Maintaining legacy Field Updates is the realistic task today, since new automation should go in Flow. The steps below cover both updating an existing Field Update and the recommended migration path.
- Locate the Field Update
Setup > Workflow Actions > Field Updates. The list shows every Field Update in the org with its name, target object, and target field.
- Audit the calling Workflow Rule
From the Field Update detail page, see which Workflow Rules reference it. Confirm the rule conditions and the rule's evaluation criteria before editing the update.
- Edit the value or formula
Click Edit on the Field Update. Update the literal value, formula, or blank option. Save.
- Re-evaluate the impact
Test in a sandbox: update a record matching the rule and confirm the field updates as expected. Check for cascading rule evaluations.
- Document in change log
Record the change in the team's change log or release notes. Workflow Field Updates are easy to lose track of; documentation is the primary defense against orphan automation.
- Plan migration to Flow
Add the Workflow Rule and its Field Updates to your Flow migration backlog. The Migrate to Flow tool gives a starting point; refactor in Flow Builder for maintainability.
- Deprecate the Workflow
After the Flow is deployed and tested, deactivate the Workflow Rule rather than deleting. Deactivation preserves history; deletion removes the audit trail.
Set the field to a constant value (Status = Closed). The simplest update type.
Evaluate a formula at runtime. Can reference fields on the record and related records through dot notation.
Clear the field. Useful for resetting state fields when conditions change.
Causes other rules to re-evaluate after the update. Default on; source of cascading behavior.
Field Update can fire immediately on save or as part of a time-dependent action scheduled minutes/hours later.
- Workflow is deprecated. Adding new Field Updates rather than migrating to Flow accumulates technical debt that gets harder to migrate over time.
- Field Updates bypass field-level security. Users without FLS see the field change without being able to read or write it; explain this clearly to support teams.
- Cascading rule re-evaluation can create infinite loops. Salesforce caps recursive depth but the symptom is mysterious save slowness or CPU-limit errors.
- Migrate to Flow tool produces verbose output that is often less maintainable than a hand-built Flow. Use it as a starting point, not a final artifact.
- Deactivating a Workflow Rule preserves history; deleting removes the audit trail. Default to deactivation when migrating to Flow.