---
schema_version: "1"
id: 2a323e6e088ec97b29febdb924020c3802a927c881afe4f0163c72155f84dd19
title: Create a Flow with a Connector as a Trigger
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/automate_build_flow_esct_third_party_as_trigger.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_build_flow_esct_third_party_as_trigger.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 816bf7afd2200adbd516c893f993d0c35ed2a0113c8cc804f9d2e25abb946345
description: To trigger a flow when a change happens in a third-party system, use an External System Change-Triggered flow. A poller checks for new records on a schedule and creates flow interviews when records are found. Create the flow from scratch or from a template.
products:
  - Flow Builder
  - Salesforce Platform
release: "264"
---
# Create a Flow with a Connector as a Trigger

To trigger a flow when a change happens in a third-party system, use an External System Change-Triggered flow. A poller checks for new records on a schedule and creates flow interviews when records are found. Create the flow from scratch or from a template.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_ref_supported_editions.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Learn about the editions and user interfaces that support Flow Builder. Some Flow Builder features integrate with other Salesforce products that require additional licenses.">View supported editions.</a></td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">This feature requires the MuleSoft for Flow: Integration add-on. Exceptions are segment-triggered flows, activation-triggered flows, and broadcast flows, which don't require the MuleSoft for Flow: Integration add-on. <strong>Professional</strong> Edition requires the API access add-on. To purchase an add-on, contact your Salesforce account executive.</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">MuleSoft for Flow: Integration features used with Agentforce require the Foundations or Agentforce 1 edition. To purchase these editions, contact your Salesforce account executive.</td></tr></tbody></table>

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/images/icon_note.png)

Note You can edit or delete connections only in the Automation app.

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col>
          <col>
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;" id="d239463e79">User Permissions Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">To create, view, edit, and delete MuleSoft for Flow: Integration
              connections:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">Manage Integration Connections</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">To open, edit, create, activate or deactivate a flow using all flow types,
              elements, and features available in Flow Builder, including Einstein and Agentforce
              for Flow:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">Manage Flow</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">To create and edit External System Change-Triggered flows in the Automation
              app, regardless of sharing settings:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">
              <p>Manage Flow</p>
              <p>OR</p>
              <p>Create or Edit Flows</p>
              <p>AND</p><a name="automate_build_flow_esct_third_party_as_trigger__d4853e299"><!-- --></a>
              <ul id="automate_build_flow_esct_third_party_as_trigger__d4853e299">
                <li>View Flows </li>

                <li>View All Non-Admin Flows </li>

              </ul>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">To create and edit External System Change-Triggered flows owned by or shared
              with you with Read/Write access in the Automation app:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">
              <p>Create or Edit Flows</p>
              <p>AND</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">View Flows</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">To use MuleSoft for Flow: Integration templates:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">
              <p>Create or Edit Flows</p>
              <p>OR</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">View Flows</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">To use MuleSoft for Flow: Integration templates as a non-System Admin:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d239463e79 ">App Framework Manage Template</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

## Create an External System Change-Triggered Flow from Scratch

Learn how to create a new flow that is triggered by changes in an external system, beginning with the initial setup steps.

1. In the Automation app, select the **Flows** tab, and then click **New.**
2. Click **Triggered Automations** and then click **External System Change-Triggered Flow**.
    
    The External System Change-Triggered flow opens in Flow Builder.
3. Configure the trigger.
    1. In the **Event Library**, select a supported [third-party system](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_ref_third_party_connectors.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Use MuleSoft for Flow: Integration connectors in your flows for no-code connectivity to external systems. Each external system that connects to Flow Builder behaves in different ways depending on how the external system stores the information that you want to retrieve and manipulate. Review each connector's reference page to understand which triggers and actions are available.").
    2. Select a trigger.
    3. [Create a new connection](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_ala_connections_create_connection.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Create a connection to an external system in the Automation app.") or use an existing connection.
        
        A connection test runs automatically.
    4. Select values for **Polling Frequency** and **Record Type**.
        
        The **Select Which Fields to Use** section appears.
    5. Set the fields for the trigger.
        
        If no fields are selected, all fields are returned by default.
    6. Set the [filter requirements](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_ref_elements_filter.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Apply criteria to a collection, and then output a new collection that contains only the items that meet the criteria.") for the trigger.
    7. Select how many records the filter stores.
    8. Select the output resources for the trigger.
        
