Process Builder is the visual automation tool that replaced Workflow Rules — and is itself being retired in favor of Flow Builder. New orgs don't allow new Process Builder processes; existing ones still run but should be migrated to Flow.
- Open Setup → Process Builder
Setup → Quick Find: Process Builder. In newer orgs the New button may be disabled.
- Click New (where available)
If the New button is gone, you must use Flow Builder. Run Setup → Migrate to Flow to convert existing processes.
- Set Process Name, API Name, Description
Naming convention: "<Object> - <what it does>".
- Pick the object the process starts on
Or pick "It's invoked by another process" / "A platform event occurs."
- Configure Start When
A record is created / created or edited. "Edited" fires on every edit unless you scope criteria; "Created" fires once at insert.
- Add Criteria nodes and Action Groups
Each criteria node is a branch. Actions: Create Record / Update Records / Submit for Approval / Apex / Email Alert / Post to Chatter.
- Save → Activate
A process must be activated to run. Only one version of a process is active at a time.
A record changes / Platform Event / invoked by another process.
Conditions are met / Formula evaluates to true / No criteria (always fire).
Create / Update / Submit for Approval / Apex / Email Alert / Post to Chatter / Quick Actions / Quip / Send Custom Notification.
You can save many versions of a process. Only one is active at a time. Activating a new version replaces the running version.
- Process Builder is being retired. Don't build new processes — use Flow Builder (record-triggered flows replace most Process Builder use cases).
- Process Builder DML is after-save, which means each Update action triggers another save — easy to hit Governor Limits or recursive flows on related objects. Flow before-save is faster and safer for same-record updates.
- Multiple processes on the same object run in alphabetical order by API name. There's no run-order setting — rename to control sequence, or migrate to Flow where Run Order is explicit.