Word is out that Workflow Rules and Process Builder are being discontinued. Lightning Flow is going to be the default automation tool going forward. Flows are part of the main reason I adore Salesforce. They offer an intuitive drag-and-drop interface which enables even rookies to add powerful features using pure config. Flows are enabling admins to give developers a run for their money. They are becoming a sought-after skill within the ecosystem as Salesforce is investing heavily in adding new features and functionality every release.
Salesforce Flow is a declarative tool that can be used to automate complex business processes. You may create custom interfaces for users or screen flows which can add tremendous value to your users. You can also trigger flows on schedule, and record changes or external events.
There are 5 main types of Salesforce flows. They can be broken down into Triggered flows and Screen flows. Screen flows display information to users, they may require users to interact and engage with artefacts on the UI. Triggered flows are automated functions which occur in the background. The trigger event fires in the background, kickstarting the business process.
1. Screen Flow
These are called using a button or an action displayed in a Lightning Page or the Utility Bar. Screen flows have to be invoked manually through a click of an action button. They cannot be automatically triggered.
2. Record Triggered Flow
These can execute actions within Salesforce without requiring user involvement. This occurs when a record is either created, updated or deleted. It is triggered by the creation or updating of records. Record-triggered flows can run before or after the triggering record is saved.
3. Autolaunched Flow
These can be called when invoked via Apex or another Flow. They perform actions automatically in the background.
4. Scheduled Triggered Flow
These can run once, daily or weekly depending on how you configure them, they run in the background. This is handy for tasks that need to be performed daily on a set of records or jobs that run frequently.
5. Platform Event-triggered Flows
These are launched when a platform event message is received. They run in the background.
If a job can be done using Flows or Apex, Salesforce recommends you go for Flows because they are easier to manage, particularly for admin’s and they don’t require test classes to be deployed to production.
Limitions.
While Flows provide advanced capabilities, they have limitations. Apex governor limits apply to them. They have to be built as efficiently as possible otherwise they can greatly compromise your org’s performance especially when working with large data sets. They are not suited for advanced integration patterns with external systems. This includes the use of platform events or Apex actions. They are not suited for bulk processing or working with large volume data sets. Apex batch processing may be more suited for such scopes. The level of UI customization is limited compared to possibilities with lightning components and Visualforce.
With Flows, you can Connect to External Data with Clicks, send email alerts, integrate with external systems, create, delete or update records etc.
Salesforce Flow is by far the most formidable tool for Salesforce administrators. It equips admins to be able to create powerful business processes using clicks and there for adding enormous value to business.
To learn more, see resources below.
Official Salesforce Documentation