The presentation by Kelly Hardebeck discusses various process automation tools in Salesforce, including workflow, approval processes, process builder, and visual workflow. It emphasizes the importance of drafting flows, using meaningful names and descriptions, and handling errors gracefully to enhance user interaction and maintainability. Additionally, it contains a safe harbor statement regarding the forward-looking nature of the content presented.

1. Know how to flow
​ Kelly Hardebeck
​ Director of Professional Services
​ Cloud for Good
​ @kellyhardebeck
​

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Safe Harbor

3. Kelly Hardebeck
Director of Professional Services, Cloud for Good

4. o How to KNOW if FLOW is the right process automation tool for the job
o Tips to help you build flows, maintain them and fix them when things go awry.
What you’ll get out of this talk

5. ​ There are 4 different process automation tools in Salesforce that Admins can use. What are they?
1. Workflow – can update fields on a record or its parent, create a task or send an email
2. Approval Processes – specifically designed around record approvals
3. Process Builder – can update fields on any related record, create records, send email, submit
for approval
4. Visual Workflow – can update fields on any records, create records, delete records, and more
Surprise Quiz!

6. 1. Do you need input from a user?
Does the user need to enter information or choose from a list before the automation can run
properly?
2. Do records need to be deleted?
3. Is the logic complex?
Visual Workflow has two features that are unique among Salesforce automation features:
1. Visual Workflow supports user interaction
2. Visual Workflow supports deleting records
Questions to ask yourself
Is Visual Workflow right for this task?

7. 1. The user needs to click a button or a link to begin the automation.
2. Updates need to happen on fields from any record.
3. More than if/then statements are needed in the automation.
Before you decide if flow is right for you, check out this handy guide on the Salesforce Developers
site.
Flow should be your tool of choice if…

8. 1. Draft the flow using the Step tool. Steps are not a waste of time. They can be converted to
screens with one click. Really.
2. Add descriptions. No excuses. Click the “Add Description” link. Your future self will thank you.
3. Use meaningful names for decision outcomes.
4. Fault everything. Create a generic error screen
5. Pretty it up! Use formatted text and full sentences

9. ​ Before you dive right in to making a flow, use the draft tools to design the logic and the screens.
Measure twice, cut once
Map out the process

10. What? Step elements are a waste of time?
You can go from step to screen with this
magic button.

11. Use the description field
Help your future self
Comic courtesy of xkcd.com
The description field is the best place to explain what each screen, decision, assignment, etc.
is for. It’s really important that you click the Add Description link and type out what each flow
element is for.

12. 1. When naming variables and constants, add the data type to the name so StudentName
becomes txtStudentName. This helps to distinguish it from other similarly named resources
and helps when mapping them in Record Create or Record Lookup operations.
2. Decisions ask a question (“Is product Y included in the order?”). Use that question as the
name for the Decision Element.
1. Give each Decision Outcome a meaningful name. (e.g., Product Y is not included)
Names are important

13. Data operations like Record Create or Fast Lookup can throw an error if they encounter an
unexpected situation and will display a generic unhandled fault error. Instead, create a single
screen to display any error messages and let the user know to contact you, the Salesforce
Administrator, with the info.
Use fault screens
Recover gracefully from errors

14. Fault Connectors
Recover gracefully

15. ​ You don’t have to live with black 12 pt Arial for all your flows. Flow supports formatted text.
Use formatting, validation and required fields
Make it pretty and encourage good behavior

16. Required and Validation
Encourage good behavior

17. Time to test
For testing purposes, give your variables
default values to simulate user actions.

18. Create a window into the flow
Use a screen element to show you the state of your flow during development and testing. Add all the
relevant variables and values entered by the user to help expose any issues with the flow.

19. You should now be ready to:
1. Decide if Visual Workflow is the right automation tool for the job
2. Draft your flow using Step elements
3. Convert Steps to Screens with meaningful names and descriptions
4. Fault all the things!
5. Make it all pretty and enforce quality data entry
6. Test things by using default values
7. Use screens to help debug
To recap…

20. Hopefully now you’ll know how to…

21. Thank you