Comparison
Apex managed sharing without code
Apex managed sharing lets developers grant precise, per-record access by creating share records in code — but it requires Apex, a sharing reason, and test coverage to maintain. Flexible Team Share is a free app that creates the same underlying managed shares automatically when you add a team member, with no Apex to write and temporary access that expires on its own.
Last updated June 18, 2026
When sharing rules are too broad and manual sharing is too tedious, Salesforce developers reach for Apex managed sharing: code that inserts Share records with a custom RowCause (a sharing reason) to grant exactly the access a record needs. It is the most precise sharing model Salesforce offers — and the most expensive to build and maintain. The table below compares Apex managed sharing with Flexible Team Share, which produces the same per-record managed shares through configuration instead of code.
| Capability | Flexible Team Share | Apex managed sharing (custom code) | Native sharing rules | Manual sharing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precise, per-record access | ✓ | ✓ | — (broad, criteria/owner based) | ✓ |
| Creates the underlying share record automatically | ✓ | ✓ (you write the code) | ✓ | — (fully manual) |
| No Apex, no developer required | ✓ | — (requires Apex + tests) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Works on standard & custom objects | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Add/remove a person updates access automatically | ✓ | — (you must build the logic) | ✓ | — (fully manual) |
| Temporary access that expires automatically | ✓ | — (build a scheduled job) | — | — |
| Team Members UI on the record for end users | ✓ | — (build your own UI) | — | — |
| Ongoing maintenance burden | Low (managed app) | High (custom code + tests) | Medium | High (manual) |
| Price | Free, unlimited | Developer time | Included (native) | Included (native) |
What Apex managed sharing actually involves
Apex managed sharing means writing code that creates share records — AccountShare, OpportunityShare, or MyObject__Share for custom objects — each tagged with an Apex sharing reason (RowCause) so the access is recognised as yours and survives owner changes. To ship it you also need triggers to keep shares current, a scheduled job if access should expire, Apex test coverage, and a developer to maintain all of it as requirements change. It is powerful and precise, but it is a software project, not a setting.
Why "do it in Apex" gets expensive
The code itself is only the start. Someone has to design the sharing reasons, handle inserts and deletes as people come and go, cover it with unit tests, and revisit it every time the business rules shift. End users get no interface — they cannot see or change who has access — so admins field requests the developer has to translate into deployments. For a single object that might be fine; across an org it becomes a standing maintenance cost.
How Flexible Team Share delivers the same result, no code
Flexible Team Share creates Apex managed shares for you. An admin enables team support per object through a point-and-click wizard, and end users add team members directly on the record. Behind the scenes FTS inserts the correct share with its own sharing reason, updates it when members change, and revokes it on removal — exactly what you would build in Apex, without writing or maintaining any. You also get temporary access that expires automatically, owner synchronisation via Flow or Apex triggers, and a Team Members UI on the record. It is 100% free on AppExchange with no limits on objects, teams, or members.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do Apex managed sharing without writing Apex?
Yes. Flexible Team Share creates the same managed share records you would build in Apex — complete with a sharing reason — but you configure it point-and-click and add team members on the record. No code, triggers, or test coverage to write or maintain.
Does Flexible Team Share use Apex managed sharing under the hood?
It creates the underlying share records that give a user access to a specific record, with the app managing the sharing reason and lifecycle. You get the precision of programmatic sharing without owning the code.
Does it work for Apex sharing on custom objects?
Yes. Flexible Team Share works on any standard or custom object that supports sharing. An admin enables team support per object through a wizard, so custom objects get the same per-record managed sharing as standard ones.
Can shared access expire automatically?
Yes. Add a team member with an end date and access is revoked automatically when it passes — no scheduled Apex job to build. Hand-rolled Apex managed sharing has no built-in expiry, so you would have to code and maintain one.
Is it really free?
Yes. Flexible Team Share is 100% free on Salesforce AppExchange, with unlimited objects, teams, and members — no premium tiers, time-limited trials, or hidden fees.
Get the precision of Apex managed sharing without writing a line of code. Install Flexible Team Share free.
Get it on AppExchangeWhat is Flexible Team Share?
A 6-minute walkthrough: why we built FTS, how to install it, and how to add team members to any Salesforce object — no code required.