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Build a Flow
After you model the process that you want to automate, design and build the flow in Flow Builder.
Required Editions
| View supported editions. |
| User Permissions Needed | |
|---|---|
| To open, edit, create, activate or deactivate a flow using all flow types, elements, and features available in Flow Builder, including Einstein and Agentforce for Flow: | Manage Flow |
Tip Before you start creating your flow, plan it out. It's easier to use
a flow to automate a business process when you understand all the details.
If you're new to Flow Builder or process automation, take a quick tour of the interface, and then check out our trails! They're a great way to learn about these powerful tools and discover how they work. You can also have Generative AI help you get started with a flow by using AI for Flow.
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Open the Flows list view.
- From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Flows, and then select Flows.
- From the Automation app, select the Flows tab.
- From the Flows tab in any Lightning app, click the actions menu and select Open Flow.
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Create the type of flow that you want to use.
- From the Automation app, click New, then click the category, and then the flow type. For example, to create a record-triggered flow, click Triggered | Record-Triggered Flow.
- From Setup, click New Flow, then click the category, and then the flow type. For example, to create a screen flow, click Screens | Screen Flow..
- Add the elements that you want to use to the canvas.
- If building in free-form, connect the elements to determine their order of execution. If building in auto-layout, connectors are automatically created on the canvas for you.
- Save your flow.
After you build a flow, make sure that it's working as you expect it to by testing it. Then activate the flow. You're now ready to distribute the flow to users.
- Drafting Flows with AI
Save time by describing what you want to automate and letting AI draft a flow and get you started with your automation. - Add and Edit Elements
Use elements to define actions that the flow can execute. When they’re on the canvas, connect them to create an order of execution. - Define Conditions in a Decision or Wait Element
Control when a flow takes a specific decision outcome or waits for a specific resume event. - Creating Flow Formulas
Flow formulas help make your flows more dynamic by performing calculations, manipulating data, and making decisions based on field or variable values. Formulas can facilitate conditional logic, taking the flow down different paths based on criteria - Save a Draft of Your Flow as You Build
You can interact with your flow while an element is open and access the toolbar while editing that element. And you don't need to finish configuring an element before saving your flow. - Move and Connect Elements to Change a Flow Route
Identify which elements the flow executes and in what order by connecting the elements on your canvas together. To change the order of execution, move elements and add or remove connectors. - Customize What Happens When a Flow Fails
If your flow contains an element that interacts with the Salesforce database—such as an Update Records element or a Submit for Approval core action—it can fail. Modify the default behavior by adding fault paths to all elements that can fail. - Working with Data in a Flow
The real power of a flow is that it can automate updates to your data, whether the data lives inside your Salesforce org or in an external database. In a flow, you can look up values from records, connect to external systems, create records, update records, delete records—the whole shebang! - Start an Automation When a Record Is Created or Changed
Record-triggered flows automatically run when someone creates, updates, or deletes a record in Salesforce. Think of them as helpful assistants that work behind the scenes to automate tasks, check data, and keep your records up to date—without you doing anything. - Sending Emails from a Flow
Send emails to your customers, partners, and employees automatically in a flow. There are several different ways to send an email from a flow depending on who you want to send your email to and how you want your email content to look. Determine the best way to send your email based on the functionality that you need. - Use Screen Flows to Interact with Users
Use screen flows to build online forms that collect or display information for internal and external users. Screen components enable you to gather user input or show data, such as using an Address component to collect street, city, state, and zip information. Create records such as contacts or leads from the collected data. - Update Records and Send Reminders on a Schedule Example
This example creates schedule-triggered flows that automatically update records and send notifications to contacts based on your business schedule. Use flows to replace manual processes, such as spreadsheet tracking, with automated workflows that check record status, send timely reminders, and update data when conditions are met. This method maintains data accuracy and timely customer communication while reducing manual work. - Send a Custom Notification with a Flow
Create a flow that sends a custom notification to users when a specific event occurs. Custom notifications appear in the notification bell and can be delivered to the Salesforce desktop or mobile app. - Connecting with External Systems and Data
With a Get Records element, you can easily look up your Salesforce data in a flow. But what if you need data that lives outside of Salesforce? Connect your flow to external systems using built-in Salesforce features such as MuleSoft for Flow: Integration connectors, HTTP callout actions, API Catalog, or by using MuleSoft RPA processes as external services. To extract data from documents, use MuleSoft for Flow: IDP - Automate Data Delivery with Activation-Triggered Flows
Connect Data 360 activations to external systems automatically using MuleSoft for Flow Integration connectors or an HTTP callout action. - Build Automation Event-Triggered Flows
Configure triggers to process records when events occur in integrated applications. - Create a Broadcast Flow
Use broadcast flows with dynamic segments to quickly reach large, targeted audiences. For example, notify affected customers about flight delays or reservation changes. - Create a Segment-Triggered Flow
Create a segment-triggered flow that runs on a schedule and sends messages to a segment of people. - Give Users Access to Trigger On-Demand Flows
Before triggering on-demand flows, give the triggering user access to the flow. - Use Flows with Slack
Build a screen flow that’s designed to run in a Slack conversation or direct message group. Use another flow, a Slack shortcut, a slash command, or a button in a Slack view to run a flow from Slack. - Extend Your Flow-Building Options
Sometimes your flow must do more than what Flow Builder provides out of the box. You can extend flows by calling Apex classes or adding Lightning components.
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