A Brief Guide on Workflow Rules in Salesforce

Workflow allows you to save time by automating regular internal procedures and processes across your organisation. Workflow is a container or business logic engine in Salesforce that automates certain operations depending on specific parameters. The actions are carried out if the prerequisites are met. Records will be saved but no action will be taken if they are not met. An if/then statement can always be used to summarise these instructions.

Workflow Rules are Divided into Two Categories:

The “if” element of the “if/then” expression is called criteria. In other words, criteria are requirements that must be met in order to test a record.

The “then” component of the “if/then” sentence defines the actions. To put it another way, what to do when the record fits the requirements.

Creation of a Workflow Rule: 

1. Select the object for which the Workflow rule will be applied.
2. Add the Evaluation Criteria as per your requirements.
3. Add the Rule Criteria for which the automated action should perform.
4. Add the Action that should be performed when the rule criteria are met. 
5. Make sure that Workflow Rule is Active.

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Following are the Workflow Actions:

Email Alert – One of the process actions available in Salesforce is sending an email alert. This action consists of standard texts and a list of recipients for the email.

Field Updated - This Action allows you to automatically update the field value.

Outbound Message - Outgoing messages send information to designated endpoints, such as external services. Configure outgoing messages from the Setup. 

Task - The task Action determines the detailed information of the assignment provided by the automated process to a specific user.

Time-Dependant Workflows

When certain operations must be completed within a given number of hours or on a specific date, Salesforce's time-dependent workflows come in useful. When the specified time has passed, the workflow rule will re-evaluate the record to make sure it still meets the conditions of the rule. If the record exists, the workflow rule will perform these actions.

Time-related actions and time triggers are complex functions. When it comes to time-related operations and time triggers, keep your considerations in mind.

Note:

1. You cannot delete workflow rules that have pending operations in the workflow queue.

2. Cannot add time-related workflow actions to the active workflow rule. First, deactivate the workflow rule, add time-dependent workflow actions, and then reactivate the rule.

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What should be remembered:

1. You can eliminate the workflow rules with the pending actions in the workflow queue. 
2. Time-dependent workflow action cannot be added to an active workflow rule. First, deactivate the workflow rule, add time-dependent workflow actions, and then reactivate the rule.
3. Remember, you can also associate existing actions with multiple workflow rules.
4. You cannot add time-related actions to the rule when you select the created option and every time you edit during the creation of the workflow.