User
Users are employees or external partners at any organization who need access to the organization’s records in Salesforce. Sales executives, managers, and IT workers all have user accounts that identify them and determine their system settings, including which features, apps, and records they can access.
How to Create a User in Salesforce
If you just need to add one or two people, creating a user manually is the fastest method. You must be logged in with a System Administrator profile to do this.
Here, We are going to create a new user named Arrify Test
Total Time: 10 minutes
Go to Setup
Click the gear icon in the top right corner and select Setup. In the Quick Find box on the left, type “Users” and click on Users under the Users and Permissions section.
New User
On the Users page, click the New User button at the top.
Fill Details
You will need to fill out the user’s personal and system information. Here is a breakdown of the most important fields:
First and Last Name / Email: Basic contact information.
Alias: By default, this is the first character of the First Name and the first four letters of the Last Name.
Username: This must be unique across all Salesforce organizations globally. It must be in the format of an email address (e.g., [email protected]).
User License: This determines the baseline features the user can access. You can only select licenses that your organization has currently purchased and have available.
Profile: Tied directly to the license, the Profile dictates exactly what the user can do (e.g., Standard User, System Administrator). It controls object permissions (Create, Read, Edit, Delete).
Role (Optional but Recommended): Roles determine the data visibility based on your organization’s hierarchy. A manager’s role can see the data owned by users in subordinate roles.
Generate new password and notify user immediately: Ensure this checkbox at the bottom is checked so the user receives a setup email.
Click Save.
Reset Password (If needed)
Once you hit save, the new user will receive an automated email from Salesforce. Verify your account. They must click the verification link in the email, set their password, and choose a security question to complete their setup.
Admin can reset the password by clicking on the Reset Password button & an email will be sent to the user email ID that is provided while creating a user using this email user can set the password now.
User is Created
A New User is created.
Once the user is created, it can’t be deleted. It can be marked as inactive only.
Deactivating vs. Freezing Users
When an employee leaves the company, you need to revoke their access immediately. You cannot delete a user in Salesforce. This is because user records are tied to historical data, audit trails, and record ownership. Instead, you have two options:
Deactivate the User
Go to their user record, click Edit, and uncheck the “Active” box. This revokes their access and frees up their license for someone else to use.
Freeze the User
Sometimes you can’t deactivate a user immediately (e.g., they are the sole recipient of a vital workflow alert or they own thousands of accounts that need to be reassigned). In this case, click the Freeze button on their user record. This stops them from logging in immediately, giving you time to reassign their records before permanently deactivating them.
Note : Freezing does not free up their license. Because the user is technically still “active” in the system to keep those workflows running, their license remains consumed. If you have zero remaining licenses and you freeze an employee who just quit, you still won’t be able to create a user account for their replacement until you fully Deactivate the departed employee.es not free up their license.
FAQs
Why am I getting a ‘Duplicate Username’ error?
Salesforce requires usernames to be globally unique across all Salesforce organizations in existence (including sandboxes and Trailhead playgrounds). If a username is taken, you must slightly change it.
Why is the “New” User button grayed out?
This usually means your organization has run out of available user licenses. You must either deactivate an existing, unused user to free up a license or contact your Salesforce Account Executive to purchase more.
What is the difference between Username and Email?
The Username must be in an email format and must be globally unique across all Salesforce orgs. It is used strictly for logging in.
The Email field is where Salesforce sends notifications and password resets, and it does not have to be unique (multiple users in different orgs can use the same email).
Which user can create a new user in Salesforce?
Only users with the System Administrator profile (or a custom profile with the “Manage Users” permission enabled) can create new users.
Why don’t I see the Profile I want in the dropdown menu?
Profiles are restricted by the User License you select. If you select a limited license (like a Platform license), you will not see Profiles meant for full Salesforce licenses (like System Administrator). Always select the correct User License first.
How do you delete a user in Salesforce?
Once a user is created, it cannot be permanently deleted to preserve data integrity and audit trails. You can only Deactivate them (which frees up their license) or Freeze them (which temporarily blocks login access).
