Salesforce Data Tables Are Now Available in Flow

We are always keeping our eye out for new features that will make Salesforce better. Flow is now the tool for automations in Salesforce. Is your nonprofit working with Flow? In the winter release of Salesforce, a new feature has been added that you don’t want to miss. Data tables are now available in Flow.

A Flow allows users to interact with data and automate repeatable processes. It could be set up to do specific things like create or pull information for a record. You can set it to find a group of records, store the records, or pick the fields on the object. There are so many endless possibilities for creating the Flow. (As a reminder, Salesforce Workflow and Process Builder will be discontinued and you’ll need to move over to Flow. If you aren’t using Flow yet, hop over to our previous post for tips to get started.)

Simply put, a data table is a spreadsheet with a list of items. Add a data table to a Flow and now you have an editable group of records that can be updated in the midst of an automated process. (See step-by-step instructions for creating a Flow with a data table, here.)

Three Ways You Could Use a Data Table:

Update a list and insert new records all in one place.

As an example, let’s say your organization just had a community event where volunteers registered in advance and there were a few who showed up to help but didn’t pre-register.

Before data tables, the Volunteer Coordinator would have:

• Pulled up the pre-registration records and changed the appropriate names to “Attended.”
• Added the new people who volunteered but hadn’t pre-registered, and marked them “Attended.”
• Run a Flow for follow-up processes from there.

With a data table, the Volunteer Coordinator can just add the volunteers mid-Flow. They see the volunteers they added with the ones already in the group and can select the exact ones they want the Flow to update as “Attended.” Now the Flow does the rest. Voila! One step and done. (See this video about adding a contact and choosing records in action.)

Accurate and consistent data.

When you update records, you want to feel secure that you’re working with the right ones and they get updated appropriately. Using our example of the volunteer list, the Volunteer Coordinator was able to see both new and existing records on one screen, allowing for an accuracy check before completing the selection of those who attended. Flow would also allow an approval process by showing the Volunteer Coordinator a final list of records and asking if it is correct. Once approved, the records would go through the rest of the Flow. This provides consistency in the process of updating. Now you have clean, reliable data, to work from regardless of who enters it. Having these checks available, gives users confidence to run more complex Flows too.

Data tables can be used to display options on a form.

For example, at a different community event all volunteers pre-registered, but there were sign-up sheets for future events. This time, the Volunteer Coordinator goes to a Flow and is prompted to fill in a form with contact information and it includes a field with options to select, for those future events. A previously created data table could be used to display those event options. This saves time for the Volunteer Coordinator by not having to type in each event. It also keeps the data clean by ensuring the titles are correctly inputted every time. You could combine this feature with inserting and updating new records, above.

More Confidence for Everyone

By combining data tables and Flow, everyone has more confidence in the data and you may find ways to automate more complicated workflows by using Flow. Have questions or want some help in setting this up, send to your support email or contact us.

Resources:

• Salesforce Data Table and Flow Written Instructions can be found here.
• Step-by-Step Guide to Using Data Table in Salesforce Flow – Video example of the user perspective
• Salesforce Workflows and Process Builder: Plan Ahead – Our previous blog post on Flow
• How to Create A Data Table in Salesforce Flow – Step-by-Step example
• Salesforce Flow: How to Build a Data Table – Video Step-by-Step example