Flow
Why Flow Design Matters in Salesforce
Picture this: a flow in your Salesforce org, ticking away for years. It triggers when the Opportunity stage changes. It populates start and end dates. This is much like Opportunity History. Yet, it is easier to access for external systems.
I hadn’t touched this flow in years. My philosophy was, “Never change a running system.” But as our Sales process changed, this flow was one of the many components needing an update.
The Problem with the Old Flow
This was a fast field update flow. However, it had one glaring issue. There were way too many pink elements (you know, those “Update Records” ones). It worked, sure, but it was messy and hard to follow. Every update required wading through a swamp of elements, making it a pain for anyone to troubleshoot or change.
Starting Fresh: A Design Approach
Before diving into Flow Builder, I grabbed a pen and paper. Yes, old school! I sketched out ideas to streamline the flow, reduce decision elements, and make it easier to understand at a glance. The goal? Less complexity, more clarity.
Here’s what I ended up with:
- No More Pink Elements: All updates are handled with Assignments.
- Simplified Decisions: One Decision element evaluates stages sequentially, with a second check for closed stages.
- Smarter Logic: Validation rules take care, that Users do not jump Opportunity stages. Our new flow triggers on changes between stages without considering stages being bypassed. For one specific Opportunity type, additional checks make sure dates are assigned correctly. We also have a second decision element on closed Opportunities evaluating the previous stage.
The Results: A Faster, Cleaner Flow
The revamped flow isn’t just easier to read and maintain; it’s also faster. The old flow clocked in at 0.78 seconds, while the new one completes its job in 0.65 seconds. It might not seem significant. However, when you’ve got hundreds of flows running in your org, those milliseconds add up.
Lessons Learned
- Don’t Fear the Redesign: Just because something works doesn’t mean it’s optimal. Take the time to revisit and rethink old flows.
- Keep It Simple: Use Assignments and Decisions wisely. Avoid cluttering your flow with unnecessary elements.
- Measure the Impact: Even small performance improvements can have a big cumulative effect in a busy org.
Flow design is more than just a technical exercise; it’s an art. A well-designed flow saves time, reduces errors, and makes life easier for everyone in your org. So, the next time you’re tempted to leave that “running system” untouched, ask yourself: could it run better? Chances are, the answer is yes.
What’s your experience with cleaning up old flows? Share your stories and tips in the comments!