Salesforce’s Flow Builder is a powerful tool that allows admins to automate complex business processes with ease. However, as many experienced Salesforce users know, there are some limitations to what the tool can do. One such limitation is the inability to schedule flows to run on an hourly basis. While flows can be scheduled to run once, daily, or weekly, the lack of an hourly scheduling option can be frustrating for users who require more granular control over their automation processes. In this blog post, we’ll explore this limitation in more detail, explain the challenges it poses, and offer workarounds to help you achieve the desired results.
The Significance of Hourly Scheduled Flows
Hourly scheduling for flows can be crucial in scenarios where real-time updates are not necessary, but a higher level of automation is still required. Consider a scenario where a company needs to send out personalized emails to its customers every hour. Using a scheduled flow, the company could pull relevant data, generate the emails, and send them out automatically. This type of automation can significantly improve efficiency and productivity while reducing the risk of human error. In certain industries, such as e-commerce or customer support, the ability to schedule flows hourly can make a noticeable difference in operations. Challenges and Current Workarounds: Currently, Salesforce does not provide an out-of-the-box solution for hourly scheduled flows, but we have a workaround:
Workaround: Combining a Flow with Apex:
While flow has limitations on when you can schedule automation to run, Apex does not. You can leverage scheduled Apex to invoke your flow at whatever cadence you’d like. If you are worried about implementing a little bit of Apex, this medium article provides a package you can download to your org that provides an invocable apex class that you can use in a screen flow to set up your hourly scheduled flow.
In Summary
While Salesforce’s Flow Builder offers a wide range of automation possibilities, the current limitation around hourly scheduled flows can be challenging for certain use cases. However, by utilizing the workarounds mentioned in this article, you can achieve hourly automation and maintain the efficiency and productivity that your business demands. At SOLVD.cloud, we’re committed to helping businesses leverage the full power of Salesforce. If you’ve encountered challenges beyond what the workaround outlined in this article can address, please reach out to us here. We offer a range of services, including custom development and expert consulting, to help you navigate the Salesforce ecosystem effectively.
