Guide
Salesforce record sharing: the complete guide
Salesforce gives you several ways to share a record beyond the org-wide defaults: manual sharing, sharing rules, Apex managed sharing, and the native Account, Opportunity, and Case Teams. Each has a different scope and different limits. This guide explains how they compare, where they fall short, and how Flexible Team Share brings one consistent, no-code, team-based model to any standard or custom object.
Last updated June 21, 2026
Record-level access in Salesforce starts with org-wide defaults and the role hierarchy, then widens through one of several sharing mechanisms. Picking the right one depends on whether you need broad rules or per-record control, whether access should be automatic or by hand, and whether it should ever expire. The table below summarizes the main options at a glance; the sections that follow link to a deep dive on each.
| Capability | Flexible Team Share | Manual sharing | Sharing rules | Apex managed sharing | Native teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per-record, member-by-member control | ✓ | ✓ | — (broad) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Access updates automatically | ✓ | — (manual) | ✓ | ✓ (code) | ✓ |
| Works on any standard or custom object | ✓ | — (limited in Lightning) | ✓ | ✓ | — (3 objects only) |
| Temporary access that expires automatically | ✓ | — | — | — (unless coded) | — |
| No Apex code required | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — (Apex) | ✓ |
| Price | Free | Native | Native | Native | Native |
The native ways to share a record
Salesforce offers four native mechanisms. Manual sharing grants one user or group access to a single record by hand — simple, but entirely manual; see the manual sharing alternative. Sharing rules open access broadly based on record owner or criteria; when you need per-record control instead, see the sharing rules alternative. Apex managed sharing is the most flexible but requires code — there is a way to get the same result as Apex managed sharing without code. Finally, native teams (Account, Opportunity, and Case Teams) add members to a record, but only on those three objects.
Where native sharing falls short
The native model has well-known gaps. Teams stop at three objects, so there is no built-in way to add Account Teams to custom objects, replace the Opportunity Team, or extend Case Teams elsewhere — and even where they exist, there are real Account Teams limitations. None of the native methods support temporary access that expires automatically, and manual shares are even lost when the record owner changes. The result is a patchwork of rules, code, and manual cleanup.
One no-code model for record sharing
Flexible Team Share unifies all of this into a single, point-and-click model. An admin enables team support per object with a wizard, then drops the Object Team Member component onto the record page — for any standard or custom object. Users add members with the exact access level they need; the app creates and revokes the underlying share automatically, supports temporary access that expires on its own, and keeps working when ownership changes — all with no Apex. It is 100% free on AppExchange, with no limits on objects, teams, or members, so you can keep the native methods where they fit and use Flexible Team Share everywhere they fall short.
Frequently asked questions
How many ways are there to share a record in Salesforce?
Beyond org-wide defaults and the role hierarchy, there are four main mechanisms: manual sharing, sharing rules, Apex managed sharing, and native teams (Account, Opportunity, and Case Teams). Flexible Team Share adds a fifth, no-code option that works on any object.
What is the difference between sharing rules and manual sharing?
Sharing rules open access broadly and automatically based on record owner or criteria, while manual sharing grants access to one specific record by hand. Rules are for repeatable, org-wide patterns; manual sharing is for one-off exceptions.
How do I share a record on a custom object?
Custom objects have no native team feature and only support sharing rules or manual sharing. Flexible Team Share brings team-based, per-record sharing to any custom object — see Account Teams on custom objects.
Can I give someone temporary access to a record?
Native sharing has no automatic expiry. Flexible Team Share lets you set an end date so access is revoked automatically — see temporary record access.
Is there a no-code alternative to Apex managed sharing?
Yes. Flexible Team Share delivers the same granular, per-record, automatic sharing as Apex managed sharing, configured with clicks instead of code, and it is free on AppExchange.
Share any record, on any object, with no 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.