Many Salesforce students and beginners often feel confused when they hear terms like Workflow Rules, Process Builder, and Visual Workflow (Flows). All three are automation tools, but they serve different purposes and come with different levels of power and flexibility. In this blog post, I’ll break down the differences between Workflow, Process Builder, and Visual Workflow in simple terms, and also explain when you should use each one. My goal is to help you clearly understand these tools so you can make better design decisions in Salesforce.

Let’s start with Process Builder.

Process Builder:

Salesforce introduced Lightning Process Builder as a major upgrade to traditional Workflow Rules. It quickly became one of the most popular automation tools because it allowed administrators and consultants to build complex business logic without writing Apex code. This was a big step forward, especially for non-developers.

One of the biggest advantages of Process Builder is its ability to handle multiple outcomes within a single process. Earlier, admins had to create many workflow rules to manage different scenarios. With Process Builder, you can define if–else logic and manage all related automation in one place. This makes automation easier to understand, maintain, and scale.

Key Features of Process Builder

1. Powerful functionality
Process Builder allows you to create complex logic using criteria-based branching. For example, if an Account Type is “Prospect,” the process can automatically create an Opportunity. If the criteria are not met, you can define a different set of actions under the “Else” condition.

You can also perform multiple actions at the same time, such as:

• Updating records
• Creating related records
• Assigning tasks
• Posting updates to Chatter
• Sending email alerts

Additionally, when creating records automatically, Process Builder lets you predefine default field values, saving time and ensuring consistency.

2. User-friendly interface
Process Builder comes with an intuitive visual interface. You can clearly see the object, criteria, and actions laid out in a logical flow. Compared to Workflow Rules, Process Builder is far more powerful and flexible, while still being easy to use.

For example, you can create multiple criteria nodes for the same object and define different actions for each condition. This makes it easier to manage complex business processes without jumping between multiple automation rules.

When you click on create Opportunity, another tab will open where I can set my default fields.
Similarly, I can add another action if it didn’t meet the criteria.

Process Builder vs Workflow Actions

Workflow Rules are limited to only four types of actions:

• Field updates
• Task assignments
• Email alerts
• Outbound messages

Process Builder supports all of these and goes beyond by allowing additional actions such as:

• Creating or updating records using Quick Actions
• Updating related records (not just the same record)
• Posting messages to Chatter
• Launching a Flow
• Submitting records for approval

If these actions are still not enough, Process Builder can also invoke Apex classes, giving you even more flexibility when needed.