You are here:
A background step launches an active autolaunched flow and has no user interaction. You can control when a background step is ready to start. Use background steps to carry out actions that are related to an approval submission but aren’t part of an approval work item. For example, use a background step to update records or trigger other notifications related to the approval.
| View supported editions for Flow Approval Processes. |
Each background step references an active autolaunched flow. When the orchestration run associated with the parent approval submission runs, it automatically determines whether the step’s flow runs synchronously or asynchronously.
A running flow approval process runs a background step asynchronously when the step’s underlying flow contains 1 or more Subflow or Wait elements. How a background step with one or more Action elements runs depends on the associated flow approval process's API version.
For flow approval processes running in API version 68.0 and later, a background step with a flow containing synchronous actions runs synchronously. A background step with a flow containing asynchronous actions runs asynchronously.
For flow approval processes running in API version 67.0 and earlier, any background step with a flow containing an Action element runs asynchronously.
When a background step’s flow runs synchronously, the orchestration run associated with the parent approval submission immediately resumes when the flow is completed.
When a background step’s flow runs asynchronously, the step publishes a Flow Orchestration Event platform event. When the running flow approval process receives the event, it evaluates the current stage and each of its Not Started or In Progress steps.
To control when a background step starts, select a condition.
| Step Condition | Requires |
|---|---|
| When the stage starts, the step starts | — |
| When another step is marked Completed, the step starts | The name of the step that must be completed before the step can start |
| When the specified requirements are met, the step starts | Up to 10 requirements that determine whether the step can start |
| When the specified evaluation flow returns True, the step starts | The name of the active evaluation flow that determines whether the step can start |
By default, an active autolaunched flow called by a background step runs in the context of the automated process user. To specify a different user's context, use the Select Who to Run the Action As section in the background step's Properties panel. To control the system context’s record-level access, use the How to Run the Flow advanced option of the autolaunched flow referenced by the step.
We use three kinds of cookies on our websites: required, functional, and advertising. You can choose whether functional and advertising cookies apply. Click on the different cookie categories to find out more about each category and to change the default settings.
Privacy Statement
Required cookies are necessary for basic website functionality. Some examples include: session cookies needed to transmit the website, authentication cookies, and security cookies.
Functional cookies enhance functions, performance, and services on the website. Some examples include: cookies used to analyze site traffic, cookies used for market research, and cookies used to display advertising that is not directed to a particular individual.
Advertising cookies track activity across websites in order to understand a viewer’s interests, and direct them specific marketing. Some examples include: cookies used for remarketing, or interest-based advertising.