        To refer to the trigger output in subsequent steps, use the $Event variable.
    9. Optionally, select **Advanced Options** to check for a new version of the connector.
4. After you configure the trigger, you can continue to add elements to your flow [including MuleSoft for Flow: Integration connector actions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_build_flow_esct_third_party_as_action.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "To integrate your flow with an external system, add MuleSoft for Flow: Integration connectors as actions to all existing flow types. You can add connectors to flows that trigger external system changes, records, schedules, Data Cloud-triggered flows, or autolaunched flows.").
5. Review polling behavior and failure handling.
    
    ![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/images/icon_important.png)
    
    Important
    
    External System Change-Triggered flows use a poller to fetch records on the selected schedule.
    
    **Polling Behavior and Deactivation**
    
    - **Retries:** When polling fails, the flow tries again up to 3 consecutive times.
    - **Automatic Deactivation:** Happens after the third consecutive poller failure. This behavior applies to poller-level failures (for example, authentication or connectivity), but doesn't apply to individual record-level failures.
    - **Reactivation:** If poller failure deactivates the flow, resolve the underlying issue and reactivate the flow manually.
    
    **Poller Limits and Exceptions**
    
    - **Pre-execution Failures:** If the poller fails before execution starts, no fault path is available at the **Start** element.
    - **Payload Limits:** A poll response that exceeds 128,000 characters (including data and metadata) exceeds the payload limit.
6. Save, test, debug, and activate the flow.

## Create an External System Change-Triggered Flow from a Template

Use a pre-built template to create a flow that triggers when changes occur in an external system.

1. Choose how to access the flow templates.
    - Go to the **Integrations** tab and select a [connector](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_ref_third_party_connectors.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Use MuleSoft for Flow: Integration connectors in your flows for no-code connectivity to external systems. Each external system that connects to Flow Builder behaves in different ways depending on how the external system stores the information that you want to retrieve and manipulate. Review each connector's reference page to understand which triggers and actions are available.") from the **Get Started with Connectors** section.
    - Go to the **Flows** tab, then click **New**, and then click **Triggered Automations**.
2. Select a template and click **Next**.
3. Enter values for **Label**, **API Name** and **Field API Name**.
4. Optionally, set custom fields.
5. Click **OK**.
    
    The flow opens in Flow Builder. The template has a pre-built flow that offers a starting point with established logic and field mappings. You will encounter errors until you [configure your connections](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_ala_connections_create_connection.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Create a connection to an external system in the Automation app."). Customize the elements in your template to your specific needs.
6. In the **Start** element, configure the trigger.
    1. [Create a new connection](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_ala_connections_create_connection.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Create a connection to an external system in the Automation app.") or use an existing connection.
        
        A connection test runs automatically.
    2. Select values for **Polling Frequency** and **Record Type**.
        
        The **Select Which Fields to Use** section appears.
    3. Set the fields for the trigger.
        
        If no fields are selected, all fields are returned by default.
    4. Set the [filter requirements](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_ref_elements_filter.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Apply criteria to a collection, and then output a new collection that contains only the items that meet the criteria.") for the trigger.
    5. Set how many records the filter stores.
    6. Set the output resources for the trigger.
        
        To refer to the trigger output in subsequent steps, use the $Event variable.
    7. Optionally, select **Advanced Options** to see if a new version of the connector is available.
7. Adjust the elements in the flow to match your requirements.
8. Review polling behavior and failure handling.
    
    ![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/images/icon_important.png)
    
    Important
    
    External System Change-Triggered flows use a poller to fetch records on the selected schedule.
    
    **Polling Behavior and Deactivation**
    
    - **Retries:** When polling fails, the flow tries again up to 3 consecutive times.
    - **Automatic Deactivation:** Happens after the third consecutive poller failure. This behavior applies to poller-level failures (for example, authentication or connectivity), but doesn't apply to individual record-level failures.
    - **Reactivation:** If poller failure deactivates the flow, resolve the underlying issue and reactivate the flow manually.
    
    **Poller Limits and Exceptions**
    
    - **Pre-execution Failures:** If the poller fails before execution starts, no fault path is available at the **Start** element.
    - **Payload Limits:** A poll response that exceeds 128,000 characters (including data and metadata) exceeds the payload limit.
9. Save, test, debug, and activate the flow.

#### See Also

- [Automated Flow Testing](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_test_record_data_cloud_triggered.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Understand assertions, flow versions, and test data before you set up an automated test scenario through Test Mode (beta) or for a Data Cloud-triggered flow.")
- [Test or Troubleshoot Flows with the Flow Builder Debugger](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_test_debug.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "For flows that don't use Test Mode, use the Debug option to test or troubleshoot the flow. Review step-by-step details of how the flow runs and the path it takes.")
- [Activate or Deactivate a Flow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_distribute_activate.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "You can activate or deactivate a flow from the Automation app Flows tab or the Flow Builder canvas.")