From its first days of coexistence with tools like Process Builders and Workflows, Flow Builder is the most well-liked product in the Salesforce universe. Thanks to its powerful and unique features, Salesforce Flows enjoys excellent popularity and generates outstanding outcomes in significant businesses that have embraced it.
I - « Farewell, Workflows and Process Builders. And Welcome, Flows! »
Salesforce is following a several-year-old trend of developing applications on a single platform with little to no coding. They recommended moving from Workflow Rules and Process Builder to Flow Builder as soon as possible. Indeed, Process Builder and Workflow Rules are no longer updated since June 2020.
The advice on choosing an automation solution has likely recently been revised if you've been paying careful attention to the support documentation on Salesforce Help or Trailhead. You'll get the following message after you check " Automate Your Business Processes with Salesforce Flow" on Trailhead: "For all behind-the-scenes automation needs, we recommend using Flow Builder. Use Process Builder only if you are already familiar with its use and need to modify an existing process. To create a new automated process, use Flow Builder instead."
Here are the several retirement milestones planned:
Spring '22 release: migration tool launch for workflow rules.
Summer '22 release: migration tool for Process Builder.
Winter '23 release: you will no longer be able to create new process generators or workflow rules.
Salesforce intends to offer migration help for consultants and administrators.
Transitioning your current processes to Flow won't be easy because Workflow Rules and Process Builder have been around for a long time. Additionally, many administrators and consultants may need to upgrade their abilities as they might not yet feel completely at ease using Flow.
II - Big picture of a Salesforce Flows
You may use Lightning Flows (also known simply as Flows) to automate tedious business procedures and data entry. It enables you to operate more efficiently rather than more painstakingly, saving your users' time and ensuring that necessary activities are completed.
Flow Builder is the declarative interface used to create individual flows in Salesforce. Without any prior understanding of programming languages, it may be used to develop code-like logic.
Flows in Salesforce can be implemented in two ways:
1 - Screen flow.
2 - Automatically launched flow.
In most circumstances, analysing where the data for the processes starts and where it should go may be utilised to identify what kind of automation to employ for a specific process.
Any record that has been sent into the flow can be created, modified, or deleted. Therefore, it is not necessary to link records in order to send data in a flow. In addition, flows containing a large number of records may be scheduled to run at specific intervals.
How do we create flows in Salesforce?
Below are the steps to create a flow:
1 - Open Flow Builder: In Setup, type "Flow" in the Quick Search box.
2 - Select Flow.
3 - Then click New Flow.
4 - Select the flow type and click Create.
5 - Drag the elements you want to use onto the canvas. Each item represents an action that the stream can perform. Examples of such actions include reading or writing Salesforce data, displaying information and collecting data from flow users, performing business logic, or manipulating data.
6 - Connect the elements in the same order that they are executed at runtime.
7 - Save your flow.
As soon as you have completed developing a flow, test it properly to ensure that it performs as you had expected. Next, turn on the feed. You are then prepared to share the feed with others.
Another piece of advice; depending on who the flow is intended for, it can be executed in various ways. For example, a flow can be used by internal users, external users, systems, or another salesforce organisation.
Feel free to get more details about it in the Salesforce Flow in the official Salesforce Documentation.
III - What additional benefits do professionals have?
Automation helps businesses replace laborious manual processes to enhance productivity and offer better customer experiences at scale in today's uncertain economic environment (inflation, supply chain interruptions, and labour shortages).
The figures speak for themselves:
77% of professionals believe that these technologies have provided them enough time to build closer relationships with clients and other stakeholders.
"Our customers are saving 109 billion hours per month by automating manual processes with Salesforce Flow." said Patrick Stockes, EVP and GM of Salesforce Platform.
Salesforce has carried out 1.3 trillion automation, sparing its consumers 1.3 trillion manual operations (writing emails, setting up notifications, etc.).
Salesforce Flows is growing more popular day by day. In response to this phenomenon, Tim Combrige, the author of the ‘Ultimate Salesforce Flow Foundation Course’, and other experts have produced constant, high-quality content about flows. One of the up-to-date materials that Tim provides is "The Complete Guide to Salesforce Flow in 2022," which is a piece worth reading if you want to learn more about this powerful tool.
If you want our assistance in understanding Salesforce Flows, don’t hesitate to reach out to Aziz Benizy, Waeg’s Senior Business Analyst - he’ll gladly answer any questions you might have.
Aziz Benizy, Senior Business Analyst
