Introduction

Salesforce provides two powerful automation tools:

● Record-Triggered Flows
● Apex Triggers

Both can update data and enforce rules, but they are not meant for the same problems.

Choosing the wrong tool can cause:

● Performance issues
● Maintenance nightmares
● Automation conflicts

So let’s clearly understand when to use what.

When to Use Flow

Use Flow when:

● Logic is simple
● No complex loops required
● Admins must maintain it
● No external integrations

Examples

● Auto-fill fields
● Send email alerts
● Simple approvals
● Status updates

Flow is best for business-driven logic.

Use Apex when:

● Complex validation required
● Multiple objects involved
● Bulk processing needed
● Integration logic required

Examples

● Data synchronization
● Complex calculations
● Calling external APIs
● Background processing

Triggers are best for technical system logic.

Flow can hit limits when:

● Updating many records
● Looping over collections
● Making multiple updates

This can cause:

● CPU timeout
● Record locking
● Automation failure

Apex gives better control over limits and error handling.

Modern orgs use:

Flow → Business rules
Trigger → Technical rules

Example:

Flow:
● Set default values
● Owner assignment

Trigger:
● Start async jobs
● Integrations

Clear separation = stable automation.

● Using Flow for integrations
● Duplicating logic in Flow and Trigger
● Trigger calling Flow
● No documentation of automation roles

● Define automation ownership clearly
● Document what runs where
● Review Flows before writing triggers

Flows and Triggers are not competitors — they are complementary tools.

Use Flow for flexibility.

Use Apex for reliability and scale.

Build simple with Flow, build strong with Apex — and let each tool do what it does best. 💪