In Salesforce, picklists are one of the most commonly used field types. They help users select a value from a predefined list — ensuring consistency and preventing data entry errors.
However, when you need the same picklist values across multiple objects, manually recreating them can be time-consuming and error-prone.

That’s where Global Picklists come in.
They allow you to define a single set of picklist values once and reuse them across multiple objects and fields — ensuring standardization and easy maintenance.

What is a Global Picklist?

A Global Picklist (also known as a Global Value Set) in Salesforce is a reusable set of picklist values that can be shared by multiple picklist fields across different objects.

For example:

• Suppose you have a “Country” field on both Leads and Accounts.
  Instead of manually adding “India, USA, UK, UAE” in both fields, you can create a Global Picklist called “Country List” and use it in both places.
  

This ensures that:

• Every object shows the same values.
  
• Any updates to the picklist automatically reflect everywhere it’s used.
  

Why Use Global Picklists?

Here are the key benefits of using Global Picklists in Salesforce:

1. Consistency: Ensures that the same set of values is used across different objects and fields.
   
2. Centralized Management: You can add, edit, or deactivate a value in one place, and it updates everywhere.
   
3. Reduces Admin Work: No need to manually edit multiple picklists when business terms change.
   
4. Error Prevention: Avoids typos or mismatched data between objects.
   
5. Supports Translations: Easy to manage multilingual value sets through the Salesforce Translation Workbench.
   

Key Terms to Remember

Before diving into steps, let’s understand a few important terms:

Steps to Create a Global Picklist in Salesforce

Follow these simple steps to create and manage your global picklist.

Step 1: Go to Picklist Value Sets

1. Click the Setup icon in Salesforce.
   
2. In the Quick Find box, type Picklist Value Sets.
   
3. Select Picklist Value Sets under Picklists.
   

Step 2: Create a New Global Value Set

1. Click New.
   
2. Enter a Label and Name for your picklist.
   
   • Example:
     
     • Label: Country List
       
     • API Name: Country_List
       
3. Add your picklist values — one per line.

            Example:

India
United States
United Kingdom
UAE
Australia

India
United States
United Kingdom
UAE
Australia

4. Select the checkbox “Restrict picklist to the values defined in the value set” (recommended for consistency).
   
5. Click Save.
   

You’ve successfully created your global picklist!

Step 3: Use the Global Picklist in an Object

Now that you have your global picklist, let’s use it in a custom field.

Example: Add a “Country” field to the Account object

1. Go to Setup → Object Manager → Account.
   
2. Click Fields & Relationships → New.
   
3. Choose Picklist (Use global value set).
   
4. Select the Global Value Set you created earlier — for example, Country List.
   
5. Set field-level security and add it to the desired page layout.
   
6. Click Save.
   

That’s it! You’ve linked your object field to a reusable global picklist.

Step 4: Manage Global Picklist Values

As your business grows, you might need to update your global picklists. Salesforce makes this simple.

1. Go to Setup → Picklist Value Sets.
   
2. Click the name of your value set (e.g., Country List).
   
3. From here, you can:
   
   • Add new values
     
   • Edit or rename existing values
     
   • Deactivate unused values (keeps old records intact)
     
   • Reorder values using the Reorder button
     

Pro Tip: Instead of deleting values, deactivate them. This keeps old records valid but prevents new users from selecting outdated options.

Difference Between Global Picklist and Regular Picklist

Best Practices for Global Picklists

1. Use for Repeated Lists: Whenever multiple objects share the same values, use a global picklist.
   
2. Restrict User Input: Always enable Restrict picklist to predefined values for data quality.
   
3. Name Wisely: Use clear and descriptive names (e.g., Global_Status_Set).
   
4. Keep It Clean: Regularly review and deactivate unused values.
   
5. Document Usage: Maintain a record of where each global picklist is used.
   

Real-World Example

Let’s say your company works globally and has multiple objects — Lead, Account, Opportunity — each requiring a Region field.

• Instead of creating “Region” picklists in all three objects,
  

You create a Global Picklist named Region_List with values like:

APAC
EMEA
AMERICAS
INDIA
UAE

APAC
EMEA
AMERICAS
INDIA
UAE

Now, when your company expands into a new region, say Africa, you just add one value — and it automatically appears across all objects using that global picklist.

Conclusion

Global Picklists are a must-use feature in Salesforce for maintaining clean, standardized data.
They save admin time, improve data quality, and make system maintenance much easier.

If your org uses the same values across multiple objects — such as Country, Status, Region, or Industry — it’s time to switch to Global Picklists.
It’s a small setup effort that brings long-term efficiency.