Sales reps at Cloud Kicks (CK) forget to submit for approval when CK needs orders reviewed before close won. CK wants to automatically submit…

The business requirement is to automatically submit an Opportunity for approval when its stage is updated. This requires an automation tool that can be triggered by a record update and can perform an action. A Record-Triggered flow is the appropriate tool. The "Submit for Approval" action must run after the record is saved to the database. Therefore, the flow must be optimized for "Actions and Related Records" (an after-save flow), as this type supports performing actions, while the "Fast Field Updates" (a before-save flow) optimization does not.

A. Record-Triggered flow optimized for Fast Field Updates: This type of flow runs before the record is saved and can only update fields on the triggering record. It cannot perform actions like "Submit for Approval".

B. Custom button and screen flow: This solution requires manual user interaction (clicking a button), which directly contradicts the requirement to eliminate manual submission and automate the process.

C. Platform Event-Triggered flow: This flow is triggered by a platform event message, not directly by a record update. Using it would add unnecessary complexity, as a record-triggered flow is the direct and standard solution.

1. Salesforce Help, "Record-Triggered Flow": This document distinguishes between the two optimization types. It states, "To update the triggering record, use the Fast Field Updates option. To perform actions or update related records, use the Actions and Related Records option." The "Submit for Approval" is an action, necessitating the latter.

2. Salesforce Help, "Flow Core Action: Submit for Approval": This documentation details the "Submit for Approval" action, which is available in after-save Record-Triggered flows. It explicitly states, "This action is available only in record-triggered flows that run after the record is saved."

3. Salesforce Architects, "Record-Triggered Automation Decision Guide": This guide provides best practices for choosing automation tools. For a process that needs to execute actions based on a record change, it recommends a Record-Triggered Flow that runs after save (Actions and Related Records). See the "After-Save" section of the decision guide diagram.