Action Element

 

• Action Element

  

  • What are Action elements?
  • How can we use Actions in a flow?

  
  

• Action Element

  
  
  

  Using Actions

  Actions allow us to call Apex classes and Quick Actions from within our Flow.

  Apex Classes

  Apex Classes are a great way to expand our Flow when we find something that Flow cannot do, we can get developers to write this code. Alternatively, we may find some pre-written Apex code that we can install.

  Any Apex classes that are annotated with @InvocableMethod can be used.

  For example:

  global class lookUpAccountAnnotation {
     @InvocableMethod
     public static List<String> getAccountIds(List<String> names) {
        List<Id> accountIds = new List<Id>();
        List<Account> accounts = [SELECT Id FROM Account WHERE Name in :names];
        for (Account account : accounts) {
           accountIds.add(account.Id);
        }
        return accountIds;
     }
  }
  
  

  Note: If you are using a Developer org for your Flow building in this course there will probably not be any Apex classes available.
  
  
  

  Global and Object-Specific Quick Actions

  All the standard (Salesforce provided) Global and Object-Specific Quick Actions and any we have created are available.
  
  

  A Quick Action to Add a Note:

  
  
  

  Selecting the Action:

  
  
  

  Configuring the new Action:

  
  
  
  

  When we run the action it creates a new note and relates it to our contact: (via the recordId)

  
  
  
  
  

  Other Actions

  There are a wide variety of standard Actions (via Quick Actions) available including:

  • Add Members to Groups
  • Add Groups
  • Create and Update Tasks
  • Log a Call
  • Create a Case
  • Create an Account
  • Create a Contact
  • Create an Event
  • Create a Lead
  • Create an Opportunity
  • Post to Chatter
  • Send Custom Notifications
  • Send Email
  • Submit for Approval
  • Plus any Global or Object-Specific Quick Actions you have created.
    
    

  
  

• Exercise: Call an Action

Build a Flow with the Action element

Using Actions in a Flow

Actions allow us to call other automation from our flow, either Quick Actions or Apex code that you have installed or your developers have written.

Aim

Create a flow that uses a pre-built quick action or an Apex action to do the work for us.

Method

Get some input parameters for a Lead record, use the New Lead Action to create a quick lead record.

Your new flow is a fairly simple one and will look like this when finished:

Start by creating a new Screen Flow and adding these four components:

Configure each of the components as shown below:

Name:

Company Name: (note you need to tick Require to make this mandatory)

Phone: (Note: Making this field Required is different)

Email: (also required)

Add a new element - Action.

Select the action New Lead:

Configure the parameters to pass from your screen to the action:

(Notice how the "Compound field" Name can now be split into its parts - First Name, Last Name and Salutation)

Save and run your new flow (in debug mode):

Check the results - did it create a new Lead record?

Wow, now that was easy!