People say you need to just go with the flow. You need to go with the flow of the stream, go with the flow of the waves, and go with the flow that life takes you. But have you heard of a “Flow” in Salesforce?
Harald is the Co-Founder of Hutte, bringing his vision of no-code DevOps to life. His passion enables teams and individuals to focus on what matters most – bringing value to the users they build for.
Manuel Moya Ferrer is a highly skilled freelancer who serves as a technical architect, developer, and DevOps engineer. He specializes in Salesforce solutions, covering all technical aspects of their development lifecycle.
Article Highlights
Salesforce Flow transforms how business processes are automated, enabling users to conduct complex workflows through simple clicks instead of code.
The Flow Builder stands out as Salesforce's most powerful tool, equipping administrators with capabilities akin to those of developers.
Three primary building blocks—elements, connectors, and resources—form the backbone of any Flow, facilitating intricate tasks and logical sequences in business operations.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term – or would just like to learn more – this article will explore the ins and outs of Salesforce Flow.
For starters, what is the Process Builder and workflow Rule in Salesforce?
The Salesforce platform has declared that Process Builder and Workflow Rules from 2023 will no longer get any product refreshes. After 2023, users won’t have the option to make new Process Builders and Workflows. However, altering current ones will be allowed.
Salesforce Flow allows you to construct complex business arrangements using clicks, not code. Flow Builder is the most incredible asset a Salesforce admin has available, giving admins comparative powers to Salesforce developers.
Assuming you want to perform mass updates across various irrelevant records or complex rationale into opportunity transformation, these are routine tasks for using Flow.
The utilization capabilities for Flow users are never-ending, improving and developing with each Salesforce release.
What is Flow Builder in Salesforce?
Flow is a powerful tool given by Salesforce to perform different tasks like:
Sending business logic emails and an email address.
Displaying complex logic, custom error messages, or an assignment element.
Showing automation with Flow solutions, and you can auto-launch Flow.
Producing asynchronous processes.
Posting chats as a separate transaction.
Sending pieces of automation through custom notifications and fault paths.
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Flow is the most impressive automation tool developed by Salesforce, as it performs tasks that eliminate the manual processes internal users (admins) and external users need to perform.
What is Salesforce Flow?
As mentioned, Flow allows you to conduct complex business processes or complicated logic using clicks rather than code. As an administrator, Flow will be your closest companion since you will want to deal with the most perplexing business requirements without the assistance of a Salesforce engineer or action developer.
There are three principal building blocks of any Flow
Elements are the singular structure blocks of Flow. Flow elements perform practical activities like assignments, choices, or loops. Likewise, information elements will inform the database or commit changes to unrelated records.
Connectors figure out which elements prompt each other.
Resources are the only variables of information to be utilized in Flow. These can be text strings, numbers, records, formulae, or collections.
What are the different Flow types?
A Screen Flow can be triggered by a button, an activity, or shown in a Lightning Page or the “Utility Bar.” It shows up as a screen for the client to collaborate on. Unfortunately, a Screen Auto-Launched Flow can't be consequently set off.
A Record-Triggered Flow starts when a contact record is made or refreshed. Its usefulness is like a Process Builder.
An Auto-Launched Flow can be called from Apex, Process Builder, or another Flow. They can perform activities naturally in the background.
A Schedule-Triggered Flow runs naturally on a standard timetable. It is helpful for tasks performed regularly or on a timetable (once-off, day-to-day, or weekly).
A Platform Event-Triggered Flow is triggered when a platform event has been obtained.
It’s essential to remember that you can have various forms of Flow requirements in the Salesforce platform. However, a single version of each sample Flow can be active at a time.
You can activate or deactivate Flow right in Flow Builder or from Flow's detail page in “Setup.”
What are some of the basic Flow features?
The Manager Tab
The Manager Tab shows the current resources, which include variables, constants, collections, choices, or formulas.
Variables are utilized to store information to use in Flow. The variables can be a type of text, number, record, dates, currency, boolean, picklist, or object record.
Collections are used to store a rundown of variables. They handle various records all at once.
Constants are values you set once. Constants are prescribed when Flow needs to reference similar values on different occasions.
A formula is used to show a unique value relying on different qualities inside Flow.
