How to Fix Salesforce Flow Errors: Step-by-Step

Salesforce Flows are powerful tools for automating business processes, yet even the most experienced admins and developers occasionally run into errors. Whether it’s a null value causing a fault, or a misconfigured element, Flow errors can be frustrating, especially in production environments.

This blog will guide you step-by-step to identify, troubleshoot, and fix Salesforce Flow errors effectively.

First, let’s explore some common reasons why a flow might fail during execution.

Flows can fail for a variety of reasons, including:

Fun Fact: According to Salesforce documentation, one of the most common Flow errors is caused by unhandled fault paths in Screen Flows or Record-Triggered Flows.

Click the button, provide values for the input variables defined in your flow, and start the run. After execution, review the Debug Details section to identify any errors that may have occurred.

Before diving into the debug logs, try to reproduce the error. This helps you understand:

Use test data or sandbox environments to avoid affecting real users or data.

For more detailed information, enable debug logs:

This helps you track the exact moment the Flow failed and what caused it.

Pro Tip: Create a custom debug level with only Workflow (Flows) set to FINE to reduce noise. And don’t forget to delete unused debug log entries—Salesforce has limits. Pair this with Flow’s Debug on Canvas for a complete troubleshooting view.

Many Flow errors happen because of unhandled faults. For every key element (like Create, Update, Delete Records), make sure to:

Pro Tip: Combine Platform Events with Flow to log errors asynchronously and alert your team in real time.

If the error involves record access, check:

You don’t need to enable the Flow User checkbox on a user’s record if they already have the Run Flow permission through Profile/Permission Set.

Even if your Flow is running in system context, some actions (like sending emails or accessing child records) may still fail without proper sharing access.

Use the Flow Builder to:

Consider simplifying the Flow by breaking it into subflows for clarity and easier testing.

Once fixes are applied, test your Flow using:

Use Test Classes (for autolaunched Flows invoked via Apex) or Record-Triggered Flow Test Tools introduced in recent Salesforce releases.

To get notified when a flow fails, go to Process Automation Settings in Setup. You can choose to send error emails either to the user who last modified the flow or to the Apex Exception Email Recipients (List of users set on the Apex Exception Email page).

You can bypass certain errors by connecting the Fault path to the same outcome as the Success path. While not generally recommended, it can be useful in specific cases— for example, if adding a related Case record fails but you still want the flow to proceed with updating the Account.

Setup > Quick Find Bar > All Failed Flow Interviews List View.

Always clone and create a new Flow version instead of modifying the active one. This allows for rollback if something goes wrong.

Name your Flow versions with meaningful tags like: Version 4 – Added Null Check on Account Lookup Version 5 – Updated Email Alert Fault Path

This improves collaboration and traceability.

Flow errors are a normal part of working in Salesforce, but with the right tools and mindset, they can be quickly identified and fixed. By proactively adding fault paths, testing various conditions, and designing resilient Flows, you can greatly reduce the chances of runtime errors and ensure smoother business automation.

Remember, every Flow error is an opportunity to make your automation more robust and user-friendly.