# FlowSettings Metadata Type in SFDX

> FlowSettings governs organization-wide Flow engine behaviors, including deploying flows as active, pausing interviews, and managing runtime execution permissions.

- Source: https://sfdxtalk.com/docs/metadata/flow-settings-metadata-type/
- Category: Metadata
- Applies to: Salesforce Winter '27 (API version 68.0)
- Level: intermediate
- Published: 2026-11-12
- Last updated: 2026-11-12
- Publisher: SFDX Talk Editorial (unofficial; not affiliated with or endorsed by Salesforce)
- License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

## Architectural Overview

`FlowSettings` is a vital organizational configuration file under the `Settings` metadata umbrella that governs core execution policies, security models, and deployment behaviors for Salesforce Flow. As Salesforce continues to consolidate declarative automation on Flow as the primary engine, configuring `FlowSettings` correctly in scratch org definitions and deployment pipelines is a cornerstone of enterprise CI/CD reliability.

One of the most consequential capabilities controlled by `FlowSettings` is `enableFlowDeployAsActive`. Without this setting enabled, automated deployment pipelines targeting test environments or production sandboxes deploy new flow versions in Draft status, breaking automated integration testing and requiring manual intervention.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    A["Flow.settings-meta.xml"] --> B["enableFlowDeployAsActive = true"]
    A --> C["enableFlowInterviewSharingEnabled = true"]
    A --> D["enableFlowSystemRunContext = true"]
    B --> E["Permits automated deployment of Active flows"]
    C --> F["Applies record-level security to paused interviews"]
    D --> G["Enables elevated system context execution modes"]
```

## Directory and File Conventions

In Salesforce DX projects, `FlowSettings` is stored within the `settings/` folder as a single singleton file representing the `Flow` domain.

| Property | Value |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Metadata Type Name** | `Settings` (member: `Flow`) / `FlowSettings` |
| **SFDX Folder** | `force-app/main/default/settings/` |
| **File Name** | `Flow.settings-meta.xml` |
| **Scratch Org Setting Key** | `flowSettings` |

## Key Metadata Fields

The XML schema for `FlowSettings` provides several operational controls:

| Field Name | Field Type | Required | Description |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `enableFlowDeployAsActive` | `boolean` | No | Allows flows with `<status>Active</status>` to be deployed directly into production and scratch orgs. |
| `enableFlowInterviewSharingEnabled` | `boolean` | No | Enforces sharing rules on paused flow interview records to prevent unauthorized resume operations. |
| `isFlowActiveSetting` | `boolean` | No | Specifies whether deploying flows as active is enabled organization-wide. |
| `enableFlowSystemRunContext` | `boolean` | No | Allows flows to execute in system context without sharing to bypass standard user permissions. |

> [!NOTE]
> Enabling `enableFlowDeployAsActive` requires production deployments to meet minimum Apex test execution thresholds for any Apex classes invoked by active flows.

## Declarative XML and Package Manifest Examples

Below is a production-hardened `Flow.settings-meta.xml` configuration for enterprise CI/CD pipelines:

```xml title="force-app/main/default/settings/Flow.settings-meta.xml"
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<FlowSettings xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <enableFlowDeployAsActive>true</enableFlowDeployAsActive>
    <enableFlowInterviewSharingEnabled>true</enableFlowInterviewSharingEnabled>
    <isFlowActiveSetting>true</isFlowActiveSetting>
</FlowSettings>
```

### Scratch Org Configuration (`config/project-scratch-def.json`)

```json title="config/project-scratch-def.json"
{
  "orgName": "Enterprise Automation Scratch Org",
  "edition": "Enterprise",
  "settings": {
    "flowSettings": {
      "enableFlowDeployAsActive": true,
      "enableFlowInterviewSharingEnabled": true,
      "isFlowActiveSetting": true
    }
  }
}
```

### Package Manifest (`package.xml`)

```xml title="manifest/package.xml"
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <types>
        <members>Flow</members>
        <name>Settings</name>
    </types>
    <version>68.0</version>
</Package>
```

## CLI Retrieval and Deployment Commands

Manage `FlowSettings` using Salesforce CLI:

```bash
# Retrieve Flow settings from an org
sf project retrieve start --metadata Settings:Flow

# Deploy Flow settings to an automated scratch org
sf project deploy start --metadata Settings:Flow
```

## Architect Best Practices and Gotchas

- **Scratch Org Bootstrapping:** Always include `flowSettings` with `enableFlowDeployAsActive: true` in your `project-scratch-def.json` file. This prevents scratch org creation scripts from failing when deploying active record-triggered flows.
- **Apex Test Requirements:** When deploying active flows to production, Salesforce enforces that test classes achieve code coverage across any `@InvocableMethod` Apex classes called by the flows.
- **Security Implications of Interview Sharing:** Leaving `enableFlowInterviewSharingEnabled` disabled permits users to view and resume paused interviews initiated by other users if they possess the Run Flows permission.

> [!TIP]
> Deploy `Flow.settings-meta.xml` in your foundational pipeline stage before deploying individual [Flow](/docs/metadata/flow-metadata-type/) or [ApexClass](/docs/metadata/apex-class-metadata-type/) artifacts.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the role of enableFlowDeployAsActive in FlowSettings?

When enabled, it permits automated CI/CD deployment pipelines to deploy flows directly in an Active status without requiring manual administrative activation.

### Where is FlowSettings stored within an SFDX repository structure?

FlowSettings is stored as force-app/main/default/settings/Flow.settings-meta.xml and retrieved as Settings member Flow in package.xml manifests.

### What testing requirements apply when deploying flows in Active status to production?

Production environments require sufficient Apex test coverage across all active Apex invocable actions and processes invoked by deployed flows.

## Official References

- https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/api-metadata/references/meta-types/metadata-flowsettings.md