--- name: sf-flow description: Creates and validates Salesforce Flows (Brite edition) with 110-point scoring. TRIGGER when user builds or edits record-triggered, screen, autolaunched, or scheduled flows, touches .flow-meta.xml files, works in brite-salesforce, asks about the Apex-first flow policy (Flows only for screen flows + simple notifications), the Screen-Flow-deploy-as-Draft trap (regardless of source `Active`), `sf data update record` failing to activate flows, post-deploy Tooling API verification (`SELECT Status FROM Flow WHERE Definition.DeveloperName = '...'`), scratch-org flow activation gaps, or `/revops:post-deploy-runbook` Phase 2 cross-reference. DO NOT TRIGGER when Apex automation (use sf-apex), process builder migration questions only, or non-Flow declarative config (use sf-metadata). user-invocable: false license: MIT metadata: version: "2.1.0-brite.1" author: "Jag Valaiyapathy (upstream); Brite Company (customization)" upstream: "Jaganpro/sf-skills@ff1ab74" scoring: "110 points across 6 categories" --- # sf-flow: Salesforce Flow Creation and Validation (Brite edition) Use this skill when the user needs **Flow design or Flow XML work**: record-triggered, screen, autolaunched, scheduled, or platform-event Flows, including validation, architecture choices, and safe deployment sequencing. ## Brite Context Brite's flow stance: - **Apex-first by policy.** Brite uses Flows only for (a) Screen Flows (user-facing UI) and (b) simple notifications where Apex would be overkill. Never auto-launched flows for business logic. Source: `brite-salesforce/CLAUDE.md` §Engineering Standards line 41. - **Screen Flows deploy as Draft regardless of source `Active`.** `sf data update record` cannot activate flows (fails serializing the complex `Metadata` field). Activation is a manual Setup-UI step that ships in `/revops:post-deploy-runbook` Phase 2. - **Post-deploy verification is non-optional.** After every deploy that includes flows, verify via Tooling API SOQL: `SELECT Status FROM Flow WHERE Definition.DeveloperName = ''`. Deploy `Status: Succeeded` is necessary but not sufficient. - **Scratch orgs share the Draft trap.** Same activation gap applies to scratch-org CI runs after a deploy preprocess. **See also:** [sf-apex](../sf-apex/SKILL.md) for the Apex-first automation patterns (trigger handler dispatch, Queueable design); [sf-deploy](../sf-deploy/SKILL.md) for safe deployment sequencing; [sf-lwc](../sf-lwc/SKILL.md) when a flow embeds an LWC for richer UI; `/revops:post-deploy-runbook` for the post-deploy activation walk-through. ## Brite Flow Policy These rules are non-negotiable on `brite-salesforce` and must surface during flow design, deploy, and post-deploy verification. ### 1. Flow policy — Apex-first; Flows only for screen flows + simple notifications Auto-launched flows for business logic are out — use Apex. Record-triggered flows for trivial branching only. Source: §Engineering Standards line 41. ### 2. Screen Flows deploy as Draft Even when source XML specifies `Active`, newly-deployed screen flows land in Draft in the target org. Activate via Setup → Flows → find the flow → click Activate on the version row. Verified during BC-5021 prod deploy (2026-04-16). ### 3. `sf data update record` cannot activate flows It fails serializing the complex `Metadata` field on the Flow object. Use Setup UI; do not script the activation. ### 4. Post-deploy SOQL verification — Tooling API After a flow deploy: ```sql SELECT Status FROM Flow WHERE Definition.DeveloperName = '' ``` Confirm `Status = 'Active'` before treating the deploy as landed. ### 5. Scratch org applicability The Draft trap applies to scratch orgs too; CI deploys that run flows must include the activation step (or skip flow-dependent assertions). ### 6. Some Screen Flow settings are UI-only Like the Kanban Group By selection (covered in sf-metadata), some flow runtime configurations live at the Lightning UI layer and aren't deployable. Document any UI-only setup per-org so sandbox refreshes don't lose it. ### 7. `/revops:post-deploy-runbook` cross-reference Phase 2 of the post-deploy runbook walks through Screen Flow activation, diff-driven (only prompts when the deploy includes new/changed flows). Use it as the canonical post-deploy gate. ## When This Skill Owns the Task Use `sf-flow` when the work involves: - `.flow-meta.xml` files - Flow Builder architecture and XML generation - record-triggered, screen, scheduled, autolaunched, or platform-event flows - Flow-specific bulk safety, fault paths, and subflow orchestration Delegate elsewhere when the user is: - writing Apex-first automation → [sf-apex](../sf-apex/SKILL.md) - creating objects / fields first → [sf-metadata](../sf-metadata/SKILL.md) - deploying metadata → [sf-deploy](../sf-deploy/SKILL.md) - seeding post-deploy test data → [sf-data](../sf-data/SKILL.md) --- ## Required Context to Gather First Ask for or infer: - flow type - trigger object / entry conditions - core business goal - whether this is new, refactor, or repair - target org alias if deployment or validation is needed - whether related objects / fields already exist --- ## Recommended Workflow ### 1. Choose the right automation tool Before building, confirm Flow is the right answer