How to Build a Salesforce Screen Flow

Welcome back to the vast world of Salesforce automation! Today, we're diving into one of the most versatile tools Salesforce offers: the Screen Flow. Whether you're looking to streamline data entry or guide users through complex processes, Screen Flows are your gateway to a more efficient Salesforce environment. They provide instructions to the user while automating the process behind the scenes. While they require input from the user, the result is still a no-code method for streamlining your business processes. There are a lot of directions you can go with Screen Flows, which can be intimidating, so today, we’ll give a high-level overview of a few use cases as well as show you how to build a screen flow of your own.

What is a Salesforce Screen Flow?

A Screen Flow is a specific type of flow in Salesforce that requires user input through various screens. The user’s input then determines the flow's actions. Screen Flows are particularly useful for processes that require step-by-step execution, allowing users to provide specific details or make selections from a list.

The key advantage of Screen Flows is their ability to break complex processes into simpler, actionable steps, offering users a tailored interaction. Screen Flows are initiated through buttons or Lightning components, where users can select options from a picklist or input data directly, providing a clear, focused experience for the user.

Examples of Salesforce Screen Flows

Now that we understand what a Screen Flow is, let’s get specific and take a look at some use cases:

Uploading files to Salesforce records – Screen Flows can be designed to help users upload documents directly to specific Salesforce records, ensuring that all relevant information is easily accessible and linked directly to the corresponding record.

Collecting Project Feedback – Using a Screen Flow to collect project feedback allows for a structured and consistent method to gather responses directly in Salesforce, ensuring that all responses are systematically captured and available for review. (Check out this great guide!)

For our example, we will use a Screen Flow to design a custom form for users to fill out when creating a new support case. This makes it easier for the user to input information, which can lead to faster resolution times and a more organized support process. Let’s get started!

How to Create a Screen Flow in Salesforce

Setting up the Screen Element

The feature that sets Screen Flows apart from other types of flows is the Screen Element. This element is responsible for gathering and displaying information to the user. Effectively designing the Screen Element is an essential aspect of the flow, as it shapes the user's experience and interaction with the process.

1. Navigate to Setup.
2. In the search box, type “flows” and go to the Flow page. Choose New Flow in the top right corner.
3. Select Screen Flow.
   
4. Beneath the Start, click (+) to add a new element, and select Screen. This will add the element to your flow and open the Screen Element.
   
5. The Screen Element is broken up into three sections:
   
   • The Component Column (Left) Here, you can select the input options for each screen you design.
   • Screen Previewer (Center): This area displays a live preview of the screen as you add components. It also allows you to configure the layout by reordering how the components appear in the actual flow. 
   • Properties Panel (Right Side): This is where you can edit the properties of the components you've added to your screen. This includes setting text, selections, values, visibility options, etc.
     

Configure the Screen Layout

First, configure your screen's layout in the properties panel. Here, you can set the overall structure and appearance of the screen.

1. From the Screen Properties Panel. Give your Screen a Label. In this instance, we’ll go with “New Support Case”
2. Under Configure Header, Uncheck the box to hide the default header. In the next set of steps, we will replace it with a custom title using the Display Text component.
   
3. The only alteration we will make for this scenario is hiding the “Pause” button, as the form isn’t very long, and we want our users to complete it in a single session. Additionally, because this example will only have one screen, we will also hide "Previous". Under Configure Footer, select Hide Pause and Hide Previous.
   

Add a Title with Display Text

1. From the component column, select the Display Text component.
2. In the right-hand Properties Panel, set and style the title of your screen. For this example, we’ll call it “New Support Case,” increase the font size, and center the text.
   

Add Text Form Components

Now that we have our basic Screen layout set up, let’s start adding the components the Flow user will be interacting with. 

1. Since this is a support case, the first component we will add is the Name component. Scroll or search for Name, and simply click it to add it to the Screen Previewer. You have the option to include salutation, specify name order, and other settings relevant to capturing names in the right-hand column.
2. The Text component is going to be our good friend during this Flow configuration. It allows us to label and create fields relevant to our business processes. From the component column, scroll or search for Text, and click it to add it to the Screen Previewer.
3. Once the component is added, select it to make edits in the properties panel. Here, you set the Label, which will serve as the prompt for the Flow user's response. Let’s start by labeling our first as Email so we know who to contact regarding this case.
4. Make sure to mark these components as Required to ensure that no crucial information is missed.
5. Repeat the Process for any additional Fields. For our example, we'll use:
   1. Email
   2. Company
   3. Description – For the Description field, you can also use a Long Text component to allow for an extended response.
      

Note: When designing a Flow for your organization, review the specific fields your company tracks on Cases to ensure that the components you add align with the information you need to capture.

Add Picklist Components

Let's say we want to categorize what type of Case this is. To do this, we will use a picklist populated with the various Case Types in our Org.

1. From the component column, search Picklist. 
2. Label it Case Type.
3. Select Required. 
4. Select No for “Let Users Select Multiple Options”.
   
5. For Choice, select Select New Choice Resource.
   
6. Select Picklist Choice Set from the dropdown menu.
   
7. In the New Choice Resource, for Object type “Case.”
   
8. For Data Type, select Picklist.
9. Set the Field as Type.
   
10. Click Done.
    

Create Records Flow Element

Alright, we’ve created our Screen Flow Form. Now, it’s time to add the next step in the flow: creating a Case based on the information provided in the form. 

1. Beneath the Screen Element, click (+) to add a new element, and select Create Records.
2. Since we’re creating a new case, we’ll label this Create New Case. 
3. We only need to create One record.
4. For “How to set Record Files,” we are going to change it to Use separate resources and literal values.
5. For “Object,” enter Case.
   
6. Finally, for the Field values, we want the record to show the information the user enters on the Screen we designed in the previous section. 
7. So for “Name,” type Name in the field and select SuppliedName.
8. In the value field, select Name > First Name.
9. For “Email,” type Email in the field and select SuppliedEmail.
10. In the value field, select Email as the value.
11. We will do this for each of the components we created on the Screen Element. Afterward, click Save.
    

How to Test a Salesforce Screen Flow 

1. From the Flow Builder Screen, click Debug in the top right corner. This will open a new tab in your browser.
2. A modal will appear. Click Run.
3. The screen you designed will appear, fill it out and click Finish, then close the tab. 
4. Navigate back to Salesforce, and in the App Launcher search bar, look up Cases.
5. You should see a new case with the information you just filled out on the debug screen.

Wrap up

Just like that, you’ve designed a Salesforce Screen Flow! Exploring automation with screen flows is a great start, and there's so much more you can do with Salesforce Flows. Check out our other Flow articles on sending emails, assigning permission sets, and scheduling tasks.

If you're ready to take your automation efforts even further, consider Drive Connect, A user-friendly integration between Google Drive and Salesforce that allows you to link Google Drive files to Salesforce records, automate folder structures, and generate Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets seamlessly. It's quick to install—taking just a few minutes—and you can start a 14-day free trial without a credit card. To learn more about integrating Google Drive and Salesforce, check out our AppExchange listing!