How to Test Salesforce Flow?

Salesforce Flows automate complex business processes without writing code, but even the most well-designed flow can break if not tested properly.

In this article, you’ll learn how to test Salesforce Flows manually and with automation to catch logic errors early and maintain reliability as your org evolves.

What is Salesforce Flow Test?

A Salesforce Flow test verifies that a Flow behaves as expected under different conditions. It checks whether each logic path runs correctly, inputs and outputs are appropriately handled, and the flow integrates well with other Salesforce components like records, formulas, or Apex code.

Why Should You Test Salesforce Flows?

By testing Salesforce flows thoroughly, you reduce the risk of errors, improve flow reliability, and ensure smooth automation across your organization.

• Catch logic errors: Validate decision paths, conditions, and loops to ensure the flow follows the correct steps in every scenario.
• Verify field updates: Check that the right fields are updated with the correct values on the intended records.
• Handle edge cases: Test how the flow behaves when users enter missing, wrong, or unusual data.
• Avoid data issues: Prevent problems like duplicate records, failed updates, or overwriting important information.
• Ensure compatibility: Confirm the flow works correctly alongside Apex code, validation rules, triggers, and other automations.

• Improve confidence: Deliver a flow that runs reliably in production without causing business disruptions or user confusion.

Different Types of Salesforce Flows

Salesforce offers different types of Flows to automate a wide range of business processes without writing code. Each type serves a specific purpose based on how and when you want the automation to run.

1. Screen Flow

These are user-guided flows that display screens for data input and interaction. They’re ideal for collecting information from users through multiple screens. These flows are commonly embedded in Lightning pages or launched from quick actions. They support branching logic and can include elements like choices, inputs, and decisions.

For example, a screen flow can collect customer feedback during a service call. Based on the satisfaction score, it can either prompt the agent to escalate the case or skip follow-up steps and ensure personalized service handling without Apex.

2. Scheduled-Triggered Flow

These flows are designed to run at specific times or intervals, such as weekly. They’re useful for data cleanup, batch updates, or automated email reminders. It can process large sets of records based on specific criteria. Admins can configure the schedule directly within Flow Builder.

For example, a scheduled-triggered flow can run nightly to find Opportunities without activity in the last 30 days and assign follow-up tasks to sales reps and ensure no leads go cold.

3. Record-Triggered Flow

These flows are triggered automatically when a record is created, updated, or deleted. They’re commonly used to automate tasks like field updates, related record creation, or validation checks.

For example, when a new high-priority case is created, a record-triggered flow can auto-assign it to a senior support queue, send a Slack notification, and update the related Account’s service status in real time.

4. Platform Event-Triggered Flow

These flows consider events published by external systems or internal processes. When the platform event is received, the flow runs in near real-time. This type is useful for integrating with external systems, asynchronous processing, or handling system-generated notifications.

For example, when a payment gateway sends a “Payment Failed” event, the flow can immediately update the related Subscription record, create a Chatter alert, and send a retry email to the customer without delay.

5. Autolaunched Flow

These are the background flows that don’t require user interaction. They can be invoked from Apex, Process Builder, or other flows. These flows are ideal for performing calculations, record manipulations, or background operations.

For example, after a contract is signed, an Autolaunched Flow can be called to generate a custom invoice, apply partner discounts based on tiers, and link the invoice back to the original Opportunity without user input.

What Is Assertion in Salesforce Flow Tests?

An assertion in a Salesforce Flow Test is a condition that checks whether the flow produced the expected outcome during test execution. Assertions are used in automated flow tests to validate specific results, such as field values or record states.

For example, you can assert that a record’s status is set to “Approved” after the flow finishes running.

How to Create and Run Salesforce Flow Tests?

Salesforce Flow Tests can be performed using two primary ways:

• Manual testing
• Automated testing

Below are detailed steps highlighting how to create and run Salesforce Flow tests using each method.

Create a Flow Test Manually Using the Debug Tool

Manual testing involves running the flow through the Debug tool, which helps to analyze the flow path and inspect the real-time behavior. It allows users to enter input values and track the outcomes step by step.

Here are the steps to create a flow test manual using the debug tool.

Step 1: Open the flow

Navigate to the Flow Builder and open the flow you want to test.

Step 2: Click on “Debug”

This launches the Debug tool, where you can simulate how the flow will run with different inputs.

Step 3: Enter input values

If your flow uses variables as input, provide the required values so it can run as it would in real conditions.

Step 4: Run the flow

Click the “Run” button to execute the flow step by step. You’ll see the execution path highlighted.

Step 5: Review the results

Examine each element’s output, including field values and system logs. This helps confirm that the flow behaves as expected or identifies where it breaks.

