Salesforce DictionarySalesforce DictionarySalesforce DictionarySalesforce DictionaryLegacy automation vs modern automation
A workflow rule is a Salesforce automation tool that fires one or more actions (field update, email alert, task creation, or outbound message) when a record meets defined criteria on create or edit. It was the platform's first declarative automation framework and ran most no-code business logic from 2007 until Process Builder and Flow took over in the late 2010s. Workflow rules still exist in most established orgs, but Salesforce stopped allowing new ones in late 2022 and is steering all customers toward Flow. A workflow rule has three pieces: an evaluation criterion (when to consider the rule), a rule criterion (which records qualify), and a list of actions to fire. The actions can run immediately when the rule fires, or be time-dependent and queued for the future. Workflow rules are still active and supported on records, but as of Winter '23 you can no longer create new ones in Setup; you can only edit existing rules. Most modernization projects either leave the rules in place or migrate them to Flow as part of broader automation consolidation work.
Flow is the current Salesforce declarative automation framework, used to build everything from screen-based wizards that guide users through data entry to background processes that fire on record save, scheduled time intervals, or external events. Salesforce introduced Flow in 2012, expanded it through the late 2010s, and made it the strategic automation tool when announcing the deprecation of workflow rules and Process Builder. As of 2026, Flow is the only automation framework where Salesforce accepts net-new declarative builds in production orgs. A flow is a sequence of elements (Decision, Assignment, Get Records, Create Records, Loop, Screen, Subflow, Call Apex, and several dozen others) connected on a visual canvas. Each flow has a trigger that defines when it runs: a record save, a user clicking a button, a scheduled time, an inbound platform event, or another flow. Flows handle bulk DML, governor limits, and complex branching that the older frameworks struggled with, and they expose every Apex-callable surface to declarative authors. Flow is now the centerpiece of any automation roadmap, and proficiency with it is a baseline expectation for Salesforce administrators and developers alike.
| Dimension | Workflow Rule | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Builder | Simple if/then rule with actions | Visual drag-and-drop Flow Builder |
| Complexity | Single criteria, limited actions | Multi-step branching, loops, sub-flows |
| Triggers | Record changes only | Record changes, schedules, screens, platform events |
| DML Operations | Field updates, emails, tasks, outbound messages | Full CRUD on any object |
| Future | No longer enhanced by Salesforce | Actively developed every release |
Legacy orgs with simple field updates and email alerts already in place.
All new automation - Salesforce's recommended tool going forward.
Other side-by-side breakdowns you might find useful