3 Steps Guide to Display Lifetime Value (LTV) in Salesforce

LTV. There are multiple definitions and ways to calculate it, but lets start simple - total revenue per account. Knowing this number will help you identify high-value customers.

There is no out-of-the-box field in Salesforce, so here is a 5-minute guide to create one, configure permissions and add the field to a record page.

Step 1: Create a Roll-Up Summary Field for the Account Object

1. Initial Navigation

Setup → Object Manager → Account → Fields & Relationships → New

2. Choose Field Type

Select Roll-Up Summary

3. Define Field Details

• Label: LTV
• Developer Name: LTV
• Description (be a good admin): Total Amount for Closed Won Opportunities
• Help Text (be a good admin): Lifetime Value

4. Define Calculations

• Summarized Object: Opportunities
• Roll-Up Type: Sum
• Field to Aggregate: Amount
• Filter Criteria (we only need sold stuff): Check "Only records meeting certain criteria should be included in the calculation", then Field - Won, Operator - Equals, Value - True

5. Set Up Field-Level Security (Consider Least Privilege Principle)

Check Visible checkbox only for System Administrator.

Step 2 (Optional): Provide Read Access Through Permission Sets

1. Initial Navigation

Setup → Permission Sets → Account Management Admin (as an example) → Manage Assignments → Add Assignment

2. Assign Users

Select Users to Assign → Next

3. Set Expiration Options

Set Expiration Date (optional) → Click Assign

Step 3: Add Field to Account Record Page (for Page Layouts)

1. Initial Navigation

Setup → Object Manager → Account → Page Layouts

2. Select a Layout from the List

3. Create a Section

Section Name - Key Metrics

4. Add LTV Field to Page Layout

Search for LTV in Quick Find → Drag and drop the field into the created section.

5. Save Changes

Important Notes

• Instead of Opportunities, you may use Contracts, Subscriptions, or Invoices.
• Roll-Up Summary fields may not be ideal due to real-time nature, limited functionality, and potential performance issues.
• Custom asynchronous calculations could be a better long-term option but requires more effort.

Now what?

With LTV in place, you can:

• Identify high-value accounts and focus on retention.
• Analyze customer segments.
• Adjust strategy for pricing & contract terms.