Process Builder in Salesforce

What is Process Builder in Salesforce?

Now that you have learned about Workflow and Apex Trigger, it is time for you to learn about this wonderful tool from Salesforce, Process Builder, which is actually a must-have tool for Salesforce developers.

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Salesforce Process Builder is a powerful automation tool that enables you to define the sequence of actions or evaluate criteria for a record. It offers a range of eight actions that can be associated with it:

• Creating Records: This action allows you to effortlessly generate a new record and assign specific field values to it.
• Updating Records: You can conveniently update one or multiple records that are associated with the original record triggering the process. This can be achieved either by manually entering the records or by utilizing records from a related source.
• Posting on Chatter: With Process Builder in Salesforce, you have the ability to post on Chatter, facilitating the sharing of information with other users.
• Quick Action: If you already have global actions or objects within Salesforce, then you can use Quick Action to use them in any record.
• Launching or Triggering the Flow: It is possible for you to launch the flow from your process to automate different processes.
• Submitting the Record Automatically for Approval: The record that started your process can be submitted. Any other record cannot be automatically submitted.
• Calling or Triggering Apex Code: You can invoke an Apex code that you have already written in Salesforce.
• Invoking Another Process: This action will actually invoke another process.

Process Builder supports three types of processes for automation in Salesforce. These types determine what will trigger the process:

• A change in a record starts whenever the record is updated or created.
• An event process starts whenever an event message is received.
• An invocable process starts whenever another process requests it.

Each of the above-mentioned processes consists of:

• Components of a Process
• Trigger in Process Builder
• Criteria in Process Builder
• Actions in Process Builder
• Process Types

There are three major components of the process. The components include a trigger, a minimum of one criterion node, and at least one action. These components are described in detail below:

With the help of the trigger, you can identify when the process should start running. Basically, the trigger helps determine which objects and changes the process should pay attention to. The following are the changes that the process can pay attention to:

• Only at the creation of a record
• When a record is created or edited

Criteria help in determining whether or not the actions should be executed. When a process receives one trigger, multiple criteria nodes can be added. Each criteria node monitors and controls whether or not the associated actions will be executed by the process. The process skips the associated actions if the record does not meet the criteria and moves on to the next criteria node in the process. On the contrary, if the record meets the criteria, the associated action is executed.

Each criteria allows you to do the following:

• Set filter conditions.
• Give a customized formula. For example, in the case of validation rules, the formula must arrive at the result of true or false.
• Always execute the associated actions repeatedly by opting out of the criteria in the process.

Also, check out the blog on order of execution in Salesforce.

Actions determine what the process should do. When a criteria node evaluates to true, the process executes the associated actions or waits to execute them at a scheduled time.

• As soon as the criteria are evaluated as true, the action is immediately executed.
• There is a specified time when each scheduled action is executed. For example, eight days before the date of record closure or two days from now. When this specified date arrives, Salesforce ensures that the associated criteria node still evaluates to true. If so, the scheduled action is executed. Schedule actions can be based on either of the following:
  • The particular or specified date or time field on the record indicates when the process was started.
  • Duration or time for which the process ran.

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There are different process types that a Process Builder can automate. Some of the important process types are mentioned below:

• Record Change:  A process builder starts the process when a record is created or edited.
• Invocable:  The process is started by Process Builder when it is called by another process.
• Platform Event: The process starts when a platform event message is received.

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Process Builder is used for automating your business processes without writing even a single line of code. It uses user-friendly visual representations to make it easier for you to work.

The following are a few key benefits of using Salesforce Process Builder:

• The visual breakdown provided by the process builder enables you to know, at a glance, what exactly you need to expect in every process.
• With Process Builder, applications are developed three times faster and at half the cost.
• Process Builder can combine multiple workflows into a single process and can have a chain of criteria or if-then statements.
• Child records can be updated in Process Builder.
• Both chatter groups and email alerts can be notified using Process Builder.
• Multiple actions can be associated with each criterion in Process Builder.
• Apex code and simple tasks can be accessed and replaced by Process Builder.

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Creating a Process Builder is fun and easy. Here, you will learn how to create one in just a few minutes.

For practice, you will be taking a scenario in which you need to create an order record when the opportunity is Closed Won and the amount is US$5 million.

So, let us start!

• Step 1: When you log in to your Salesforce account, go to Setup and search for Process Builder.

• Step 2: You will now see the following page: Click on New to create a new Process Builder.

• Step 3: In this step, you will need to give your process name and description and decide how to start your process. For this, you will get three options, as shown in the image below. In this example, you will enter the process name as a demo and give it a description as Actions of process builder. Now, from the drop-down menu, select A record changes. After that hit Save. Here, the fun part starts, so hold on.

• Step 4: Alright, so what you see in the below image is what was being talked about in the previous step. Now, this is the basic structure of what a Process Builder in Salesforce looks like

• Step 5: In the flow diagram, you will see Add Object. Click on it, and you will see a form on the right-hand side. Select the object name as Opportunity and the option to start the process when a record is created or edited (you can choose any according to your preference), and then click on Save.

• Step 6: Now, select Add Criteria. In Criteria Name, enter Stage=Closed Won? And Amount>5M. This is just for reference purposes so that you know the particular criteria you are checking. Next, choose Criteria for Executing Actions as Conditions are met. So, now you need to set the conditions. For that, you have to add a field.

• Step 7: Here, you will select the field as opportunity > Stage (again, you can choose any) and click on Choose

• Step 8: Next, you will need to add an Operator. Here, consider these as Equals. So, if a criterion is equal to the record, the action will occur. In the Type dropbox, choose Picklist, and in the value dropbox, select Closed Won.

• Step 9: After that, you have to add another row and perform similar actions as shown in the image below. Once you are done, click on Save.

Also, check out the blog on Record types in Salesforce.

Salesforce Process Builder is a powerful tool that can be used to automate business processes. It is an important part of the entire Salesforce automation bundle. In this blog, you have learned the meaning of Salesforce Process Builder, the reasons to use it, steps to create a Process Builder in Salesforce, etc.

Check out our tutorial on Salesforce to learn more!