Hello folks,

How do you learn flows most effectively? I get asked this question quite frequently. When Salesforce Ben interviewed me on the FlowFest live webcast I gave the following pointers which I wanted to capture in writing.

Here are the 7 keys to effective flow learning:

1- Develop a solid understanding of process. What is a process? What steps need to be taken to get things done in your line of work? Have you ever done process mapping in your life? Be on the lookout for a blog post I wrote for Salesforce. It is coming soon.

2- Use resources wisely. Everybody learns in different ways. It is a personal preference. Trailhead, YouTube, Blogs, Udemy, and Web courses all serve a purpose. Find what works for you.

3- Start small: Record Triggered Flow is Process Builder and Workflow Rule and more. Start with record triggered field updates, then do related records and actions. You will see instant performance gains. Setting a grand vision is only good if you chart a path of step by step learning.

4- Try and experiment. I know Yoda says “Do or do not; there is no try.” I respectfully disagree with Yoda; when it comes to flows, there is try. A lot of it. There is a lot of sweat and tears on that path.

5- Learn where to go when you get stuck. Salesforce Break Slack, Salesforce Trailblazer Groups, Salesforce Answers. Find study partners. There is a reason peer review is a widely used method in coding. This is low coding; it is similar.

6- Controversial advice: Don’t get overly worried about the rules as long as you are in a Sandbox or Developer org. Learn how to get things done. Then tweak and optimize. Find a naming convention that works for you, then develop your own style. Learn the rules, and learn how to break them without breaking the system. If your first flow is not embarrassing in retrospect, you waited too long to hit the flow canvas. Go to YouTube and watch the first video the biggest YouTube creator made. It is out there and it is terrible; by Mr. Beast. And that’s totally cool. This should give you hope and courage.

7- Build your skills as you go along. Focus on progress, not on hard targets. If you lack the fundamentals of Salesforce administration, you won’t go very far. So go back and review those topics. I will write more on this topic in the coming days.

Enjoy.

P.S. Originally published on 03/13/2022.

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