Salesforce Flows: The Ultimate Guide to Process Automation

Salesforce Flows are crucial for automating intricate business processes and minimizing manual data entry. They enable your users to work more efficiently, ensuring that essential tasks are completed correctly while saving valuable time.

For Salesforce administrators, flows are among the most impactful tools available. When properly configured, they can elevate your status within the Sales team and streamline operations.

What Are Salesforce Flows?
Types of Salesforce Flows
Subtypes of Salesforce Flows
When and Why to Use Salesforce Flows?
When Not to Use a Salesforce Flow?
Salesforce Flow Limits and Considerations
A Step-by-Step Guide to Flow Creation
Basic Features of Salesforce Flows
Common Mistakes and How to Prevent Them When Creating Flows
A Comparative Analysis – Salesforce Flows vs. Apex
The Future of Salesforce Automation – Flow Revolution

What Are Salesforce Flows?

Salesforce Flows are a sophisticated automation tool within the Salesforce platform that allows users to create and manage complex workflows without extensive coding. Flows enable you to automate various business processes, including:

Data Management: Automating record creation, updates, and deletions.
User Interaction: Guiding users through multi-step processes via screens or prompts.
Task Automation: Performing tasks such as sending emails, posting on Chatter, and dispatching custom notifications.

Flows can be triggered by specific events, such as when a record is created, updated, or deleted, and can be executed either before or after these events. This flexibility allows organizations to streamline operations, reduce manual effort, and enhance user experience, making Salesforce Flows a key component in driving efficiency and productivity within the platform.

Types of Salesforce Flows

Salesforce offers two main types of Flows: Screen Flows and Automation Flows. Each type has its own unique characteristics and use cases.

1. Screen Flows

Screen Flows are designed to guide users through a series of screens or steps. They are ideal for creating interactive user interfaces and collecting data from users. Screen Flows are often used for:

Data collection: Gathering information from users through forms and screens.
Guided processes: Providing step-by-step instructions for users to follow.
Approval processes: Creating workflows for review and approval of records.
Customizable user interfaces: Building custom interfaces within Salesforce.

2. Automation Flows

Automation Flows are designed to automate business processes without requiring user interaction. They are ideal for performing tasks in the background and triggering actions based on specific criteria. Automation Flows are often used for:

Batch processing: Performing tasks on a large number of records at once.
Scheduled jobs: Running tasks automatically at specific intervals.
Event-driven actions: Triggering actions based on events, such as record creation or updates.
Data manipulation: Updating, deleting, or creating records based on specific conditions.

Subtypes of Salesforce Flows

Here are the subtypes of Salesforce Flows listed below:

Subflows

Purpose: Reusable components within Flows.
Functionality: Encapsulate common logic or processes into a single, modular unit, making Flows more organized and maintainable.
Benefits: Improved modularity, reusability, maintainability, and collaboration.

Autolaunched Flows

Purpose: Triggered automatically based on events.
Functionality: Execute Flows without user intervention, based on specific triggers like time, record changes, or API calls.
Benefits: Automated tasks, scheduled processes, and event-driven automation.

Record-Triggered Flows

Purpose: Triggered based on record changes.
Functionality: Execute Flows when records are created, updated, or deleted.
Benefits: Data validation, automated record updates, and workflow automation.

Opportunity Stage Change Flows

Purpose: Triggered when opportunity stage changes.
Functionality: Execute Flows specifically when the stage of an opportunity is updated.
Benefits: Automated actions based on opportunity progression, such as sending notifications or updating related records.

Case Escalation Flows

Purpose: Triggered when a case is escalated.
Functionality: Execute Flows when a case is assigned to a higher-level user or department.
Benefits: Automated escalation processes, notification triggers, and task assignment.

Custom Object Flows

Purpose: Triggered based on custom object events.
Functionality: Execute Flows when custom objects are created, updated, or deleted.
Benefits: Automation for custom objects, data validation, and workflow triggers.

Visual Flows

Purpose: Created using a visual interface.
Functionality: Design Flows using a drag-and-drop interface, making them easier to understand and build.
Benefits: Accessibility for non-technical users, simplified development, and enhanced collaboration.

These subtypes offer specialized functionalities and can be combined to create complex and tailored automation solutions.

When and Why to Use Salesforce Flows?