Create an Automated Flow Test in Flow Builder

Automated testing lets you define repeatable test cases within Flow Builder. You can specify input values, run multiple scenarios, and use assertions to validate the outcomes. This is useful for regression testing and ensures that changes to the flow don’t break existing logic.

Here are the steps to create an automated flow test in Flow Builder:

Step 1: Set up your flow

Open or create the flow you want to test. Make sure it contains logic such as decision elements and assignments, and record actions to validate test outcomes meaningfully.

Step 2: Open the test interface

Click the “View Tests (Beta)” button in Flow Builder to access the automated test panel.

Step 3: Create a new test

Click “New Test”, then give your test a clear name and an optional description so it’s easy to identify later.

Step 4: Define test inputs

Add the sample input values that the flow will use during this test run. These inputs simulate what a real user or system would pass to the flow.

Step 5: Add assertions

Use assertions to define what you expect the flow to do. For example, you can check if a record field is set to a specific value or if a new record was created with specific details.

Step 6: Save and run the test

Click “Save Test”, then use the “Run” button to execute it. The system will validate the flow’s outcome against your defined assertions.

Step 7: Analyze the results

After the run, Salesforce will show whether the test passed or failed. If it fails, it will highlight which assertions didn’t match, helping you pinpoint the issue.

Limitations of Salesforce Flow Tests

While Salesforce Flow Tests offer a built-in way to validate flow behavior, they come with certain limitations.

• Limited coverage: Flow tests cannot cover all logic paths if the flow depends heavily on dynamic data, record-specific conditions, or external inputs.
• No UI validation: They only test backend logic and cannot validate user-facing elements like screen flows, component visibility, or layout behavior.

• Assertion limits: You can only assert on values available within the flow, so complex comparisons or conditions involving multiple objects are challenging to test.
• Not suitable for all flows: Some flows, such as those invoked from Process Builder or Apex, may not be directly testable through the Flow Test interface.
• No bulk testing: Flow tests run on individual records or specific test cases and cannot simulate high-volume or batch processing scenarios.
• Limited debugging for failed tests: Error messages are often generic and may not clearly show which flow element or condition caused the failure.

Best Practices for Testing Salesforce Flows

These practices help ensure your flows are reliable, scalable, and easy to maintain across environments.

• Test in a sandbox environment: Always test your flows in a sandbox before moving them to production. This prevents disruptions to live users or data and allows you to identify and fix issues safely.
• Leverage Apex test classes: If your flow calls Apex or depends on complex logic, write Apex test classes alongside. Apex tests support more advanced assertions and validate logic that Flow Builder cannot handle alone.
• Avoid hardcoded IDs: Never hardcode record IDs in flows. Use queries, custom metadata, or custom settings to retrieve records dynamically. This makes your flows environment-independent and easier to deploy across orgs.
• Avoid DML inside loops: Performing DML operations within loops can quickly hit governor limits. Instead, add records to a collection and perform DML outside the loop to improve performance and reliability.
• Promote reusability and modularity: Split large or complex flows into smaller subflows. Modular design makes testing easier, reduces duplication, and simplifies long-term maintenance.

• Test with diverse data and scenarios: Use a variety of test inputs, including typical cases, edge cases, and failure conditions. This ensures your flow behaves correctly in both expected and unexpected situations.

Testing Salesforce Screen Flows with BrowserStack Automate

Salesforce Screen Flows are interactive and often run inside the Salesforce web or mobile UI. To ensure these flows work correctly, you must test them across browsers and devices.

BrowserStack Automate lets you run Selenium and Appium test scripts on real browsers and devices in the cloud. This is especially useful for testing how Screen Flows behave in real-world conditions.

What You Can Test Using BrowserStack Automate?

• Cross-browser rendering: Check how your flow screens appear and behave on different browsers like Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge.
• Responsive layout: Verify that flows adapt correctly across various screen sizes, especially for users accessing Salesforce from tablets or phones.
• Element visibility and interaction: Test whether input fields, buttons, and branching logic work as expected when users interact with them.
• Device-specific behaviors: Catch UI or UX bugs that might only appear on specific OS-browser-device combinations.
• Localization and input accuracy: Confirm that dynamic content, text inputs, or formatting behave correctly in different environments or locales.

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Conclusion

Salesforce Flow Testing ensures that your automation logic works correctly across all conditions. Whether you are working with simple record updates or complex multi-step processes, testing helps catch errors early, improve reliability, and reduce risk in production.

For Screen Flows involving user interaction, verifying their behavior on real devices and browsers is equally essential. BrowserStack Automate lets you test these flows in real-world conditions across multiple platforms. This helps ensure that your flows are logically sound and also responsive, accessible, and functional for all users.

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