Blank Field Handling in Salesforce refers to how Salesforce formulas and functions handle fields that are blank or null. Understanding how Salesforce manages blank fields is crucial when writing formula fields, validation rules, workflows, and other automation processes.
When writing a formula field, there are 2 options for how to handle blank values:
Treat blank fields as zeroes: When you select this option, Salesforce treats blank fields as if they contain a numeric value of zero (0) when performing calculations. This is useful when you want to ensure that calculations proceed even if certain fields are blank, substituting zero for null values.
Treat blank fields as blanks: This option means that if any field referenced in the formula is blank, the formula result will also be blank (null). It maintains the behavior of propagating null values through the formula without any additional processing.
By choosing the appropriate handling option for blank fields in your formula, you can ensure that the formula behaves as expected and produces the desired results even when dealing with missing or empty data. Consider the context of your formula and the requirements of your use case to determine the most suitable option for handling blank fields.