Salesforce Flows are the preferred tool for configurable automation in Salesforce, offering a powerful and flexible solution for creating automated business processes and user-guided experiences.

Here’s when to consider using Flows:

New automation: If you need to create a new automated process that doesn’t require the complexity of Apex code, Flows are the ideal choice.
Legacy process migration: While Process Builder and Workflow rules are being phased out, you may need to modify existing processes built with these tools in the short term. However, it’s highly recommended to migrate these processes to Flows before the end of their support in December 2025.

Key capabilities of Flows:

Record manipulation: Create, edit, and delete records in Salesforce.
Email communication: Send emails based on specific criteria or events.
Data display and collection: Show relevant data to users and gather input.
Outbound messages: Generate outbound messages, such as SMS or webhooks.

By leveraging the capabilities of Flows, you can streamline your business processes, improve efficiency, and enhance the user experience within your Salesforce organization.

When Not to Use a Salesforce Flow?

While Flows are a powerful tool, they may not be the best solution for every automation scenario. Here are some situations where you might consider using alternative approaches:

Undefined business process: If you don’t understand the business process you want to automate, it may be difficult to design a Flow that effectively meets your needs.
Complex logic: For highly complex logic that involves advanced calculations, intricate decision-making, or custom data manipulations, Apex code may be a more suitable option. While Flows has been improving, Apex still offers greater flexibility and control for complex scenarios.
Salesforce edition limits: If you’re using the Essentials or Professional edition, you have a limited number of Flows and Processes available. In these cases, using Processes might be a more practical solution for simpler automation needs.

However, it’s important to note that:

Invocable Apex methods: You can use invocable Apex methods to offload complex logic to Apex while still maintaining control of the overall process using Flows.
Flow improvements: Salesforce is continuously enhancing Flows, adding new features that can handle more complex scenarios.

By carefully considering these factors, you can determine whether a Flow is the best fit for your automation needs or if alternative approaches, such as Apex code or Processes, might be more appropriate.

Salesforce Flow Limits and Considerations

Limits per flow interview:

Executed elements at runtime per flow: 2,000

General Flow Limits:

Versions per flow: 50
Active flows per flow type: 5 in PROFESSIONAL EDITIONS and 2000 in all others
Total flows per flow type: 5 in PROFESSIONAL EDITIONS and 4000 in all others

Per-Transaction Flow Limits:

Total number of SOQL queries issued: 100
Total number of records retrieved by SOQL queries: 50,000
Total number of DML statements issued: 150
Total number of records processed as a result of DML statements: 10,000

Flow Usage-Based Entitlements:

For detailed information on flow limits and considerations, please refer to the official Salesforce documentation.

Additional Considerations:

Flow complexity: Complex Flows with many elements and decision points may consume more resources.
Flow volume: Flows that are executed frequently or on large datasets may exceed limits.
Flow design: Optimize Flow design to minimize resource consumption and improve performance.
Flow monitoring: Regularly monitor Flow usage and performance to identify potential issues.

By understanding and adhering to these limits, you can effectively design and implement Flows within your Salesforce organization.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Flow Creation

1. Access Flow Builder:

Navigate to Setup and search for “Flows.”
Click New Flow.

2. Select Flow Type:

Choose the appropriate Flow type based on your automation needs (e.g., Screen Flow, Automation Flow, Autolaunched Flow).

3. Create Flow:

Click Create.

4. Define Input Variables:

If you’re creating an autolaunched Flow, define any required input variables.
For scheduled and record-triggered Flows, the $Record variable automatically provides access to the triggering record’s fields.

5. Add Flow Elements:

Click the + button after the start element.
Choose the desired elements to perform actions, such as reading/writing data, displaying information, collecting user input, executing logic, or manipulating data.

6. Save and Test:

Save your Flow.
Thoroughly test it to ensure it’s functioning correctly.

7. Activate Flow:

Once testing is complete, activate the Flow to make it available for use.

8. Distribute Flow:

Decide how the Flow will be executed:
- Internal users: Assign the Flow to specific users or roles.
- External users: Provide access to external users through a community or Lightning App.
- Systems: Integrate the Flow with other systems using APIs.
- Deployment: Deploy the Flow to another organization.

By following these steps and leveraging the power of Flows, you can create efficient and effective automation solutions for your Salesforce organization.

