket Field in Salesforce Lightning
- How to add Bucket Field in Salesforce Classic
Bucket Field in Salesforce
A bucket field in Salesforce is a custom field that enables us to group together values within a field as per specific criteria. This is useful when we need to categorize data in a specific way rather than depending upon the built-in predefined categories for a field.
For example, let’s say we have a field called Revenue that contains different values for the revenue of our customers. By creating a bucket field based on revenue range, we could group those values into categories such as “18000-25000”, “26000-35000”, “36000-48000”, and so on.
There are many situations when we can not use bucket fields, such as reports, dashboards, and list views. Basically, they offer us a quick and simple approach to summarizing data according to predefined criteria.
Also, we can easily and fastly determine trends and come to great business conclusions. Additionally, bucket fields are a useful tool for data analysis in Salesforce because they can also be used in formulas and computations too.
With this, we got an overview of the bucket field in Salesforce. Now, we will move ahead and try to understand its advantages.
Advantages of Bucket Field in Salesforce
There are several advantages to using bucket fields in Salesforce:
- Bucket fields allow us to group data based on our own rule, instead of depending on predefined categories.
- Bucket fields make it easy to analyze data by categorizing similar records together.
- It also helps to identify patterns and trends that are not possible to immediately detectable while looking for individual records.
- Reports can make use of bucket fields to summarize and visualize your data.
- It can be useful for sharing information with teammates or making data-depended decisions.
- By grouping records into buckets, we can quickly and easily analyze large amounts of records.
- When dealing with large, complex data records, it saves time and lowers the chance of mistakes.
- The usage of bucket fields in formulas and computations enables us to carry out complex data analysis in Salesforce.
With this, we have learned the advantages of the bucket field in salesforce. Next, we will understand the limitations of the bucket field in salesforce.
Limitations of Bucket Field in Salesforce
While bucket fields can be a useful tool in Salesforce, there are a few limitations to keep in mind:
- Bucket fields are only visible in the object in which it is created. It means that if we create a bucket field in a report, it can’t be used in other reports or in other parts of the Salesforce object.
- The maximum number of buckets permitted is 20 in each bucket field.
- It is not possible to generate Bucket Fields using custom summary formulas.
- There are a total of 5 bucket fields that can be utilized, according to the research.
- If you exceed the overall Bucket Field limit, we’ll receive an error message saying that our query is too complex.
- Bucket fields cannot be created for Historical Trending reports.
- The usual Record Type fields cannot be bucketed.
- Buckets with aggregate values beyond 1,000 characters will not appear in dashboard components when used as the Group By field.
- Grouping data into buckets can sometimes lead to loss of information or inaccuracies.
- Bucket fields can only group data based on certain criteria, such as range or size.
- Not all data types in Salesforce can be used to create bucket fields.
With this, we have learned the disadvantages of the bucket field in salesforce. Next, we will understand when to use the bucket field in salesforce.
When to use Bucket Field in Salesforce
Bucket fields can be used in multiple cases in Salesforce, but here are a few examples of when we can use them:
- When we have a field with number values, such as age, profit, loss, or revenue, bucket fields can be used to group data into ranges.
- If you have a field with different types of data instead of numbers, such as products, goods, or services, bucket fields can be used to group records into categories.
- If you have a field with location-based information, such as country, state, zone, or region, bucket fields can be used to group data by location.
- When we have a field with a date or time, such as a creation date or a close date, bucket fields can be used to group records by time period.
- Bucket fields can be a useful tool for comprehending and analyzing data in Salesforce.
- It can help you quickly identify ranges and trends, which can help in business decisions and the growth of an organization.
With this, we have learned when to use the bucket field in Salesforce. Now, we will move ahead and understand how to add a bucket field in Salesforce Lightning.
Read How to add address field to custom object in Salesforce
How to add Bucket Field in Salesforce Lightning
Here are the steps to create a bucket field in Salesforce Lightning:
Step 1: Log in to your Salesforce account and navigate to Setup.
Step 2: In the App Launcher search box, search for reports and select the Reports option.

Step 3: Click on the New Report button to create a new report.

Step 4: The dialogue box appears, and now we will choose our desired report category. Here, I select the report category as Accounts & Contacts.
Step 5: Now, select the desired report type. Here, I choose report types as Accounts.

Step 6: Click on the Start Report button.
Step 7: In the left-aligned, click on the dropdown arrow in front of the columns and select Add Bucket Columns.

Step 8: Now, write a Bucket Name. Here, I set it to Zone.
Step 9: On the left-hand side, select the desired field. Here, I select Billing State as a field.
Step 10: Click on the Add Bucket button to group the fields. To enter each field click on the Add Bucket button. Here, I add Northern Zone and Southern Zone.
Step 11: Check unbucketed values and move them to the respective buckets that we have created by clicking on the Move To button.
Step 12: Select the option Bucket remaining values as Other to keep the remaining unbucketed values.
Step 13: Click on Apply button.

Step 14: Here we can see how the different Zones are grouped and the Zone Bucket Column is shown.

With this, we have learned how to add a bucket field in Salesforce Lightning. Now, we will move further and understand how to add a bucket field in Salesforce Classic.
How to add Bucket Field in Salesforce Classic
Here are the steps to create a bucket field in Salesforce Classic:
Step 1: Log in to your Salesforce Classic account. Click on Avtar and then select Switch to Salesforce Classic.

Step 2: Look at the tabs and select the Report.

Step 3: Click on New Report.

Step 4: Select the Report Type. Here, I select Opportunities as Salesforce Report Type.
Step 5: Then, click on Create.

Step 6: Select the dropdown menu, next to the field to whom we want to add the bucket field. Here, I select Excepted Revenue.
Step 7: Click on the option Bucket this Field.

Step 8: Enter the Bucket Field Name. Here, I set it to Revenue Profit.
Step 9: Now, define the ranges of the bucket field. Here, I set it to
Range | Name |
---|---|
<= 25,000 | Small |
> 25,000 to 50, 000 | Medium |
> 50,000 | Large |
Step 10: Click on the OK button.

Step 11: Here we can see how the different Revenue Profits are grouped and the Revenue Profit Bucket Column is shown.

With this, we have learned how to add a bucket field in Salesforce Classic.
Conclusion
Salesforce’s bucket fields are an effective tool for classifying and grouping data. It enables us to quickly and simply combine records based on that specifications you specify, including ranges, categories, or time periods.
However, there are some restrictions on data types, limited grouping choices, and potential effects on data quality that apply to bucket fields. When using bucket fields, it’s necessary to be aware of these restrictions.
Overall, bucket fields can be a great addition to your Salesforce toolbox and the following are the topics that we have learned.
- Bucket Field in Salesforce
- Advantages of Bucket Field in Salesforce
- Limitations of Bucket Field in Salesforce
- When to use Bucket Field in Salesforce
- How to add Bucket Field in Salesforce Lightning
- How to add Bucket Field in Salesforce Classic
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