---
schema_version: "1"
id: 5b2a526e590afaa558edc8a0ad3f1a42ddcc84f1ffce56f140ab46818201aa7e
title: Start Element
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/flow_ref_elements_start.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_ref_elements_start.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 4aeab18583a27839d9aec43006d36e5922ced9327eceb683f032c9e64ca9e3e5
description: Connect the Start element to the flow element that you want to run first at run time. In an autolaunched flow, you can open the Start element to add a trigger that launches the flow. Without a trigger, you must set up other things to invoke the autolaunched flow, such as custom buttons, processes, Apex classes, or Einstein Bots.
products:
  - Flow Builder
  - Salesforce Platform
release: "264"
---
# Start Element

Connect the Start element to the flow element that you want to run first at run time. In an autolaunched flow, you can open the Start element to add a trigger that launches the flow. Without a trigger, you must set up other things to invoke the autolaunched flow, such as custom buttons, processes, Apex classes, or Einstein Bots.

### 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></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 In event-triggered flows, you can set the flow to run as the default workflow user. If the default workflow user gets unset, the flow runs as the automated process user.

#### See Also

- [Schedule-Triggered Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_concepts_trigger_schedule.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "A schedule-triggered flow starts at the specified time and frequency for a batch of records. Configure the schedule trigger in the Start element of your autolaunched flow.")
- [Before-Save Record-Triggered Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_concepts_trigger_record.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Creating or updating a record can trigger a record-triggered flow to make additional updates to that record before it's saved to the database. A record-triggered flow can update a Salesforce record 10 times faster than a record-change process. Configure the record trigger in the Start element of your record-triggered flow.")
- [Creating Flow Formulas with Flow Formula Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_formula_builder.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "You can use Flow Formula Builder to build an expression in Formula-type resources or in the Collection Filter or Start elements of a record-triggered flow. To build your expression, select from a list of functions and operators. To catch errors as you work, check the formula syntax for each expression.")