Basic Features of Salesforce Flows

On the left-hand side of your Flow Canvas, you’ll find the Toolbox, a treasure trove of tools that empower you to craft your automation masterpieces. The specific tools available will vary depending on the type of Flow you’re working with (Screen Flow, Auto-Launched Flow, etc.).

Manager’s Tab

The Manager tab is your command center, housing the existing elements and resources of your Flow. Here, you’ll find the Resources section, where you store the building blocks of your automation.

Variables: These are like tiny containers where you store data for use within your Flow. They can hold various data types, such as Text, Number, Record, Dates, Currency, Boolean, or Picklists.
Collections: Imagine these as lists or groups of Variables. They allow you to process multiple records simultaneously, streamlining your Flows.
Constants: These are values you set once and never change. They’re perfect for referring to a single value multiple times throughout your Flow.
Formulae: These are dynamic values calculated based on other values within your Flow. They’re invaluable for tasks like calculating future dates, currency values, or other derived information.
Choices: These are used within Screen Elements to present options to the user.

Elements Screen

The Elements screen is where you bring your automation ideas to life. Here, you can create new Resources and Elements tailored to your Flow’s needs.

Interaction Elements:
- Screen: This element, exclusive to Screen Flows, allows you to present screens to the user, displaying information or collecting input.
- Action: This element lets you pass data to pre-existing standard or custom actions, such as sending emails, creating records, or executing custom Apex code.
- Subflow: This element enables you to call other Flows within your current Flow, promoting modularity and reusability.
Logic Elements:
- Decisions: These elements allow you to split your Flow based on conditions, creating branching paths.
- Assignments: These elements assign values to variables, enabling data manipulation and transformation.
- Loops: These elements allow you to iterate over collections, processing multiple records efficiently.
Data Elements:
- Create, Update, Get, Delete: These elements interact with the Salesforce database, allowing you to create, modify, retrieve, or delete records.

By mastering these fundamental components of the Flow Builder, you’ll be well-equipped to design and implement powerful automation solutions that streamline your business processes.

Components of Salesforce Flow

Salesforce Flows are composed of various elements or components that work together to create automated processes. These components can be categorized into three main groups:

1. Interaction Elements

Screen: Used in Screen Flows to display information to the user and collect input.
Action: Executes a predefined action, such as sending an email, creating a record, or calling an Apex method.
Subflow: Calls another Flow within the current Flow, promoting modularity and reusability.

2. Logic Elements

Decision: Splits the Flow based on a condition, allowing for branching logic.
Assignment: Assigns a value to a variable.
Loop: Repeats a set of actions multiple times, useful for processing collections of data.

3. Data Elements

Create: Creates a new record.
Update: Updates an existing record.
Get: Retrieves existing records.
Delete: Deletes a record.

Additional Components:

Variables: Store data within a Flow for use in calculations, comparisons, and other operations.
Constants: Store fixed values that don’t change.
Collections: Group multiple variables together for processing.
Formulae: Perform calculations and create dynamic values based on other variables.

Common Mistakes and How to Prevent Them When Creating Flows

1. Mismatched Fields and Variables:

Double-check: Ensure that fields and variables used within Flows match the correct data types and objects.

2. Null Value Neglect:

Guard Against Errors: Implement checks for null values to prevent unexpected behavior or errors.

3. Looping Errors:

Avoid Inefficiency: Place Get, Create, Update, or Delete elements outside of loop elements whenever possible to optimize performance.

4. Access Restrictions:

Consider Permissions: Reference objects and fields that end users have access to to avoid errors and maintain security.

5. Untested Deployments:

Thorough Testing: Deploy Flows only after rigorous testing by users who will interact with them.

6. Limited Visibility:

Grant Access: Ensure users have the necessary permissions to run Flows.

7. Redundant Data Retrieval:

Leverage Existing Data: Utilize the $Record or $RecordPrior variables in record or scheduled trigger Flows to avoid unnecessary Get elements.

8. Hardcoded Record IDs:

Dynamic References: Use dynamic references or variables instead of hardcoding record IDs to make your Flows more flexible and maintainable.

A Comparative Analysis – Salesforce Flows vs. Apex

Salesforce Flows and Apex are both powerful tools for automating business processes within the Salesforce platform, but they serve different purposes and have distinct strengths.