--- schema_version: "1" id: 95abb4fc7c9a3494ef0260d360ee3efbaaba066588e36bf36e4303c353983bf8 title: Global Variables Flow Approval Processes Resource collection: admin version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/automate_automated_approvals_ref_resources_global_variables.md canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_automated_approvals_ref_resources_global_variables.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 source_site: help.salesforce.com content_type: documentation content_hash: 073efa5ad3d15482ebd15def6006ee081d0d1106ebc1a8a3f62ccc045401b485 description: System-provided variables store information that you can reference throughout a flow approval process. For example, it can contain information about the Salesforce org, running user, or triggering record. products: - Flow Builder - Salesforce Platform release: "264" --- # Global Variables Flow Approval Processes Resource System-provided variables store information that you can reference throughout a flow approval process. For example, it can contain information about the Salesforce org, running user, or triggering record. ### Required Editions
View supported editions for Flow Approval Processes.
Global Variable API NAME LABEL Description
$Api API

The Session ID’s SOAP API endpoints. These merge fields are available.

  • Enterprise_Server_URL_xxx—The Enterprise WSDL SOAP endpoint, where xxx represents the API version
  • Partner_Server_URL_xxx—The Partner WSDL SOAP endpoint, where xxx represents the API version
  • Session_ID
$Label Custom Label

A label in a custom label file in your Salesforce org. This global variable appears only if your org has custom labels.

The returned value depends on the language setting of the contextual user.​ Salesforce returns a value based on this order of precedence:

  • The local translation’s text
  • The packaged translation’s text
  • The primary label’s text
$Orchestration Current Orchestration Run References the orchestration instance associated with the parent approval process while it’s running.
$Organization Running Org The Salesforce org where the flow is running. With this variable, you can access information like the organization’s name or address.
$Permission Running User’s Permission The custom permission access of the user running the flow.
$Profile Running User Profile

The profile of the user running the flow approval process. With this variable, you can access information like the license type or name.

  • Use profile names to reference standard profiles in $Profile merge fields.
  • Users don’t need access to their profile information to run a flow approval process that references these merge fields.
$Record Triggering Object, for example, Triggering Account

The record that triggered the flow approval process. Available only in record-triggered flow approval processes.

In a record-triggered flow approval process, the orchestration run associated with the parent approval submission makes a copy of the triggering record when it starts. If a flow called by a step within the flow approval process that the orchestration run is based on makes a field update on the triggering record, it’s not reflected in the $Record global variable. To make field updates on the flow approval process-triggering record, pass the record ID to the step’s flow. Use the ID in a Get Records element. Then use an Update Records element to apply changed $Record values to the record in the database.

You can reference $Record values throughout the approval orchestration by passing the variable as an input parameter to a flow in a step.

$Record__Prior Prior Values of Triggering Object, for example, Prior Values of Triggering Account

The triggering record before a change triggered the flow approval process. Available only in record-triggered flow approval processes configured to run when a record is updated or when a record is created or updated.

The $Record__Prior global variable contains the values that the triggering record had immediately before the flow approval process started. You can’t change these values in the flow approval process or with any flows associated with its steps.

When the flow approval process is triggered by a newly created record, all $Record__Prior values are null.

If the triggering record is created and updated in the same transaction, $Record__Prior contains the same values as $Record. This behavior occurs because no committed prior state exists when the update occurs. To capture pre-update field values in $Record__Prior, split the create and update operations into separate transactions in the automation that triggers the flow approval process.

$Setup Custom Hierarchy Settings

Your custom settings of type hierarchy. This global variable appears only if your org has hierarchy custom settings. You can access custom settings of type list only in Apex.

With hierarchy custom settings, you can define values at these levels. Salesforce determines the correct value for this custom setting field based on the running user’s current context.

  • Organization—The default value for everyone
  • Profile—Overrides the Organization value
  • User—Overrides the Organization and Profile values
$System System The system’s OriginDateTime ($System.OriginDateTime), which represents the literal value of 1900-01-01 00:00:00. Use this merge field to perform date/time offset calculations.
$User Running User

The user who’s running the orchestration run associated with a parent approval submission.

Most of the time, the running user is the automated process user. When the running user is the automated process user, $User doesn’t provide useful information.

$User.UITheme and $User.UIThemeDisplayed identify the look and feel that the running user sees on a Salesforce page. The difference between the two variables is that $User.UITheme returns the configured look and feel for the user. $User.UIThemeDisplayed returns the actual look and feel for the user.

For example, a user has the preference and permissions to see the Lightning Experience look and feel. However, they're using a browser, such as an older version of Internet Explorer, that doesn't support that look and feel. In this example, $User.UITheme and $User.UIThemeDisplayed return different values.

  • Theme1—Obsolete Salesforce theme
  • Theme2—Salesforce Classic 2005 user interface theme
  • Theme3—Salesforce Classic 2010 user interface theme
  • Theme4d—Modern “Lightning Experience” Salesforce theme
  • Theme4t—Salesforce mobile app theme
  • Theme4u—Lightning Console theme
  • PortalDefault—Salesforce Customer Portal theme
  • Webstore—AppExchange theme
$UserRole Running User Role References the role of the user who’s running the orchestration run that’s associated with a parent approval submission. For example, reference the role name or ID.
## Global Variable Considerations for Flow Approval Processes - In a record-triggered flow approval process, the `$Record` global variable doesn't contain the triggering record's values for fields that derive their values from other records. Examples of derived fields include `Contact.Name` and `User.MediumPhotoUrl`. - Multi-select picklist, time, and location global variables are available only in formulas. - If a field in the database has no value, the corresponding merge field returns a blank value. For example, if your org's Country field has no value, `{!$Organization.Country}` returns no value.