Screen Flow versus record-triggered Flow
Key Takeaway
Ask what starts the work: use a screen flow when a person must enter or confirm information on screens, and use a record-triggered flow when a record change should start the work in the background.
Screen flows and record-triggered flows are two flow types in Flow Builder that start in very different ways. A screen flow guides a person through screens to collect or show information, so it runs only when a user launches it and clicks through. A record-triggered flow runs automatically in the background whenever a record of a specific object is created, updated, or deleted, with no one clicking anything. Knowing what starts each type is the first step in picking the right tool for a business problem.
Choose by what starts the work
A flow's type decides which elements and resources you can add and how you distribute the flow. For example, you can add a Choice resource only in a screen flow. You can add a Custom Error element only in a record-triggered flow. So for any business problem, start by asking what starts the work.
If a person must enter or confirm information...
Use a screen flow. Examples include a customer typing contact details on a flow screen and clicking "Next", or an employee clicking a "Request PTO" quick action that opens a form.
If a record change should start the work...
Use a record-triggered flow. Examples include a new case being created, a lead's status changing, or a contact being deleted.
Screen flows fit data entry problems. When a user must enter and confirm information during an interaction before a record is created, a screen flow is the right choice because it presents screens the user completes. You can add a screen flow to a record page to collect the minimum information needed to create a record. You can also put a form on the case record page so an agent can capture a customer's product interest and create an opportunity when the agent submits the form.
A record-triggered flow can't do that job because a record change starts it. The flow then runs in the background with no one clicking anything, so it can't ask the user for information.
Marco works at a bike shop that tracks repairs in a custom Repair Order object. A customer walks in with a broken bike. Marco opens the customer's contact record. A screen flow on the record page shows a screen that asks for the bike model and the problem. Marco types both, reads them back to the customer, and clicks "Next" to confirm. The flow then creates the Repair Order record. A record-triggered flow on Repair Order couldn't have collected these details, because a record change starts it. After the record is saved, though, a record-triggered flow on Repair Order could send the customer a confirmation email.
Record-triggered flows fit work that must happen the same way every time with no human step, such as these tasks:
- Enforcing data quality and business rules
- Removing repetitive manual tasks
- Making sure follow-up actions are never missed
- Keeping related records in sync
A button click doesn't always mean a screen flow. If a user clicks a custom button only to start background work, an autolaunched flow fits. For example, a "Complete Sale" button might only update records and email stakeholders. A screen flow fits when the button opens a form the user must complete.