A workflow rule has three possible evaluation criteria — they control when the rule even checks its conditions. Picking the wrong one is the number-one reason workflows fire too often (or not at all).
The three options
| # | Label in Setup | Behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Created | The rule only evaluates on insert. After that, it ignores all edits. |
| 2 | Created, and any time it’s edited to subsequently meet criteria | Evaluates on insert and on every edit, but only fires when the record just started meeting the criteria (it didn’t on the prior save). |
| 3 | Created, and every time it’s edited | Evaluates on insert and on every edit. Fires every time the criteria are TRUE, even if they were already TRUE on the previous save. |
A worked example
Say the criteria is Stage = "Closed Won".
| Event | Stage before | Stage after | Criteria 1 | Criteria 2 | Criteria 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insert with Stage = Prospecting | — | Prospecting | Doesn’t fire | Doesn’t fire | Doesn’t fire |
| Insert with Stage = Closed Won | — | Closed Won | Fires | Fires | Fires |
| Edit: Prospecting → Closed Won | Prospecting | Closed Won | Skipped (insert-only) | Fires (just met criteria) | Fires |
| Edit: Closed Won → Closed Won (no change) | Closed Won | Closed Won | Skipped | Skipped (already met) | Fires |
| Edit: Closed Won → Lost | Closed Won | Lost | Skipped | Doesn’t fire (no longer meets) | Doesn’t fire |
That table is what interviewers actually want when they ask the next question — the difference between criteria 2 and 3.
How to choose
- Criteria 1 — for one-time, insert-only rules. Example: “Set Default Region on new Accounts.”
- Criteria 2 — for “trigger once when the record reaches this state” rules. Example: “Send email when Opportunity first becomes Closed Won.” This is the most common choice.
- Criteria 3 — when you genuinely want the rule to fire on every save while the condition holds. Example: an audit log entry that you want every time someone saves a record in a certain state. Use sparingly — it can multiply email volume.
Time-dependent actions and evaluation criteria
Time-dependent actions are not allowed with Criteria 3 (“every time edited”) because the platform can’t queue actions safely if the same record can re-trigger them on every save. If you need time-dependent actions, you must pick Criteria 1 or 2.
What interviewers want
- All three by name, in order
- The behavioural difference between 2 and 3 (which gets its own question)
- Awareness that Criteria 3 disables time-dependent actions
Related
- What is the difference between 2nd and 3rd evaluation criteria?
Verified against: Salesforce Help — Workflow Evaluation Criteria. Last reviewed 2026-05-17 for Spring ‘26 release.