A Lookup field is a custom field whose value is another record in your CRM. Instead of typing text, you pick a Contact, Opportunity, or Account from a searchable list. For example, a Brand field on a contact can point to an account record, so every lead is linked to its brand.
The View Lookup Contacts column works in the other direction. Added to the Accounts or Opportunities table, it shows how many contacts point at each row and opens those contacts in one click.
How to Create a Lookup Field
Only admins can create custom fields. This section is inside Settings, under Customize.
Click the gear icon in the bottom-left navigation.
Click Customize under the Account section.
Expand the object that will hold the field, such as Contact.
Click Fields.
On the Custom Fields tab, click Create Custom Field.
Choose Lookup as the field type.
Enter a field name, for example Brand.
Under Look up which type of record?, open the Choose a record type... dropdown and select the type of record the field will point to.
Click Save.
The record type options use your account's names for Contacts, Opportunities, and Accounts. If you renamed Accounts to Brands, the option reads Brands.
A Lookup field holds one record. It cannot hold several.
The record type cannot be changed once the field, or a mapped copy of it, holds values.
An existing field cannot be changed into a Lookup field while it holds values.
Which Records Can Someone Choose in a Lookup Field?
The picker only lists records the person can already access. Nobody can use a Lookup field to reach a record they could not open on its own.
Admins - any record in the account.
Managers - their own records, plus records owned by members of their teams. Admin-owned records are left out unless the team allows members to see each other's data.
Members - their own records, plus teammates' records on teams with Allow members to see other members' data turned on.
Records with no owner are hidden from everyone except Admins.
Opportunities also follow pipeline visibility.
Sharing a single record with someone does not make it selectable.
How to Set a Lookup Value on a Record
This section covers the create and edit window for a contact, account, or opportunity.
Open the record's create or edit window.
Click the Lookup field. The placeholder reads Search [field name]..., for example Search Brand...
Type part of the record's name, or leave the box empty to browse.
Click the record you want.
Click Save.
The picker shows up to 30 results, most recently updated first.
When the target is Contacts, the search matches first name, last name, full name, email, or company.
When the target is Accounts or Opportunities, the search matches the name only.
Click the x in the picker to clear the value.
A required Lookup field shows an asterisk, for example Search Brand*...
How to Edit a Lookup Value Directly in a Table
Inline editing works in CRM tables, on the opportunity board, and on the record page.
Double-click the Lookup cell.
Search for the record in the picker.
Click the record. The value saves immediately.
To clear the value, click the x in the picker. The empty value saves immediately. Press Escape to cancel without saving.
What Do Restricted, Deleted Record, and Unknown Mean in a Lookup Field?
A Lookup value normally shows the linked record's name, as a link with a Quick View eye button. When it cannot show the name, it shows one of these:
Restricted - the record exists, but you do not have access to it.
Deleted record - the linked record was deleted.
Unknown [object] #[number] - no matching record was found in the account.
Unavailable - the value could not be loaded. Reload the page.
None - the field is empty.
If you try to save a record you cannot use, the message reads: [Field name]: That record is not available to you, so the value was not saved.
If you edit a record whose Lookup value you cannot see, your other changes save and the existing Lookup value is kept. You can still clear it.
How to Set a Lookup Value Automatically on Parsed Leads
This section is inside Email Parsing, under Mapping Additional Data. It stamps the same Lookup value on every lead the rule creates, for example linking every lead from one lead source to a brand. For the full parsing walkthrough, see Email Parsing Overview.
Open the left sidebar.
Click Automations.
Select Email Parsing.
Click Manage Rule on the rule you want to edit.
Scroll to Mapping Additional Data.
Click Add mapping.
Choose the Lookup field, for example Brand.
Search for and select the record.
Click Add Rule.
Click Save Parsing.
Lookup fields appear in Mapping Additional Data. They do not appear in Contact Field Mapping, which reads values out of the email text.
The value is only saved if the user the lead is assigned to can see the record. Saving the rule, or changing its Assign To User, is refused when the assignee cannot see it.
Facebook Lead Ads mapping offers the same Lookup picker.
The automation Set Custom Field action and the series Change field step also accept Lookup fields. They show the record's name, not its ID.
If an automation cannot write a Lookup value, the automation log shows Custom Field Not Updated, with a reason code.
How to Filter a Table by a Lookup Field
This section works on any CRM table that has a filter bar, such as Contacts.
Click Contacts in the left sidebar.
Click + Add filter.
Choose the Lookup field under Field. It is labeled like Brand (Contact - Custom).
Choose a Condition.
Search for the record in the Search records... box and select it.
Click Apply.
Conditions - Is, Is Not, Is Empty, Is Not Empty.
Is Not includes contacts that have no value in the field.
When you save the filter as a view, the save window offers Is and Is Not.
Filters store the record, not its name. Renaming the record does not break the filter.
If the record is deleted, the filter shows Deleted record and still matches contacts that were linked to it.
For more on saving and sharing filters, see How to Use Filter Views to Segment Contacts.
How to Add the View Lookup Contacts Column to the Accounts or Opportunities Table
The column is created from a Lookup field on contacts. A contact Lookup field that points at Accounts adds the column to the Accounts table. One that points at Opportunities adds it to the Opportunities table. Each qualifying field gets its own column.
Click Accounts (or Opportunities) in the left sidebar.
Click Columns above the table. On Opportunities, click the Change Columns icon instead.
Open the Add Standard Field dropdown. The column is listed here, not under Add Custom Field.
Select the column, for example View Lookup Leads.
Click Ok.
The column name is View Lookup plus your contact object's plural name, for example View Lookup Leads.
If more than one Lookup field qualifies, the field name is added, for example View Lookup Leads (Brand).
Each cell reads View 3 Leads, or View 1 Lead. The noun is your contact object's name, not the field name.
A row with no contacts shows a grey dash and is not clickable.
Users who cannot see the Lookup field do not get the column.
How to Add the View Lookup Contacts Column to the Opportunity Pipeline Board
This section is on the Opportunities page, in pipeline view.
Click Opportunities in the left sidebar and switch to pipeline view.
Click the Card Layout icon.
Click Customize Card Layout.
Open the Add Standard Field dropdown and select the View Lookup column.
Choose whether the layout applies to this pipeline or all pipelines.
If you are an Admin, choose Just me or Everyone.
Click Ok.
Key Notes
A Lookup field stores the record itself, not its name as text. Renaming the record updates it everywhere it appears.
If you rename an object in Settings, such as Accounts to Brands, the new name appears in the record type dropdown and in the View Lookup column and cell text.
View Lookup Contacts counts follow the viewer's access. A Member's count includes only the contacts they own.
Counts cover the rows on the current page and are calculated when the page loads.
The column can be included in shared column views. See How to Customize Table Columns and Share Column Views.
CSV export of a Lookup field gives the record's name as plain text, based on the exporting user's access.
Lookup fields can be used in Unique Rules. See Duplicate Prevention.