LWC Custom Property Editors: Salesforce Lightning Web Practical Guide
For Salesforce developers and admins, flexibility in user interface customization is essential for effective component configuration. Custom Property Editors (CPEs) in Salesforce Lightning Web Components (LWC) provide a powerful solution, allowing users to build custom interfaces that make configurations easier, more dynamic, and highly interactive. This guide covers everything from the fundamentals of CPEs to practical use cases and implementation techniques, all tailored for enhancing configurations in Salesforce Screen Flow, App Builder, and Community.
Live Demo: Unlocking Custom Property Editors’ Potential
If you like to see something in action vs reading, here is a demo showcasing:
• Simple Design Attributes – How to deploy basic configurations in UI.
• Apex Dynamic Picklists – Fetch and display dynamic data within picklists.
• Setting Components – Enhance usability in both Screen Flow and Community Builder settings.
What Are Custom Property Editors in Salesforce?
Custom Property Editors are add-on LWC components designed to set up properties within main LWC components. They enable advanced UI interactions and provide the flexibility to integrate different input types, dynamic data, and complex configurations within Salesforce’s ecosystem.
For more details on lwc property types and creating these, check out Salesforce’s official Custom Property Editor Documentation.
| Feature | Standard Attributes | Custom Property Editors (CPE) |
|---|---|---|
| UI Complexity | Basic (Text, Number, Picklist) | Unlimited (Custom LWC Layouts) |
| Validation | Static (Required/Max/Min) | Real-time Apex & JS Validation |
| Data Sourcing | Fixed Meta-data values | Dynamic (Apex-sourced live data) |
| UX Quality | Native Salesforce Sidebar | Branded & Guided Experiences |
Why Use Custom Property Editors in Salesforce LWC?
• Flexible Data Handling – Enables dynamic data fetching and UI updates through Apex, particularly useful in Flow and Community settings.
• Enhanced Validation and Input Control – Create tailored UI controls (e.g., picklists, checkboxes) for precise user inputs.
• Improved User Experience – Streamlined configurations simplify the setup, especially for complex applications.
For deeper insights into property editors and how they enhance user experience, explore the Lightning Web Components Developer Guide.
How to Implement Custom Property Editors in Salesforce: 3 Methods
Method 1: Simple Design Attributes: Start with basic design attributes, configuring components through data types like strings, numbers, and booleans. This method is perfect for quick setups in App Builder or Community.
Method 2: Apex-Based Dynamic Picklists: Use Apex classes for advanced, real-time data inputs. By integrating with the VisualEditor namespace and DynamicPicklist, developers can source data dynamically from Salesforce objects or fields, allowing live interaction within components.
Method 3: Advanced Settings Components: This approach involves a separate settings component linked to the main LWC. It provides a single interface for configuring multiple interdependent properties, allowing complex UI adjustments without clutter.
handleValueChange(event) {
const newValue = event.target.value;
// Dispatch the mandatory event to notify the platform
const attributeChangeEvent = new CustomEvent('configuration_change', {
bubbles: true,
composed: true,
detail: {
configurationData: {
myStringProperty: newValue
}
}
});
this.dispatchEvent(attributeChangeEvent);
}
configuration_change event to sync data. Crucially, you must set bubbles: true and composed: true. Without these, your event won't cross the shadow DOM boundary, and the App Builder or Flow will never "see" the values your user entered, resulting in lost configurations.
Common Limitations and Workarounds for Custom Property Editors
After understanding the LWC property types, let’s come to the limitations that users often face.
• Single Editor Restriction in Community – Only one active editor per component.
• Apex Dependency – Separate Apex classes for each data source may be required, impacting scalability.
• Data Retention Limitations – The community sometimes struggles to retain configurations seamlessly, unlike Flow.
Future Trends in Salesforce Custom Property Editors
Salesforce’s LWC framework is evolving rapidly. Anticipate future updates for CPEs, such as better support for complex data types, improved Apex integration, and enhanced community settings.
Summary
Custom Property Editors in Salesforce Lightning Web Components give users an advanced, flexible way to configure Screen Flow, App Builder, and Community components. From handling complex configurations with Apex to creating enhanced user input and validation, CPEs allow developers and admins to build more responsive, interactive, and intuitive UI configurations.
References
Custom Property Editors for LWC-Watch This Video
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Thanks
To our Salesforce Consultant - Piyush Chourasia, for sharing his research 👏
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