---
schema_version: "1"
id: c229c7e4f791cb90a71de55ed2bbc794a6404e767cb25df4cdff0d0b1049f3cc
title: Activate Your Workflow Rule
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/creating_workflow_rules_activate.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.creating_workflow_rules_activate.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 104a101302e824122ff6615a359d11fb8ca4eead782aa862be35563fdb0d22d2
description: Salesforce doesn’t trigger a workflow rule until you activate it.
products:
  - Flow Builder
  - Salesforce Platform
release: "264"
---
# Activate Your Workflow Rule

Salesforce doesn’t trigger a workflow rule until you activate it.

### 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;">Available in: Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d109321e73">User Permissions
              Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d109321e73 ">To create or change workflow rules and actions:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d109321e73 ">Customize Application</td>

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

![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 Support and updates for Workflow Rules have ended as of December 31, 2025. This means that support won't be provided for any workflow rules and bugs in the Workflow Rules product won't be fixed. See [Workflow Rules & Process Builder End of Support](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=001096524&type=1&language=en_US).

After December 31, 2025, existing workflow rules continue to run, and you can activate, deactivate, and edit them; however we recommend using Flow Builder. To migrate existing workflow rules, plan your [switch to Flow Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_migrate_to_flow_learning_map.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Flow Builder combines the capabilities of workflow rules and Process Builder in a single point-and-click tool, making it easier to create a triggered process. If you created triggered processes with workflow rules or Process Builder, use the Migrate to Flow tool to move them to Flow Builder. Start by migrating and testing in a sandbox environment before moving your new flows to production.") and use the [Migrate to Flow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_migrate_to_flow.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Use the Migrate to Flow tool to convert your Process Builder processes and workflow rules into Flow Builder, including scheduled actions. The tool also supports partial migration of processes for most actions.") tool. For new automations, create flows in [Flow Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Automation reduces repetitive work and helps your team complete tasks faster and more accurately. With Flow Builder, you can build simple or complex automations, forms, and guided experiences with no code. You can add forms to Salesforce pages and Experience sites, and launch flows using buttons, record triggers, or schedules.").

To activate a workflow rule, click **Activate** on the workflow rule detail page. Click **Deactivate** to prevent a rule from triggering or if you want to edit the time-dependent actions and time triggers that are associated with the rule.

You can deactivate a workflow rule at any time. However, if you deactivate a rule that has pending actions, Salesforce completes those actions as long as the record that triggered the rule isn’t updated.

![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't delete a workflow rule that has pending actions in the workflow queue. Wait until pending actions are processed, or use the workflow queue to cancel the pending actions.
- You can't add time-dependent workflow actions to active workflow rules. Deactivate the workflow rule first, add the time-dependent workflow action, and reactivate the rule.

#### See Also

- [Set the Criteria for Your Workflow Rule](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.workflow_rules_define.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Get started with creating a workflow rule by selecting the object the rule relates to and configuring its criteria.")