Choices are mainly used after Flow saves to show options to a client.
The Elements Tab
The Elements Tab shows interaction, custom logic, and information elements accessible for Flow. Every element is an activity the Flow can execute. New elements can be made from the Elements Tab. These are some of the elements you can perform:
Interaction elements
The screen is used to show data or gather information from the client. This element is accessible only in a Screen Flow.
Actions
These are outer activities that further broaden the usefulness of Flow. A few models for activities include Apex, sending outbound messages, and so on.
Flow actions
These activities are custom actions that render a single Flow. They give a safe method for building custom usefulness without creating code. Flow activities are available just in the Salesforce mobile application and Lightning experience.
Logic elements
Within code-like logic elements, a decision splits Flow contingents on the information sent through the decision element. You have assignments that give direction to a variable. Loops then handle different factors on the various data elements.
Data elements
These elements allow the active Flow to obtain, make, update, or erase records in the data set. Once you’ve received the record, it is used to bring records from the information base. If you then make a record, update one, or delete a record, they execute the information in the data set.
Connectors
These create accessible ways that Flow can require some investment. Different elements in Flow are associated with using the accessible connectors. A few sorts of connectors are “unlabeled,” “decision outcome,” “fault,” “pause element,” “for each,” and so on.
What are the major limits of using Flow?
Apex exchange limits oversee an advanced Flow regarding distribution methods and agent Workflows. So, the total exchange is rolled back if Flow surpasses a governor limit. The developments made by the exchange will be moved back, regardless of whether there is a shortcoming characterized or not.
The constraints of the bigger exchanges govern the Auto-Launched Flow, which started as a component of a more significant exchange.
Flow has ‘use-based’ privileges that decide the number of Flow interviews dispensed each month. The privilege distributed for the organization can be seen in “Setup” and “Company Information.”
To 'call' Flow implies that something occurs to launch the Flow interaction. The Flow could be a Salesforce record, from one more cycle in Apex, Process Builder, or automated tasks on a common schedule.
At the point when you make another Flow, you're deciding to choose the sort of Flow you wish to make. The Flow types you can trigger include:
A Screen Flow is called through a button or activity. It is also shown in a Lightning Page or by the utility bar. It shows up as a screen for the client to connect with.
A Schedule-Triggered Flow runs with a typical schedule. This Flow is helpful for tasks performed day-to-day on a bunch of records.
An Auto-Launched Flow is called through Apex, Process Builder, or another Flow. They can be used to perform activities naturally in the background.
A Record-Triggered Flow starts when a record is made or refreshed (basically the same as with Process Builder).
A Platform Event-Triggered Flow is called when a platform occasion is triggered, like an Auto-Launched Flow.
What is Flow Trigger Explorer?
Flow Trigger Explorer was made available by Salesforce in the 2022 release. It allows administrators and developers to see the request and approval processes when their Record-Triggered Flow would go against a particular object. It separated Flow into:
“Quick field updates” (Flow that runs before the database is saved).
“Quick actions and related records” (Flow that pursues the actual save to the data set).
“Run synchronously” (Flow that runs independently to the record transaction, so their usefulness doesn't hold up the saving of the record itself).
Flow developers were offered the chance to set trigger order systems in the properties of a Record-Triggered Flow that focused on Flow by number. These qualities could be set while building an individual Flow, and they considered the request weight to be placed in the actual Flow.
This Flow was reflected in the Flow Trigger Explorer, so every Flow is visible together in the request they execute.
The update also carried upgrades to the Flow Trigger Explorer, which allows Flow developers to click and drag Flow after tapping the “Edit Order” button to improve Flow with just a couple of clicks without any problem.
Instructions to use Flow Trigger Explorer
Since Flow Trigger Explorer provides you with a hierarchical perspective on every Record-Triggered Flow that will set off against a particular object, as a Flow developer, you can use it to coordinate the request in which your Flow will run. You can, likewise, use it to investigate issues in your organization with custom buttons connected with your decisive business process automation options.
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Flow Trigger Explorer will not show every dynamic Flow against an object for a particular occasion or situation. It will instead show you every Flow that is not yet active.
