How to create your first contact on Salesforce

beginner 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Creating your first contact in Salesforce involves navigating to the Contacts tab, clicking New, filling out required fields like name and email, and saving the record. The process takes just a few minutes and establishes a foundation for customer relationship management.

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Prerequisites

Active Salesforce account with appropriate permissions
Basic familiarity with Salesforce navigation
Contact information ready to input
Understanding of your organization's data entry standards

Step-by-Step Instructions

Navigate to the Contacts Tab

From your Salesforce home page, locate the App Launcher (9-dot grid icon) in the top-left corner. Click it and search for Contacts or find the Contacts tab in your navigation bar. Click on Contacts to access the contacts list view.

If you don't see the Contacts tab, check with your administrator as you may need additional permissions.

Click the New Contact Button

On the Contacts list page, look for the New button, typically located in the top-right area of the screen. Click New to open the contact creation form. This will launch the New Contact dialog box with various input fields.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Alt+N (Windows) or Option+N (Mac) to quickly create a new contact.

Fill in Required Contact Information

Start by entering the contact's First Name and Last Name in their respective fields. These are typically required fields marked with red asterisks. Add the contact's Email address in the email field, as this is often required for communication tracking.

Required fields vary by organization, so look for red asterisks (*) next to field labels to identify mandatory information.

Add Contact Details

Complete additional fields such as Phone number, Title (job position), and Department. If you know which account (company) this contact belongs to, start typing in the Account Name field and select from the dropdown suggestions, or click the lookup icon to search.

If the account doesn't exist yet, you can create it on-the-fly by typing the company name and selecting 'New Account' from the dropdown.

Configure Address Information

Scroll down to find the address section and enter the contact's Mailing Address including Street, City, State/Province, and Postal Code. You can also add a separate Other Address if needed for business versus personal locations.

Use the address validation feature if available in your org to ensure accurate formatting and completeness.

Set Additional Properties

Review optional fields like Lead Source (how you met this contact), Description for notes, and any custom fields your organization has configured. Check the Email Opt Out checkbox if the contact has requested not to receive emails.

Custom fields may be required by your organization, so don't skip sections that might contain mandatory business-specific information.

Save Your New Contact

Once all required and desired fields are completed, click the Save button at the bottom of the form. You can also click Save & New if you want to immediately create another contact, or Cancel to discard your changes.

After saving, you'll be redirected to the contact's detail page where you can add more information, create activities, or upload files.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Cannot find the New button or Contacts tab

Contact your Salesforce administrator to verify you have the necessary permissions to create contacts. Your user profile may need Create permissions on the Contact object.

Required field error when trying to save

Look for fields marked with red asterisks (*) and ensure they contain valid data. Common required fields include Last Name and sometimes Account Name or Email depending on your org's configuration.

Account lookup not working or showing no results

Verify the account exists by searching in the Accounts tab first. If it doesn't exist, create the account first or type the company name and select New Account from the lookup dropdown.

Contact appears to save but missing from contact list

Check your List View filter settings at the top of the Contacts page. You may be viewing Recently Viewed or a filtered view. Switch to All Contacts or use the search bar to locate your new contact.

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