Salesforce Winter '21 Release Preview | Latest Flow Features

Winter '21 is coming. Let's see what to expect in terms of new Flow Features and Enhancements in Winter '21 Release.  This is just a Winter '21 Flow Features Preview.

Check it out and feel the excitement because Flow are getting more Powerful! 

Safe Harbour Note: These are just my personal observations.The actual Salesforce Winter '21 release notes will be available later in August. So this post is just based on my hands-on in my GS0 pre-release Developer Org where Winter '21 preview is already available. Consider this a Sneak Peak only to get you excited!

Update : You can sign up for the Winter '21 pre-release org here : https://www.salesforce.com/form/signup/prerelease-winter21/

Salesforce Winter '21 Pre -Release: Flow Features and Enhancements Overview

1. Ability to Add "OR" Condition and ability to create custom Condition Logic in Get, Update and Delete Elements and Record-triggered Elements. Not available for Create Element.

This is a big one. Because till now we were limited to add only ADD condition while filtering records or adding criteria. 

Current Option:

Upcoming in Winter '21 Release:

Get Record Element : To Get/Query Records Based on Conditions with OR or AND or Custom Logic.

Update Record Element : To Update Records Based Based on Conditions with OR or AND or Custom Logic.

Delete Record Element : To Delete Records Based on Conditions with OR or AND or Custom Logic.

Custom Condition Logic :  Just like in Workflows or Process Builders we can now also do a combination of AND and OR i.e Custom Condition Logic wherever we use Filter Criteria (Get,Update,Delete Elements) . A Game Changer!

2. Record Triggered Flows : Before Delete Flows

After Insert and Update Triggers, Say Hi to Before Delete Trigger Capability in Flows. This was an important aspect missing from Flow. Well, now we will have it!

UPDATE: Checkout my Latest Post on Before Delete Flows with a Practical Use-Case here : https://www.accidentalcodersf.com/2020/08/before-delete-flow-salesforce.html

3. Ability to Fire Record Triggered Flows based on Filter Criteria

Till now, we couldn't define the filter criteria to fire/trigger a Record-Triggered Flow. Currently, we needed to define the criteria after the Start Element in Flow. Now we will be able to define criteria of even Firing the Flow in Start Element Itself. 

I believe, this will make DML(Insert,Update and Delete) transactions faster as Flow won't be fired if not required.

Current Option:

Upcoming in Winter '21 Release:

Not only this, we can now also choose to Run/Fire a Record-Triggered Flow only if a certain criteria was met in the particular transaction and previously the criteria was not true. This feature/option has been there for Workflows and Process Builder and now it's a huge addition to Flow Capability. Exciting Times Ahead!

4. Flow Builder UI : Auto-layout Option to Build Flow (Beta Version)

A better and more Admin Friendly Flow Builder UI with easy to understand connections. This feature can also be used to convert existing Flows to Auto-Layout with just a Click of a Button.

Options at the time of Creating a New Flow!

Example of an Auto Layout Flow Builder UI.

5. Flow Testing from a particular User Context by Impersonating users.

Now, Flows can be tested with different User Contexts directly from Debug Flow Page. Easier to test Flow for different users with different Profiles,Roles,Sharing permissions etc. To enable this we will need to change settings in Process Automation settings from Setup. 

6. Better UI and representation of Variables,Object and Fields within Flow Elements.

This is how the variable names looked like till now : {!VariableName} or {!OppRecord.AccountId} 

Well this is going to change now for some Flow Elements like Loops,Assignments,Get Records etc. A better UI representation of Variables and their types like Text,Currency,Number Etc. Also, we can see the Hierarchy of variables if we are fetching some fields using Parent Child Relationships or using nested values.

Some Screen Shots of examples to get an Idea

Example 1 Current :

Upcoming : Note the Left Hand side with Data Type (Text)

Example 2 Current :

Upcoming : Note the Left Hand side with Data Type (Date)

Example 3 Current :

Upcoming :

Checkout the  Winter '21 Flow Release Notes here for Full List : https://releasenotes.docs.salesforce.com/en-us/winter21/release-notes/rn_forcecom_flow_fbuilder.htm

Checkout my Post on Before Delete Flows with a practical Use Case here : https://www.accidentalcodersf.com/2020/08/before-delete-flow-salesforce.html

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