
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.
When a Salesforce Flow or Process Builder automation updates a field on a record, the Field History Tracking log and the Last Modified By field on the record show the name of the user who triggered the automation — not a system user or the automation itself.
This can be surprising when the field change was made entirely by automated logic, not directly by the user.
Example scenario: A user named Bob edits an Account record and saves it. This triggers a Flow that automatically updates the Account's Type field (either as an immediate action or a time-based action). Field History shows that the Type field was updated by Bob, because Bob's action caused the Flow to run.
This is working as designed.
Process and Flow rules perform actions 'As' the user that caused them to run. When a Record is edited by a Flow rule field update, the User recorded in the Activity History and Last Modified By Field of the Record is the User who triggered a Flow or a Process as long as they are still an Active User.
In the event of a Process or Flow Rule Time Trigger updating the Record after the triggering User has become inactive, the record will display the Default Workflow User as the User who edited the record.
Example:
'User Bob' edits an Account and saves it. A Flow rule triggers. That Flow updated the Account 'Type' (either as an immediate action or a time-based action).
Expected Result: Field History shows 'Type' was updated by 'User Bob', because that is the user who caused the Process/Flow to run and update 'Type' field.
Review the field "Default Workflow User" in the Process Automation Settings as noted here:
Classic: Setup | Create | Workflow & Approvals | Process Automation Settings
Lightning: Gear Icon | Setup | Process Automation | Process Automation Settings
In the event of a Process/Flow Rule Time Trigger updating the Record after the triggering User has become inactive, the record will display the Default Workflow User as the User who edited the record.
000382524