Fast Field Updates versus Actions and Related Records
Key Takeaway
Choose Fast Field Updates when the only job is to update or validate the record that started the flow. Choose Actions and Related Records when the flow must go beyond that record's own fields or needs its ID.
A record-triggered flow runs when someone creates, updates, or deletes a record. The record that started the flow is the triggering record. The app builder decides whether the flow runs before or after Salesforce saves that record, and this choice decides what the flow can do and how fast it runs.
Before-save and after-save flows
A before-save flow runs before Salesforce saves the record to the database. An after-save flow runs after Salesforce saves the record and gives it an ID.
Fast Field Updates is the before-save option. A before-save flow can only update or validate the triggering record, so choose Fast Field Updates when that is the flow's only job.
For example, imagine a flow that must set Priority to High when a new opportunity's Amount is greater than $50,000. The flow only updates the triggering record, so Fast Field Updates is the right choice.
Actions and Related Records gives you an after-save flow. Choose it when the flow must go beyond the triggering record's own fields. An after-save flow can do these things, and a before-save flow can do none of them:
- Create and update related and unrelated records
- Send email and outbound messages
- Call external systems or APIs