# Choosing flow types: triggers, scheduled paths and subflows

*Platform App Builder Study Guide · Business Logic and Process Automation · Last updated October 25, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-app-builder/business-logic-and-process-automation/choosing-flow-types-triggers-scheduled-paths-and-subflows*

Pick the flow type from what starts the automation (a user, a record change, a schedule, a platform event or a Data 360 change), share logic with subflows, and tell scheduled paths apart from schedule-triggered flows.

- Certification: Salesforce Platform App Builder
- Exam section: Business Logic and Process Automation
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-app-builder

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a scenario, determine the appropriate flow type to meet stated business requirements.

## What the exam expects

- Choose screen, autolaunched (no trigger), record-triggered, schedule-triggered, platform event-triggered or Data 360-triggered flow from what starts the automation and whether a user is involved.
- Share one copy of logic across flows with an autolaunched flow called as a subflow.
- Configure a scheduled path (time source, offset, batch size, the conditions that make it available) and predict what happens on field changes, deactivation and new versions.
- Tell a scheduled path from a schedule-triggered flow, and set the Default Workflow User for inactive triggering users.
- Reject Workflow Rules and Process Builder for new builds and convert with Migrate to Flow.

Key terms: **flow type** (decides elements, resources and distribution); **trigger** (what starts a flow, set in the Start element); **subflow** (a flow called from another flow); **scheduled path** (part of a record-triggered flow that runs later); **time source** (the event or date field a path counts from); **Default Workflow User** (fallback running user).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Screens | Only screen flows; autolaunched no-trigger flows support no screens or choices | [Flow Types](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_concepts_type.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Schedule frequency | Once, daily or weekly; one interview per matching record | [Schedule-Triggered Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.flow_concepts_trigger_schedule.htm&type=5) |
| Record trigger options | Created, updated, created or updated, deleted | [Triggered Flows for Salesforce Automation](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/record-triggered-flows/get-started-with-triggered-flows) |
| Scheduled path batch size | Default and maximum 200, minimum 1 | [Scheduled Paths](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.flow_concepts_trigger_scheduled_path.htm&type=5) |
| Inactive triggering user | Default Workflow User in Process Automation Settings | [Scheduled Paths](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.flow_concepts_trigger_scheduled_path.htm&type=5) |
| Data 360-triggered flow | Starts when a DMO change meets your conditions | [Triggered Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=sf.flow_concepts_trigger.htm&type=5) |
| Workflow Rules and Process Builder | Support ended December 31, 2025; use Migrate to Flow | [Workflow Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_wf.htm&type=5), [Process Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.process_overview.htm&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't an autolaunched no-trigger flow ask the user questions?
- When does a field-based scheduled path move to a new time?
- Why set the Default Workflow User before building scheduled paths?
- Which flow type reacts when a Data 360 data model object changes?

## Sources

- [Flow Types](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_concepts_type.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Triggered Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=sf.flow_concepts_trigger.htm&type=5)
- [Scheduled Paths](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.flow_concepts_trigger_scheduled_path.htm&type=5)
- [Schedule-Triggered Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.flow_concepts_trigger_schedule.htm&type=5)
- [Get Started with Flows (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/flow-basics/get-started-with-flows)
- [Learn Flow Building with Flow Builder (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/flow-basics/meet-flow-builder)
- [Triggered Flows for Salesforce Automation (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/record-triggered-flows/get-started-with-triggered-flows)
- [Workflow Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_wf.htm&type=5)
- [Process Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.process_overview.htm&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 13 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Platform App Builder pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams