---
schema_version: "1"
id: e216c4d421d15b54bb2591597889c540c7d6fb938a35d2522e205c3e09686822
title: Compatibility Considerations for Processes
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/process_considerations_design_compatibility.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.process_considerations_design_compatibility.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: b3816ae67e79c6e3c07f4a77224541c935d6b3f04ef3ab9fd22165ed2d52748e
description: Before you design a process, understand how processes interact with other Salesforce features, like custom objects and fields.
products:
  - Flow Builder
  - Salesforce Platform
release: "264"
---
# Compatibility Considerations for Processes

Before you design a process, understand how processes interact with other Salesforce features, like custom objects and fields.

### 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: both Salesforce Classic (<a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.overview_edition_lex_only.htm&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">not available in all orgs</a>) and Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class="" id="process_considerations_design_compatibility__d3890e343"><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <span id="process_considerations_design_compatibility__d3890e347"><a name="process_considerations_design_compatibility__d3890e347"></a><strong>Essentials</strong>, <strong>Professional</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</span></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 Process Builder have ended as of December 31, 2025. This means that support won't be provided for any process and bugs in the Process Builder 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 processes continue to run, and you can activate, deactivate, and edit them; however, we recommend using Flow Builder. To migrate existing processes, 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.").

## Objects

Process Builder doesn’t support:

- Deprecated custom objects
- Signup Request—unsupported in schedules only
- Social Post
- Social Persona

## External Objects

- External objects aren’t supported in record-change processes.
- When you create or update external object records, don’t set values for indirect lookup relationships that map to a different data type on the external system. For example, don’t set a value for a Text indirect lookup relationship that maps to a Date value on the external system.

## Custom Fields

- Process Builder doesn’t support custom fields of type File.
- If a process references a custom field:
    - You can’t delete the field.
    - If you change the field type or name, the process breaks.
    - If you change the field label, the process doesn’t break. But it still uses the original label.

## Derived Fields

Process Builder doesn’t support fields whose values are derived from other fields. Examples of derived fields include `Contact.Name`, `User.MediumPhotoUrl`, and `EmailMessage.Name`.

## Polymorphic Fields

Queue labels aren't supported in process criteria. For example, you can't use `[Lead].Owner:Queue.Name` in process criteria. Instead, use `[Lead].Owner:Queue.DeveloperName` to reference the queue's API name.

## Validation Rules

- Scheduled Update Records actions skip validation rules.
- Immediate Update Records actions obey validation rules.

## Shield Platform Encryption

You can’t use an encrypted field as a filter in an Update Records action.

## Duplicate Rules

If a duplicate is found when a process tries to create or update a record, the process fails.

## Converted Leads

To evaluate records that result from converted leads, enable the lead setting **Require Validation for Converted Leads**.

## Formula Field Values

If a standard formula field references a field on a related object, that field's value is always null when a process starts. This limitation doesn’t apply to custom formula fields that reference a field on a related object. For a custom formula field that uses the same formula, the field’s value is derived when a process starts.

For example, the RevenueShare field on Campaign Influence calculates `CampaignInfluence.Opportunity.Amount * CampaignInfluence.Influence`. Because the formula references a field on Opportunity (a related object), the field’s value is null.

## Platform Cache

When a process contains a scheduled action, make sure that later actions in the process don't invoke Apex code that stores or retrieves values from the session cache. The session-cache restriction applies to Apex actions and to changes that the process makes to the database that cause Apex triggers to fire.