Flows

Automate work with a visual workflow: a trigger starts it, conditions branch it, and actions change records, call code or send web requests.

A flow is a small workflow you draw on a canvas. Something happens — a record changes, the clock hits a time, a calendar event is about to start, or you press Run — and the flow does the work you laid out: update a record, create one, call a web service, run your own code.

Flows overview with run tiles, a runs-per-day chart and failing flows

What you can do

  • Build a flow on the canvas from triggers, conditions and actions. Build a flow
  • Choose what starts it: a record change, a schedule (UTC), a manual Run, or a calendar event. Triggers
  • Look up every block and its settings. Blocks reference
  • Branch and loop with conditions, filters, summaries and For each. Conditions and lists
  • Pass data between blocks with the Insert value menu. Insert values
  • Start from a template or describe the flow in words and let AI draft it. Templates and AI drafting
  • See what happened: run history, per-block detail and the overview dashboard. Runs and overview
  • Understand whose permissions a flow uses. Who a flow runs as

Before you start

  • Who can use it: the Automations app on the Roles page. Can view shows flows and their run history. Can run adds the Run button. Full control builds, edits and deletes flows.
  • Flows is a core app. It cannot be switched off in Settings → Apps.
  • A flow acts with the permissions of the person who last changed it, so give Full control only to people you trust. See Who a flow runs as.
  • Blocks that touch data need that data to exist first. A record block needs a record type, and a Run function block needs a function. See Functions.

Where to find it

Launcher › Automation › Flows. The left rail has these sections:

  • Overview — numbers for the last week and what needs attention.
  • Flows — the list of every flow, with filters.
  • Runs — every run across all flows.
  • Templates — ready-made starting points and Describe a flow.

Opening a flow takes you to a full-page canvas builder.

Key ideas

Term What it means
Flow A saved graph of blocks with exactly one trigger.
Block One step on the canvas: a trigger, a piece of logic or an action.
Trigger The block that starts the flow. A flow has exactly one.
Condition A block that sends the flow down its true or false output.
Run One execution of a flow, with a result for every block that ran.
Flow context Named values you set once and use in any block.
On / Off A flow that is Off never starts by itself. You can still press Run to test it.

In this section

  • Blocks reference — Every block in the Add a block palette: what it does, its settings, and what later blocks can use from it.
  • Build a flow — Create a flow, add a trigger and actions on the canvas, connect them, save it and turn it on.
  • Conditions and lists — Branch a flow on your data with Condition, and work through lists with Filter list, Summarize and For each.
  • Insert values and flow context — Pick values from the trigger, earlier blocks and flow context with the Insert value menu instead of typing references.
  • Runs and overview — See every time your flows ran, what each block did, and what needs attention this week.
  • Templates and AI drafting — Start a flow from a ready-made template, or describe what you want in plain words and let AI draft the blocks.
  • Triggers — The four ways a flow can start: a record change, a schedule in UTC, a manual Run, or a calendar event.
  • Who a flow runs as — A flow acts with the permissions of the person who last changed it. Learn what that means for access, edits and leavers.