Salesforce DictionarySalesforce DictionaryLegacy automation vs modern automation
A Workflow Rule is a legacy Salesforce automation that triggered automatic actions when a record met specified criteria — field updates, email alerts, outbound messages, and tasks. Salesforce ended Workflow Rules creation in Winter '23 and retired the feature entirely on December 31, 2025; existing rules stopped executing after that date. Flow is the official successor, and Salesforce provides a Migrate-to-Flow tool to convert remaining Workflow Rules.
Flow is Salesforce's declarative automation tool that lets administrators and developers build complex business processes using a visual, drag-and-drop interface. Flows can collect user input via screens, create and update records, call Apex code, send emails, and make decisions based on data, all without writing code.
| 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