If you wind up with a greenfield Salesforce organization (for example, a genuinely new organization or one with no Flow yet), you can use the Flow Trigger Explorer to make your Record-Triggered Flow. You can request them accurately before activating them.
What are Salesforce Flow Templates?
Salesforce Flow brings programming language that automates complicated business processes, making it more straightforward for sales reps and outreach group pioneers to deal with their selling tasks inside Salesforce. However, making a Flow type without preparation can be hard, even with Salesforce's Flow Builder devices.
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This instance is where Flow templates come into play. Flow templates are a type of pre-planned Flow that permits organizations to make modified processes for explicit complex processes for their work.
A Salesforce Flow, likewise, empowers Salesforce managers to have comparative creating abilities as Salesforce developers. Moreover, administrators can track down a library of layouts in the Salesforce AppExchange.
Salesforce Flow best practices
Test your Flow
Flow Builder has an inherent investigation tool that you can use to test Flow before initiating it to avoid Flow custom errors. So, go through your every Flow and test your full start-to-finish process, even after Flow has passed through your underlying troubleshooting assessments.
Sometimes, you'll find unexpected issues that you want to tidy up before sending. That’s why you should over-test everything in every case to be on the safe side.
Avoid performing DML Statements in loops
Never play out a DML statement within a loop element. This implies never playing out a monotonous “Get,” “Update,” “Create,” or “Delete” action element within a loop. This is so your gamble of hitting a governor limit is essentially decreased, as you're ready to control the times one of these data components is utilized.
On the off chance that you need to loop through and update various records, at any point, consistently create a collection variable at any point and play out your DML statement outside of the loop.
Update multiple records in Salesforce Flow or Flow Bulkification
Flow has an update records element that can update records for any object. Refreshing a single record is straightforward, and there isn't much to stress over concerning best practices.
The tricky part is updating multiple records for a specific object immediately. There are generally two different ways that users consider doing it at first:
Utilizing the update record element on various occasions in Flow.
Using a single update record element and passing every one of the records to be refreshed and created.
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The second way is generally the right way. Just ensure the number of records in Flow is not abusing the Flow records, element limits, and the amounts of updates.
I look forward to extensive test support for Flows, where Flow tests are more robust, integrated with the SFDX CLI, and where deployments to production require 75% Flow coverage.
Apart from that, Flow Orchestrator has been a nice addition. However, it's unfortunate that it’s a freemium product and will require more expenses based on usage.
Will Flow be the one Salesforce tool that rules them all?
Each time Salesforce updates its powerful automation tool – Flow – they generally tend to be colossal in each release. At Dreamforce 2021, for example, Salesforce reported that Workflow Rules and Process Builders would be resigned, and Flow would be the central definitive automation arrangement on the platform.
Salesforce has not refreshed the usefulness of other automation solutions in numerous years. Because Flow’s capability has Apex code-like usefulness, it's the most remarkable mechanization tool by a long shot.
By learning and taking on Flow, you can help your business surpass what a Salesforce admin could do previously.
This learning implies you can bring profit quicker into your business without requiring costly developers.
So, if your business is ready to go with Salesforce Flow, you’re heading in the right direction.
Spring Release Updates
Transform Element Aggregation
Introduced previously, the Spring '24 release expands this feature by enabling the aggregation of data from your source collection to count or summarize items in that collection, which can be utilized throughout your Flow.
Validate Input Menu in Flow Data Table
With the Spring '24 release, Salesforce has added input validation capabilities to the Data Table component and extended this functionality to other components like Name, Address, Lookup, and URL.
Text Templates Support Reactivity
This feature allows text templates within a Flow to react to user inputs in real time, updating as the user populates fields, enhancing dynamic interactions within Salesforce applications.
Repeater Component for Screen Flows
This new component allows users to input multiple instances of data on a single screen, streamlining the data entry process in workflows and reducing the need to navigate through multiple pages.
Data Cloud AI Predictions in Flow
The integration of AI predictions into Flow enables the use of AI models set up within Salesforce Data Cloud directly in Flow, enhancing decision-making and predictive capabilities within your workflows.
Sourabh is a Salesforce Developer at Workday. He has a deep knowledge of the Salesforce.com platform (Sales Cloud and Service Cloud), including experience in delivering complex SFDC solutions.
