Salesforce Flow: Empowering Process Automation

Introduction 

Salesforce Flow is a powerful tool that enables businesses to automate complex processes and workflows within the Salesforce ecosystem. By leveraging the intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can create automated flows that streamline operations, reduce manual tasks, and enhance overall efficiency. Whether it’s automating approvals, managing data updates, or orchestrating multi-step business processes, Salesforce Flow empowers teams to build scalable, custom solutions without needing extensive coding knowledge. This capability not only saves time and resources but also ensures consistent, error-free operations, allowing businesses to focus on what matters most—driving growth and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

What is a Flow in Salesforce?

Flow is an application inside the Salesforce that automates a business process by collecting data and performing operations in your org or an external system. Flow can fetch, delete, update and create records on multiple objects.

Flow Builder is the declarative interface used to build individual flows. Flow Builder can be used to build code-like logic without using a programming language.

Types of Flow:

Screen Flow

Requires user interaction because it includes screens, local actions, steps, choices,or dynamic choices. Screen flows don’t support Pause elements.

Autolaunched Flow with No Flow Trigger

Doesn’t require user interaction. This flow type doesn’t support screens, local actions, choices, or choice sets.

Autolaunched Flow with a Schedule Trigger

Runs only from a schedule. This flow type doesn’t support user interaction, screens,local actions, choices, or choice sets.

Autolaunched Flow with a Record Trigger

Makes before-save updates to the new or changed record that launches the flow. Only these elements are supported: Assignment, Decision, Get Records, and Loop.

User Provisioning Flow

Provisions users for third-party services. For example, use this flow type to customize the user provisioning configuration for a connected app to link Salesforce users with their Google Apps accounts.

Field Service Mobile Flow

Requires user interaction because it has one or more screens.

Field Service Embedded Flow

Requires user interaction because it has one or more screens.

Contact Request Flow

Requires user interaction because it has one or more screens.

Checkout Flow

Used in Lightning B2B Commerce to create a checkout for your store. Requires user interaction because it has one or more screens.

Below is an example of a schedule-triggered flow, pulled from a well-known Salesforce group:

When or Why should flow be used?

We need to know what automation is needed. In most cases, the type of automation is determined by evaluating where the data for the processes originates from and where it needs to go. Consider whether what you need to accomplish is best handled by a flow, workflow field update, or a process.

• The workflow field update can write data to the same record that invoked the workflow rule, or to the master record of a master-detail relationship on the record that invoked the rule. Workflow rules are not able to create, edit, or delete records.

• Flows are able to create, edit, and delete any record passed into the flow. Records do not have to be related in order to pass data in a flow. Flows can also be scheduled to run on a set interval with a collection of records.

• Processes, created in the Process Builder, can write data to the same record that invoked the process, or to records related by either lookup or master-detail relationships. Processes can also create records, but they cannot delete them.

How to create a flow in Salesforce?

To create the flow, follow these steps:

Go to Setup -> Quick Find Box -> Search for “Flows” -> Click on Flows -> Then Click New Flow

It will open below screen.

You can create any of the four flows. Here I am creating Recored triggered Flow which will

First We need to Select The Object, I Select the Lead object for reason when a lead is created then send mail to the lead owner :

Then we need to go to the elements tab > Then Select Action For Send Mail:

Then we create a new resource for add-in body and Subject:

 We select the resource type as a Text Template :

We send an email to the Lead owner when a lead is created. For that, I am creating a flow:

Then debug the flow and Skip start condition requirements:

And the mail will be sent to the Lead Owner.

Flows vs. Apex

• Apex code requires a developer and Sandbox to deploy, meaning it can only really be built in organizations using a Professional or above edition of Salesforce. Flows can be built in all editions, as a Sandbox is not required for deployment.

• Apex is not available in Essentials, and some Apex features are limited in Professional. Organizations with Enterprise and above have no Apex limitations, but flow features are not limited based on the edition.

• Apex code requires constant development and discipline to maintain. Flows require less work to keep up-to-date.

• Flows can be built by admins, while Apex code is typically built by developers only.

• Apex code is considered a tool of last resort. Flows are simpler and should be used before Apex code.

• If the logic is too complex, Apex code should be used. There is unlimited potential with Apex; flow capabilities are catching up, but they are still inferior to Apex.

• Renewal generation, OLI creation, and other pieces of automation that were traditionally built as Apex code can now be built as flows, preserving code space for projects that require Apex.

Apex code should be used in the following scenarios:

• You’re dealing with complex Salesforce automation that requires multiple steps and actions where a flow will become cumbersome.

• You need custom-built integrations with other systems (such as a connection to a SQL database that requires bi-directional syncs).

• ERP integrations are involved.

Summary 

Salesforce Flow is a powerful tool that enables businesses to automate complex processes and workflows within the Salesforce ecosystem. By leveraging the intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can create automated flows that streamline operations, reduce manual tasks, and enhance overall efficiency. Whether it’s automating approvals, managing data updates, or orchestrating multi-step business processes, Salesforce Flow empowers teams to build scalable, custom solutions without needing extensive coding knowledge. This capability not only saves time and resources but also ensures consistent, error-free operations, allowing businesses to focus on what matters most—driving growth and delivering exceptional customer experiences.