--- title: "USE CASE: Ensuring Salesforce Field Values Follow Required Formatting | Data Quality Helper Use Case Library" description: Data Quality Helper allows enhanced validation rules so field values should follow established formatting requirements. But Save is allowed if not met. image: https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/HAKQnipRoV2vp1HjILod7owUo7yzjlo_TcncH2zC0QuyxgA6qIyNq1h_SwW2K1fRoMKUQ4iv_nvpu-mCM2gfQiEW-vOeEeC6ouADfBkOL2c24KMleOgBTByMBj0VRQKbdt1Ybuda6CqNd3FtZnRTYeI --- [GET DEMO](https://www.passagetechnology.com/any-product-one-on-one) **+1 (224) 655-6779 [![Trusted Salesforce service partner Passage Technology](https://www.passagetechnology.com/hubfs/2021/Nav-header-logo_PT.png) ](https://www.passagetechnology.com) # USE CASE: Ensuring Salesforce Field Values Follow Required Formatting [![Free Salesforce business guides to help admins/developers, project managers, sales managers, and decision makers. Download the free PDF series now: Reinventing Your Business, Reimagining Your Salesforce®.](https://www.passagetechnology.com/hubfs/2021/Essential-Salesforce-Guide_Helper-Suite.png) ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/en/essential-guide-for-salesforce-admins-developers) ## **Problem: Certain field values lack the correct format and need proper standardization** Certain text field values on a record must follow particular, pre-established patterns. There may be a specific naming convention (whether words or numbers), or they may require case sensitivity. If these formats aren’t followed by Salesforce users, various systems will not recognize the data. This can result in serious problems and confusion within the company. ## **Solution: Automatically warn the Salesforce user to follow the properly accepted format for text field values** Using the Free Edition of the [Data Quality Helper](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-overview) app, an Admin can easily create hard or soft validation rules to address various situations and inform users of the required or desired elements. Especially unique to this app, Admins can create validation rules that use regex (regular expressions) functionality to ensure certain patterns are followed. Salesforce default functionality only allows hard validation rules—if records are not properly created/updated, the save/submit is prevented. With the added functionality of Data Quality Helper, including soft validation and regex pattern recognition, Admins have more flexibility to design unique [validation rules](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-flexible-validation-rules-boost-salesforce-data-quality) that better serve organization goals across a number of situations, beyond this example field value formatting. In addition, Admins can craft warning messages, customized by content and formatting. Finally, the app can provide a list view of all new and existing records with unresolved data validation issues—making future data cleanup easier. (Check out the [Data Quality Helper Admin Guide](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-admin-guide) for step-by-step instructions on how to set up validation rules.) In this particular use case, the Admin has chosen to use a soft validation rule with regex and customized warning empowering the Salesforce user to make a decision on how to proceed. ![Account Number does not follow the correct format](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/HAKQnipRoV2vp1HjILod7owUo7yzjlo_TcncH2zC0QuyxgA6qIyNq1h_SwW2K1fRoMKUQ4iv_nvpu-mCM2gfQiEW-vOeEeC6ouADfBkOL2c24KMleOgBTByMBj0VRQKbdt1Ybuda6CqNd3FtZnRTYeI) This warning says: “The Account Number does not seem to follow the proper format. Account Numbers are expected to have three sets of numbers separated by two hyphens (ex: 12-345-67).” Ideally, you want all the information you can get in the correct format, but in some cases not having it may not be worth the cost of not being able to create/update the new Account (like with Salesforce’s default hard validation). The choice whether to use this app’s soft or hard validation is an Admin and organizational decision. The good news is that, with Data Quality Helper, unresolved validation issues remain attached to the record. They aren’t one-time-only and just disappear. So it serves as a reminder to add the missing information later. *Besides enhanced data validation, this app also offers duplicate data detection and resolution as well as data archival and storage management that exceeds default Salesforce functionality. Plus, don’t forget to take advantage of the list view that shows all validation and duplication issues detected by the rules Admins created. Install the free version today!* [![Schedule Demo/Consult](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4130736/cf86c8e7-57d0-4596-af6c-780532d84bf9.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4130736/cf86c8e7-57d0-4596-af6c-780532d84bf9) [![Install Free App Now](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4130736/75b1670b-97a2-4c85-9ab3-99e04453aaf3.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4130736/75b1670b-97a2-4c85-9ab3-99e04453aaf3) Tags: [validation rules](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/topic/validation-rules), [Data Quality Helper](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/topic/data-quality-helper), [regular expression](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/topic/regular-expression), [regex](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/topic/regex) | [** USE CASE: Finding and Fixing Duplicate Contacts in Salesforce ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/finding-and-fixing-duplicate-contacts-in-salesforce) | [Data Quality Helper Use Case Library](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases) | [ USE CASE: Finding and Fixing Duplicate Accounts in Salesforce ** ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/finding-and-fixing-duplicate-accounts-in-salesforce) | | --- | --- | --- | [ USE CASE: Ensuring All Salesforce Phone Number Fields Are Consistent in Format ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/use-case-ensuring-all-salesforce-phone-number-fields-are-consistent-in-format) [ USE CASE: Mass Delete Old, Unneeded Marketing Data (Clicks & Opens) ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/mass-delete-old-unneeded-marketing-data) [ USE CASE: Manage Storage Better by Recycling Unneeded, Archived Calls ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/manage-storage-better-by-recycling-unneeded-archived-calls) [ USE CASE: Streamline Storage of Automated Emails Used by Salesforce ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/streamline-storage-of-automated-emails-used-by-salesforce) [ USE CASE: Keep It Clean—Mass Delete Old Synced Tasks in Salesforce Org ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/keep-it-clean-mass-delete-old-synced-tasks-in-salesforce-org) [ USE CASE: Ensuring All Salesforce Phone Number Fields Are Consistent in Format ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/use-case-ensuring-all-salesforce-phone-number-fields-are-consistent-in-format) [ USE CASE: Finding and Fixing Duplicate Cases in Salesforce ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/finding-and-fixing-duplicate-cases-in-salesforce) [ USE CASE: Finding and Fixing Duplicate Opportunities in Salesforce ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/finding-and-fixing-duplicate-opportunities-in-salesforce) [ USE CASE: Ensuring Reasons Lost Are on Closed Salesforce Opportunities ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/ensuring-reasons-lost-are-included-on-closed-lost-opportunities-in-salesforce) [ USE CASE: Mass Delete Old Emails, Auto-Responses & Case Email Messages ](https://www.passagetechnology.com/data-quality-helper-use-cases/mass-delete-old-emails-auto-responses-case-email-messages) © 2026 Passage Technology LLC All Rights Reserved. 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