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SF-0081 · Concept · Medium

Which type of fields cannot be used in the formula field?

✓ Verified by Vikas Singhal · Last reviewed 5/17/2026 · Updated for Spring '26

Most field types can be referenced from a formula field, but a short list is blocked by design — either because they don’t have a single comparable value (Long Text), are stored in a way the formula engine can’t see (Encrypted), or because referencing them would break the platform’s bulk-data model.

What you cannot reference

Field typeWhy
Long Text AreaCan hold up to 131,072 characters — too big to evaluate in a formula
Rich Text AreaSame as Long Text, plus contains HTML markup
Encrypted Text (classic encryption)The runtime can’t decrypt mid-formula
Description fields on most standard objectsTreated like long text
Picklist (Multi-Select)Can’t be used in arithmetic or == comparisons; must use INCLUDES() instead

Partial support — know the exceptions

  • Picklist (Single-Select) — can’t be compared with = against a literal directly; use ISPICKVAL() or TEXT(Picklist__c) = "Value".
  • Geolocation compound field — you can reference MyLoc__Latitude__s and MyLoc__Longitude__s but not the compound MyLoc__c itself.
  • System Audit fields (CreatedById.Name) — accessible via cross-object reference but not via the User lookup tab in the formula editor on every object.

Why this trips candidates up

The most common interview catch is multi-select picklists. Beginners try Industries__c = "Healthcare" and it silently fails — because the field stores a semicolon-delimited string, not a single value. The correct call is INCLUDES(Industries__c, "Healthcare").

Workaround when you really need a Long Text in a formula

You can’t read it directly, but you can:

  1. Add a Text(255) custom field
  2. Populate it from the Long Text with a flow or trigger (a substring or category)
  3. Reference that Text(255) field from the formula

What interviewers really want

  • Name Long Text Area and Rich Text Area first
  • Add Encrypted Text (classic encryption)
  • Mention multi-select picklist as a “partial support” case with INCLUDES()

Verified against: Salesforce Help — Formula Operators and Functions. Last reviewed 2026-05-17 for Spring ‘26 release.