If I create a new object with a lookup field in lightning experience, I can search for / pick the object based on its name field:
However, I'd like to be able to search on other fields from directly within this dialog, and have another field displayed here other than the name field. Is this at all possible?
You need to activate a feature called Enhanced lookup. For that do the following steps:
Over there scroll down to the Lookup Settings and activate it for the wished custom object
now you will be able to search in all searchable fields
Here is some more official information about Enhanced Lookups.
I'm realizing that the org where this is working has a text field in Plan that is compounded of Company name and Plan name (this compounded field is to avoid Plan dupes in same Company). And the org where this is not working has the compounded field of Company ID and Plan Name, thus company name ain't searchable.
And is understandable that in one org it does work because the company name is embedded in a text field of Plan while on the other org it is the company Id not the name which is embedded.
Thanks to @rao for helping me bounce ideas to figure this out
Best Answer
You'll need to set-up the Search Layout Configuration options for the New Object in Lightning Setup, including the Lookup Dialogs and Search Filter Fields. See Configure Lookup Search Results in Lightning Experience for more details.