Lookup Relationship

Let's break down the key aspects of a lookup relationship in Salesforce:
Parent and Child Objects:
● The object that holds the lookup field is referred to as the Child object.
● The object that is being referenced is known as the Parent object.

Field Type:
● In the Child object, you create a lookup field that points to the Parent object. This field is of the data type "Lookup Relationship."

Cardinality:
● A lookup relationship is generally a one-to-many relationship. This means that one record in the Child object can be associated with one record in the Parent object, but one record in the Parent object can be associated with multiple records in the Child object.

Ownership and Access:
● In a lookup relationship, the Child object doesn't own the Parent object. Changes to ownership and deletion behavior are handled differently compared to a Master-Detail relationship (another type of relationship in Salesforce).
● Access to the Parent object's data and fields depends on the permissions of the user and the sharing settings defined for the objects.

Lookup Dialog:
● When creating or editing a record in the Child object, users can use a lookup dialog to search and select a related record from the Parent object.

Cross-Object Fields:
● Fields from the Parent object can be displayed on the Child object's record page using formula fields, enabling you to show relevant information without navigating to the Parent record..

Workflow and Automation:
● Workflow rules, process builder, and other automation tools can be used to trigger actions based on changes to records in either the Parent or Child object.

Reporting and Analytics:
● You can create reports and dashboards that display data from both the Parent and Child objects, enabling you to analyze the relationship between the records.

Lookup Filters:
● Lookup filters can be defined to restrict the values available in the lookup dialog based on certain criteria. This helps ensure that only valid records are associated.

Lookup Relationship vs. Master-Detail Relationship:
● Lookup relationships are more flexible and have looser constraints compared to Master-Detail relationships.
● Unlike Master-Detail relationships, Child records in a lookup relationship do not inherit the sharing and security settings of the Parent record.
● Deleting a Parent record in a lookup relationship does not automatically delete the Child records, whereas it does in a Master-Detail relationship.

Overall, lookup relationships in Salesforce allow you to create connections between objects, facilitating data integration, organization, and analysis within your Salesforce application.