Subflows in Salesforce: A Mini
Superpower You Shouldn’t Ignore
If you’ve been building Flows in Salesforce for a while, you’ve probably faced this:
"Wait, didn’t I already build something similar in another Flow?"
Or worse...
"Why am I repeating the same logic in three different Flows?"
That’s where Subflows come in — one of the most underrated yet powerful tools in the
Salesforce Flow arsenal. They help you modularize your automation, reduce duplication,
and make your Flow building experience much more manageable and scalable.
🧠 What Exactly is a Subflow?
A Subflow is a smaller, reusable Flow that you can insert into other Flows. Think of it as
calling a function inside your code. When there’s a repeatable logic – like sending an email,
updating a record, or checking conditions – instead of building that again, you just call a
Subflow.
This means: fewer errors, faster automation, and easier maintenance.
💼 Real-World Use Case: My Leave Request Flow
While creating a Leave Request system in Salesforce, I had several flows – for Casual Leave,
Sick Leave, and Work From Home. Each flow had to send an email, update leave balance,
and notify HR.
Initially, I was copying and pasting the same logic into each Flow. But as soon as something
needed to change, I had to change it in all Flows.
Instead, I created a Subflow: "SUB_HandlePostApprovalTasks". It included all common
actions.
Now, every new leave-type Flow just calls this Subflow — no redundancy, no rework!
🎯 Why You Should Start Using Subflows Today
✅ Reusability: Create once, use anywhere
✅ Consistency: Same logic across all Flows
✅ Easy Maintenance: Update logic in one place
✅ Cleaner Automation: Parent Flows remain readable and short
✅ Scalability: As your org grows, you’ll thank yourself for using them early
⚙️How to Use Subflows (Quick Steps)
1. Create a new Flow (Autolaunched Flow)
2. Add your reusable logic in that flow
3. Add input/output variables to pass data
4. In the main Flow, drag the "Subflow" element
5. Select your Subflow and map the variables
6. Done! Your logic is now reusable 🎉
💡 Pro Tips for Smart Subflow Usage
• Name them clearly – use prefixes like "SUB_" to differentiate
• Always test your Subflow independently
• Avoid UI elements like screens in Subflows
• Use fault paths to handle errors properly
• Document your Subflows inside the org for your team
🚫 When NOT to Use Subflows
Subflows are amazing, but they aren’t for everything.
Avoid them when:
• The logic is extremely unique to a single Flow
• You need screens or user inputs
• Overusing them can make debugging difficult — balance is key!
📝 Final Thoughts
If you’re still doing everything manually in every Flow, you’re making life harder than it
needs to be. Subflows not only save time but also make your processes more scalable and
professional.
Start small – pick one repeated action and turn it into a Subflow. From there, you’ll find
hundreds of ways to optimize.
Trust me — your future self (and your teammates) will thank you. 😊
Already using Subflows? Let me know how you’re using them!
Author Bio
Written by Saksham Garg, Salesforce Admin & Automation Enthusiast. Passionate about
turning manual HR processes into smooth, automated Flows. Currently working on leave
management, timesheet automation, and notification systems inside Salesforce.