rather than: - formula field - validation rule - roll-up summary - Apex ### 2. Choose the right Flow type | Need | Default flow type | |---|---| | same-record update before save | before-save record-triggered | | related-record work / emails / callouts | after-save record-triggered | | guided UI | screen flow | | reusable background logic | autolaunched / subflow | | scheduled processing | scheduled flow | | event-driven declarative response | platform-event flow | | AI-evaluated routing (sentiment, intent, tone) | autolaunched with AI Decision element | ### 3. Start from a template Prefer the provided assets: - `assets/record-triggered-before-save.xml` - `assets/record-triggered-after-save.xml` - `assets/screen-flow-template.xml` - `assets/autolaunched-flow-template.xml` - `assets/scheduled-flow-template.xml` - `assets/platform-event-flow-template.xml` - `assets/ai-decision-template.xml` - `assets/subflows/` ### 4. Validate against Flow guardrails Focus on: - no DML in loops - no Get Records inside loops - proper fault paths - correct trigger conditions - safe subflow composition - AI Decision elements not placed inside loops (credit cost per iteration) - AI Decision prompts include merge field references for data context ### 5. Hand off deployment and testing Use: - [sf-deploy](../sf-deploy/SKILL.md) for deploy / dry-run - [sf-data](../sf-data/SKILL.md) for high-volume test data --- ## High-Signal Rules ### Flow architecture - before-save for same-record field updates - after-save for related records, emails, and callouts - do not loop over `$Record` - use subflows when logic becomes wide or repetitive ### Bulk safety - no DML in loops - no Get Records in loops - test with **251+ records** when bulk behavior matters - prefer Transform when the job is shaping data, not per-record branching ### Error handling - every data-changing path should have fault handling - avoid self-referencing fault connectors - deploy Flows as Draft first when activation risk is non-trivial --- ## Output Format When finishing, report in this order: 1. **Flow type and goal** 2. **Files created or updated** 3. **Architecture choices** 4. **Bulk/error-handling notes** 5. **Deploy/testing next steps** Suggested shape: ```text Flow: Type: Files: Design: Risks: Next step: ``` --- ## Flow Testing (CLI) Run Flow tests from the command line without VS Code: ```bash # Run all flow tests sf flow run test --target-org --json # Run tests for a specific flow sf flow run test --class-names MyFlow --target-org --json # Get results for an asynchronous run sf flow get test --test-run-id --target-org --json ``` Flow tests execute in the org and can take 1-5 minutes. `sf flow run test` returns a test run ID for asynchronous runs; use `sf flow get test` to retrieve results later. Always run with `--json` and use background execution for longer runs. --- ## Cross-Skill Integration | Need | Delegate to | Reason | |---|---|---| | create objects / fields first | [sf-metadata](../sf-metadata/SKILL.md) | schema readiness | | deploy / activate flow | [sf-deploy](../sf-deploy/SKILL.md) | safe deployment sequence | | create realistic bulk test data | [sf-data](../sf-data/SKILL.md) | post-deploy verification | | create Apex actions / invocables | [sf-apex](../sf-apex/SKILL.md) | imperative logic | | embed LWC in a screen flow | [sf-lwc](../sf-lwc/SKILL.md) | custom UI components | | expose Flow to Agentforce | [sf-ai-agentscript](../sf-ai-agentscript/SKILL.md) | agent action orchestration | --- ## Reference Map ### Start here - [references/flow-best-practices.md](references/flow-best-practices.md) - [references/flow-quick-reference.md](references/flow-quick-reference.md) - [references/orchestration.md](references/orchestration.md) - [references/testing-guide.md](references/testing-guide.md) ### Design / orchestration - [references/subflow-library.md](references/subflow-library.md) - [references/governance-checklist.md](references/governance-checklist.md) - [references/transform-vs-loop-guide.md](references/transform-vs-loop-guide.md) - [references/orchestration-guide.md](references/orchestration-guide.md) - [references/orchestration-parent-child.md](references/orchestration-parent-child.md) - [references/orchestration-sequential.md](references/orchestration-sequential.md) - [references/orchestration-conditional.md](references/orchestration-conditional.md) ### AI Decision - [references/ai-decision-guide.md](references/ai-decision-guide.md) ### Screen / integration / troubleshooting - [references/form-building-guide.md](references/form-building-guide.md) - [references/integration-patterns.md](references/integration-patterns.md) - [references/lwc-integration-guide.md](references/lwc-integration-guide.md) - [references/agentforce-flow-integration.md](references/agentforce-flow-integration.md) - [references/xml-gotchas.md](references/xml-gotchas.md) - [references/testing-checklist.md](references/testing-checklist.md) - [references/wait-patterns.md](references/wait-patterns.md) - [assets/](assets/) --- ## Score Guide | Score | Meaning | |---|---| | 88+ | production-ready Flow | | 75–87 | good Flow with some review items | | 60–74 | functional but needs stronger guardrails | | < 60 | unsafe / incomplete for deployment |