How does Record-Triggered Flow work in Salesforce?
Record-triggered flows are the direct successor to both Workflow Rules and Process Builder triggers. They fire in three timing contexts: before-save (for fast field updates without DML), after-save (for operations that need the committed record ID, like creating child records or sending emails), and asynchronous (for callouts and heavy processing that should not block the user). A single flow can include scheduled paths that execute hours, days, or weeks after the triggering event.
The before-save path is particularly efficient because it updates the triggering record in memory without consuming a DML statement, making it ideal for formula-like field stamps and simple validations. After-save paths support the full range of Flow elements, including subflows, Apex actions, and platform events. Clientell AI uses record-triggered flows extensively: when you describe an automation in natural language, the AI generates an optimized flow with the correct timing context, entry conditions, and bulkification patterns.