Get, Create, Update, and Delete records in Flow
Key Takeaway
Changing a flow variable doesn't change any record. Your changes stay temporary until a Create Records, Update Records, or Delete Records element sends them back to the org.
A flow is not connected to your Salesforce data on its own. Data elements make that connection. Get Records pulls record data into the flow, and Create Records, Update Records, and Delete Records push changes back to the org.
How data elements connect a flow to records
You can think of a flow as a scratch pad. Get Records copies record values onto the scratch pad by storing them in flow variables. The flow then makes its decisions and edits on those copies, not on the records themselves. Those edits stay on the scratch pad until a Create Records, Update Records, or Delete Records element sends them back to the org.
Data elements often work together. For example, a flow can use Get Records to check whether a matching contact exists. If none exists, the flow then uses Create Records to create one.