An Admin’s Guide to Mastering Salesforce Flow

Salesforce Flow is the secret power in any Salesforce admin’s toolkit. They simplify even the most complicated business processes, making your life a whole lot easier.

But here’s the catch: you must set them up correctly; else, things can get messy.

Now, here’s the latest scoop: Salesforce recently made an announcement that might interest you. They’re deprecating Workflows and Process Builder in 2023. That means no more product updates for those tools. But don’t worry, there’s a silver lining!

Salesforce Flow Builder is a go-to solution for all your business process automation needs, with no coding required! After 2023, you won’t be able to create new process builders and workflows, but you’d still have the freedom to make edits to the existing ones.

Here’s all about Salesforce Flow.

Understanding Salesforce Flow

A flow in Salesforce is like your personal automation wizard. It takes care of complex business processes, so you can focus on what really matters. Essentially, a flow collects data and then works its magic with that data.

To build flows, we’ve got Flow Builder, which is a user-friendly interface that lets you create code-like logic without actually writing code. It’s like programming but without any hassle.

Types of Flows

Screen Flows:
These flows have a user interface and require input from users. You can launch them as an action or embed them as an element on a Lightning page.

Schedule-Triggered Flows:
Schedule-triggered flows automatically kick-off at specific times and frequencies for each record in a batch.

Autolaunched Flows:
Autolaunched flows handle all repetitive tasks like a pro. You can call them from other flows (like a subflow), process builder, Apex classes, scheduled actions, record changes, or even when platform events occur.

Record-Triggered Flows:
These flows are all about keeping track of your records. They spring into action either before or after a record is saved. So, when a record is created, updated, or deleted, these flows are there to handle the behind-the-scenes work.

Platform Event-Triggered Flows:
When a platform event message pops up, these flows are ready to take charge. They run in the background and handle any necessary tasks. It’s like having your own secret agents waiting for the right signal.

So, that’s the lowdown on flows in Salesforce. They’re here to make your life easier by automating processes and handling data like a champ.

Sit back, relax, and let the flows work their magic!

Key Features and Functionality That Make Salesforce Flows a Game-Changer

Visual Interface: No more staring at lines of code! With Salesforce Flows, you can drag and drop elements to design your processes. Describe the logic, build screens, and gather user input without breaking a sweat.

Data Integration: Flows allow you to communicate with and update Salesforce data effortlessly. Whether it’s using pre-built connections or unique Apex code, you can integrate with external systems and keep your data in sync.

Decision-Making: Need to guide users down different paths based on specific inputs or criteria? Salesforce Flows have got you covered. You can use decision and conditional logic components to dynamically direct users where they need to go.

Error Handling and Exception Management: Mistakes happen, but Flows have your back. They come with robust exception-handling capabilities, so you can specify how errors should be handled and give users the right guidance and error messages.

Mobile-Ready: In today’s world, we’re always on-the-go. That’s why Salesforce Flows are designed to be mobile-responsive. Users can access and interact with workflows seamlessly on their smartphones or tablets.

Use Cases Where Salesforce Flow Stands Out

Lead and Opportunity Management: Automate lead qualification and conversion processes based on specific criteria. Create dynamic approval processes for leads and opportunities.

Customer Onboarding: Guide new customers through a series of steps while collecting the necessary data and automating record creation.

Service Request Management: Streamline customer support processes by automating case generation, assigning cases to the right agents, and offering self-service options for common queries.

Approval Workflows: Build multi-step approval processes for various business scenarios like purchase orders, expense reimbursements, and time-off requests.

Data Updates and Validation: Automate data updates for multiple entries based on user inputs or predefined criteria. Validation rules ensure the accuracy and integrity of data.

Why Use Salesforce Flow?

Increased Efficiency: Automating manual operations and guiding users through complex processes with Flows saves time and minimizes errors, making your workflows more efficient.

Enhanced User Experience: With guided and user-friendly interfaces, Flows improve user adoption and engagement.

Scalability: As your business needs evolve, you can easily expand and modify Flows without extensive development work.

Code-Free Automation: No need to rely on technical resources. Salesforce Flows empower business users to automate operations without the help of engineers.

Flexibility: Flows give you the freedom to design automation logic triggered by various events, such as record creation or update, user interaction, or time-based activities.

When and Why Should You Use a Flow?

If you’re looking to create a new automated business process or a user-guided experience that doesn’t require complex Apex Code, then flows are the perfect tool for you. They allow you to build these processes without the need for extensive coding.

If you’re considering modifying an existing process built with Process Builder or workflow, there are a few factors to consider when deciding whether to modify the existing process or migrate it to a flow.

Flows have a wide range of capabilities, such as creating, editing, and deleting records in Salesforce, sending emails, displaying relevant data, gathering user input, and generating outbound messages.

When You Shouldn’t Use a Flow?

Generally, it’s not recommended to use a flow in the following situations:

When there’s complicated logic involved that would be better managed with Apex code. For example, if the flow becomes too complex, it can make debugging, documenting, and managing the flow more challenging.

If your Salesforce edition has limitations on the number of flows you can create. In this case, developers can write Invocable Apex methods that you can call from a flow, allowing you to offload complex processes to Apex while still maintaining control over the overall flow using the flow builder.

Each organization is limited to five processes and flows (per flow type) in the Essentials and Professional editions. Processes are easier to use in these editions for most logic.

How to Create a Flow in Salesforce?

To create a flow in Salesforce, you can follow these simple steps:

• Open Flow Builder. Type “Flows” into the Quick Find box, choose Flows from the search results, and click on New Flow.
• Choose the Flow Type and click Create. The type of flow you choose will affect your experience.
• Set up your inputs. Depending on the flow type, you may have access to a global variable called $Record, which provides access to fields on the triggering record and its parent records. For autolaunched flows, you’ll need to create any required input variables yourself.
• Add elements to carry out your business processes. A flow element embodies a specific action that the flow is capable of executing. This action may involve tasks like reading or writing Salesforce data, displaying information, collecting user input, or implementing business logic.

Pro tip: The execution of flows can vary based on the targeted users, including internal users, external users, or systems.

Flows can also be deployed within another organization. Whatever you do, go with the flow!

The Bottom Line

Salesforce Flows are your powerful allies for simplifying and streamlining your business processes. With the deprecation of Workflows and Process Builder in sight, it’s time to fully embrace the potential of Salesforce Flow Builder. Get ready to level up your automation game and make your work life a breeze.

Want to Know How You Can Set Up Salesforce Flow? Talk to Us!