Migrate to Flow
Migrate to Flow is the Salesforce-supplied tool that converts legacy Workflow Rules and Process Builder processes into modern record-triggered flows in Flow Builder.
Definition
Migrate to Flow is the Salesforce-supplied tool that converts legacy Workflow Rules and Process Builder processes into modern record-triggered flows in Flow Builder. Salesforce announced the retirement of Workflow Rules in 2026 and the gradual deprecation of Process Builder; Migrate to Flow is the migration assistant that makes the transition feasible at scale. The tool reads the source automation, generates an equivalent flow, and lets the admin review and adjust before activating. Migration is one-way: once the flow is active and the legacy rule is deactivated, the migration is complete.
The tool sits under Setup, Migrate to Flow. It handles the most common migration cases automatically: simple Field Update actions become Update Records elements; Email Alerts become Send Email Alert actions; Tasks become Create Records elements; the rule criteria becomes the flow''s entry condition. Complex cases (custom formula logic, cross-object updates) may not translate perfectly and need manual cleanup. The tool is essential infrastructure for the Workflow Rules sunset; orgs that ignore it face manual migration of every legacy rule.
How Migrate to Flow handles the Workflow Rules sunset
The Workflow Rules retirement
Salesforce announced Workflow Rules end-of-life in 2026. Existing rules continue functioning, but new ones cannot be created in Summer 25 and later; Salesforce will eventually remove them entirely. Migrate to Flow is the tool that converts existing rules to modern record-triggered flows, which are the supported replacement.
Process Builder deprecation
Process Builder is on a similar but slower deprecation path. Salesforce has signaled the deprecation but has not set a firm end-of-life date. Migrate to Flow supports Process Builder conversion alongside Workflow Rules; orgs running heavy Process Builder automation should plan their migration alongside the Workflow Rules sunset.
The migration workflow
Setup, Migrate to Flow lists every Workflow Rule and Process Builder process in the org. Admins pick a rule, click Migrate to Flow, and the tool generates an equivalent record-triggered flow. The generated flow appears in Flow Builder for review; admins inspect the logic, make any needed adjustments, and activate. Deactivate the original rule once the new flow is verified.
Automatic conversions
The tool converts the most common patterns automatically. Field Update becomes Update Records; Email Alert becomes Send Email Alert action; Task creation becomes Create Records on Task; Outbound Message becomes Action element. Rule criteria becomes flow entry condition. Time-dependent actions become scheduled paths.
Manual-cleanup cases
Some patterns do not translate perfectly. Complex formulas with nested IF logic may need flattening. Cross-object Field Updates may need additional flow elements. Workflow Rules referencing custom-built Process Builder processes may need careful sequencing. Plan a review pass after every automatic migration.
Testing the migrated flow
The generated flow is structurally similar to the original rule but not identical. Test the flow against representative records: create or update records that meet the rule criteria, verify the flow produces the expected outcome. Common bugs are subtle: wrong target field on an Update Records, missed Recursion guard, missing entry condition refinement.
Coordinated cutover
Activating the new flow while the original Workflow Rule is still active produces double-execution: both fire on the same DML event, leading to duplicate emails or doubled field updates. Always deactivate the original rule at the moment of flow activation; coordinate the change in one deployment.
Migrate Workflow Rules to Flow
The migration is mandatory for any org with active Workflow Rules. Plan a multi-quarter project: inventory, migrate, test, cut over.
- Inventory existing Workflow Rules
Setup, Workflow Rules. List every active rule, the object it''s on, and the actions it fires.
- Open Migrate to Flow
Setup, Quick Find, Migrate to Flow. The tool shows every Workflow Rule and Process Builder process available for migration.
- Migrate one rule at a time
Pick a rule, click Migrate to Flow. The tool generates the equivalent flow. Open the flow in Flow Builder for review.
- Review and adjust the generated flow
Inspect the entry conditions, elements, and connections. Adjust for any patterns that did not translate perfectly. Add error handling.
- Test in sandbox
Activate the flow in sandbox. Create and update records meeting the original rule criteria. Verify the flow produces the expected outcome.
- Coordinate cutover in production
Deactivate the original Workflow Rule at the same moment you activate the new flow. Use Change Sets or DevOps Center to ship the change atomically.
- Double-execution is the most common migration bug. The new flow and the legacy rule both fire on the same DML, doubling actions.
- Complex formulas may not translate cleanly. Plan a review pass after every automatic migration.
- Time-dependent Workflow Rule actions become scheduled paths in the flow. The semantics are similar but not identical.
- Workflow Rules retired in 2026. Migrations cannot wait; plan the work over multiple quarters.
Trust & references
Cross-checked against the following references.
- Migrate to FlowSalesforce Help
- Flow BuilderSalesforce Help
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on Migrate to Flow.
- Workflow RulesSalesforce Help
About the Author
Dipojjal Chakrabarti is a B2C Solution Architect with 29 Salesforce certifications and over 13 years in the Salesforce ecosystem. He runs salesforcedictionary.com to help admins, developers, architects, and cert/interview candidates sharpen their fundamentals. More about Dipojjal.
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