Workflows are the running instance of your process that move through stages and tasks until they complete. Most workflows run from blueprints, but you can also create them directly. Learn how workflows progress, how to track and edit them, who can access them, and how to pause or end them.
Required Editions
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This feature is a workspace that’s external to your Salesforce org and requires an Agentforce Operations license. To purchase an Agentforce Operations license, contact your Salesforce account executive. |
What Workflows Are
A workflow is a running instance of a process that you set up. When you start a workflow from a blueprint, you create a specific execution of that process with its own data, assignees, and timeline. The blueprint defines the structure, the stages, tasks, and rules, while the workflow is the actual work moving through that structure.
Multiple workflows can run from the same blueprint at the same time, each progressing independently with its own status and data. Think of the blueprint as a template and each workflow as a separate document created from that template.
You can also create workflows from scratch without a blueprint. Use this approach for one-time processes or personal automation where you don't want to reuse the structure. Workflows created from scratch work the same way as blueprint-based workflows. They move through stages and tasks, but they exist as standalone instances rather than as executions of a reusable template.
To understand how workflows relate to blueprints and tasks, see How Blueprints, Workflows, and Tasks Connect in Agentforce Operations.
How Workflows Progress
Workflows move through stages sequentially, activating tasks as they go. When a workflow starts, the first stage begins and its tasks become active. Tasks within a stage can run in parallel or sequentially depending on how you configured their start conditions.
When all tasks in a stage complete, the next stage begins automatically. If a task has a problem or becomes overdue, the workflow pauses at that point until someone resolves the issue. Workflows complete when all stages and tasks finish, or when someone manually ends the workflow early.
You can track workflow progress on the Home page, where workflows are organized by status: On Track, Overdue, Problem, Paused, and Completed. To learn more about tracking, see Track Workflows in Agentforce Operations.
Starting Workflows
Start a workflow from scratch, or from a blueprint by selecting a blueprint and providing any required information. Depending on how you configured the blueprint, the workflow can start immediately or after you fill in fields.
You can start workflows manually from the Agentforce Operations interface, automatically through integrations, through email, or in bulk by uploading a CSV file. The method you choose depends on how many workflows you want to start and where the trigger originates.
To learn how to start workflows, see Create and Start a Workflow from a Blueprint in Agentforce Operations.
Tracking Workflows
Track workflow progress from the Home page, where workflows are organized by status: On Track, Overdue, Problem, Paused, and Completed. Open a workflow to see all stages and tasks, their status, assignees, and due dates. Click any task to open the task detail view, where you can see submitted information, messages, and activity history.
Use list views to organize workflows by criteria that matter to your role, apply tags to categorize and filter workflows, and check workflow statuses to understand where work is stalled and what needs attention.
To learn more, see Track Workflows in Agentforce Operations.
Editing Running Workflows
You can edit certain details of a running workflow without pausing it. Changes take effect immediately and Agentforce Operations records the changes in the workflow's activity history. You can update field values, reassign tasks, adjust due dates, and add new tasks to running workflows.
Not all changes are possible while a workflow runs. You can't remove completed tasks, change the stage structure, or modify locked workflows unless you have admin permissions. The ability to edit depends on your access level and whether the blueprint is locked.
To learn more, see Edit a Running Workflow in Agentforce Operations.
Pausing and Ending Workflows
Pause a workflow when you want to temporarily stop progress without canceling the entire process. Paused workflows remain in the system and you can resume them later from where they stopped. Use pause when waiting for external input or when circumstances change and work can't continue yet.
End a workflow when it's no longer needed or you don't want it to continue further. Ending a workflow is permanent and marks it with an Ended status. You can't resume an ended workflow.
To learn more, see Pause, Resume, or End a Workflow in Agentforce Operations.
Workflow Access
Access to workflows depends on your role, and the blueprint's and workflow's access settings. You can view and work on workflows where you're an assignee, owner, or have explicit access. Workspace admins can see all workflows regardless of access settings.
Some workflows are visible to everyone in the workspace, while others are visible only to specific people or teams.
To learn more, see:
Workflow Ownership
Designate a workflow owner at the blueprint level so workflows are owned by a specific user or team instead of the person who created the blueprint. To learn more, see Designate a Workflow Owner in Agentforce Operations.
Transfer ownership of a running workflow when the current owner leaves the organization or changes roles. To learn more, see Transfer Ownership of an Active Workflow in Agentforce Operations.
Workflow Data and Versioning
View, delete, and export workflow data to manage records and maintain your workspace. To learn more, see Manage Workflow Data in Agentforce Operations.
When a workflow starts, it pins itself to the blueprint version that was current at the time. Understand how version locking affects running workflows when you update a blueprint. To learn more, see How Workflows Lock to a Blueprint Version in Agentforce Operations.
If a linked workflow can't start because the parent didn't provide a required input field, resolve the missing information warning. To learn more, see Resolve a Missing Information Warning on a Linked Workflow in Agentforce Operations.
To learn more, explore these links.
- Creating and Starting a Workflow in Agentforce Operations
Create a workflow from a blueprint, bulk-start many workflows from a CSV file, or start a workflow by sending an email to begin automating your business process. - Edit a Running Workflow in Agentforce Operations
Reassign tasks, add tasks, and update task details in a workflow that's running in Agentforce Operations. - Pause, Resume, or End a Workflow in Agentforce Operations
Pause a workflow to temporarily stop the workflow from running. Then, resume the paused workflow when you’re ready for it to start running again. Or end a workflow to stop it permanently. - Understanding Workflow Access in Agentforce Operations
Understand the difference in workflow access between the user who creates a blueprint and the user designated as the workflow owner in Agentforce Operations. - Designate a Workflow Owner in Agentforce Operations
Assign ownership of workflows to a user or team that's different from the user who created the blueprint in Agentforce Operations. - Transfer Ownership of an Active Workflow in Agentforce Operations
Reassign ownership of a running workflow to a new user or team when the current workflow owner leaves the organization or changes roles in Agentforce Operations. - Manage Workflow Data in Agentforce Operations
View, delete, and export workflow data in Agentforce Operations. - How Workflows Lock to a Blueprint Version in Agentforce Operations
When a workflow starts, it pins itself to the blueprint version that was current at the time. Learn how version locking affects running workflows when updating a blueprint in Agentforce Operations. - Resolve a Missing Information Warning on a Linked Workflow in Agentforce Operations
Identify and resolve a missing information state when a linked workflow can't start because the parent workflow didn't provide a required input field in Agentforce Operations.