Ultimate Guide: Migrate Process Builders to Flow
- Jeremy Steinbring
- Feb 23, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: May 31, 2023
Process Builder has been the go-to automation tool in Salesforce for years, but with the emergence of Flow Builder, that time is coming to an end. During Dreamforce '21 it was announced that Process Builder will enter an end-of-life retirement cycle that'll take place gradually over the next few years. So how can you prepare for this change?
Flow Builder is a tool with incredible capabilities & improved performance that puts developer-level options in the hands of non-developers. The issue, in my eyes, is the knowledge gap for admins. With limited official training on how to build Flows correctly and a lack of guidance on how to architect your automation, SaaS businesses are left to figure it out on their own. No longer!
Follow these 5 Steps for a Successful Flow Migration Project...
Step 1: Audit your Existing Automation
The most essential step is to audit & document active Process Builders/Workflow Rules living in Salesforce today. This exercise will help you visualize 3 key components:
All Active Automation by Salesforce Object
Business Use Cases & Internal Processes
Automation that can be Removed/Replaced
How to:
Use this Google Sheets template to guide you. Just make a copy and start documenting!
Step 2: Create a Blueprint
Creating your blueprint is the next step. Make believe you're an architect designing a building before the crew starts pouring the foundation. The goal is to map out the flow (pun intended 😉) of data visually before ever touching Salesforce. This serves 2 purposes:
Saves Time - When you're ready to build the Flow, you'll have a template to follow helping you save valuable time.
Creates Documentation - When you're ready to make updates or tweak your automation in the future, you'll have all the blueprints documented. (Make sure you update this flow chart when you make changes!)
How to: I recommend using one of two tools for creating flow charts: LucidChart or Draw.io
LucidChart has greater functionality and has a free trail, but eventually you'll need to pay to get the most value from it. I'm all for avoiding another monthly fee, so Draw.io is a great free alternative. Here's an example of what your documentation might look like using Draw.io:
*** Important: Skipping this step will cause problems in the future and cost time and money to fix. Sticking with our architecture example, would you want to live in a building that didn't have blueprints before it was built? ***
Step 3: Build for the Future
As you can imagine, this kind of project takes time and effort, so we want to make sure we only have to do it once. The key is thinking about what the business needs now and what the business will need in the near future. Here's a real world example:
Business Use Case:
At ABC Company, they track the annual dollar amount of an Opportunity in a custom field. Every time an Opportunity is created/updated in Salesforce, they need to update a field labeled "ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue)." They do this by looking at the Opportunity Products associated with the Opportunity and calculating the cost of each line item using a formula. Simply enough right?
Not so fast...
We know that pricing and packaging isn't set in stone and we want to account for changes in logic within the next 6-12 months.
Solution: Instead of building all of the logic on the same canvas as your Opportunity Record Triggered Flow, build the logic into a Subflow. This way, you'll have all the logic in it's own container which will make it simpler to update in the future.
Tip: Here's a great guide from Automation Champion if this is your first time creating Subflows in Salesforce: Set Your Productivity on Steroids by Creating Subflows
Step 4: Follow Best Practices
Following best practices in Flow builder is the best way to ensure a clean org and avoid ugly flow errors. It's also important for System Administrators to build using the same standards. This will help you simplify troubleshooting efforts, make changes more effectively, and save countless hours decoding what a actually flow does. Here are a few best practices you should start following today...
Naming Conventions
Set naming rules get the entire team speaking the same language. Here are a few examples:
Decision Elements: Label these elements in the form of a question. It'll help you visualize the reasoning behind the flow. Example:"Opportunity Created or Updated?"
Variables: Use "camelCase" when naming variables without spaces. The first letter of the first word in the variable is lowercase and all other words are capitalized.
Example: "varAccountOwner"
Variable Labels: What you label a variable should always start with the same prefix. It's less important that you use these specific examples and more important that your team all label them in the same way, so be creative!
Single Variable = "var" | Account Owner = varAccountOwner
Collection Variable = "col" | Account Owners = colAccountOwners
Formula = "fx" | ARR Calculation Formula = fxARRCalculation
Flow Entry Criteria
Performance is key when building flows. Skipping entry criteria will cause Salesforce to sift through more records than necessary. Adding criteria in the start element will limit the number of records processed, thus improving performance.
DML Inside Loops
Ok, this is a big pet peeve of mine and it can cause all kinds of errors in your org. When looping through multiple records avoid DML inside the loop. DML stands for "Data Manipulation Language." This is the fancy term used for changing/updating records in the Salesforce database. There are limits to the amount of changes that can be processed during a flow step, so avoid adding DML in these situations.
Ok, but how do I know if I'm using DML?
On the left toolbar in Flow builder, any of the dare I say "Salmon?" colored elements are considered DML. Avoid adding these inside a loop; you'll thank me later!
Tip: Visit The Ultimate Guide to Flow Best Practices & Standards for a complete list of best practices.
Step 5: Know your Resources
We all start from somewhere and no one expects you to get it perfect on your first try. Knowing all the answers isn't that important, but knowing where to find the answers is. I'd recommend the following resources/sites to learn and get inspiration:
When all else fails and you need a little extra help, RevOnyx has your back! 👋 Say Hello and let's discuss how to help you transition to Flow Builder for good.
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