Implementing data tables in Salesforce Screen Flows
Screen Flows have come a long way declaratively, and displaying and manipulating a large dataset inside a screen is routine now. The Data Table component in particular gave declarative builders a decent way to present information concisely. There is more than one way to render a table, though, and each carries its own advantages and disadvantages. Here is how the main options stack up for developers and admins.
Evaluation metrics
Every option gets assessed against the same criteria:
- OOTB (out-of-the-box): whether it is natively available in Flow Builder, or needs custom development or an install.
- User-friendly setup: how easy it is to configure and deploy, on a scale of 1 (difficult) to 5 (simple).
- Flexibility: whether it supports adding and editing rows, filtering and other dynamic actions, on a scale of 1 (limited) to 5 (highly flexible).
- Upgradability: how much ongoing maintenance and updating it costs you, on a scale of 1 (difficult) to 5 (easy).
- Special requirements: the technical skills or prerequisites you need to implement it.
- Special features: the capabilities that set it apart from the others.
- Best fit: the scenarios it suits.
Salesforce native Data Table component
The native Data Table component arrived in Winter '23 as a beta and has been built on in the releases since. It is OOTB, so there is nothing to install.
Setup scores 5/5: drag it onto the canvas and configure it in the side panel. Flexibility is 1/5. It is built for display with basic sorting and searching. Spring '26 added column-level editing for specific data types, and Summer '26 improved relationship field display so names show and link through. Upgradability is 5/5, because it rides Salesforce platform updates and you maintain none of it. All it asks of you is basic Flow Builder knowledge.
Best fit is simple, read-only data display, or the minimal inline editing it now supports. The drawback worth knowing before you commit: the editable data types are limited, and picklists are excluded, which rules out a fair number of business processes.
UnofficialSF Datatable LWC
This third-party Lightning Web Component is what most people used before the native option shipped, and it still does more.
It is not OOTB; you install it, typically as a soql-in-loops-security-review-impact-for-managed-packages/" class="auto-link">managed package. Setup scores 3/5 once you account for the install and wiring the component into the Flow. Flexibility is 3/5: it supports adding new rows, editing existing ones, and managing record states with before and after values. Upgradability is 4/5, since the community keeps it in good shape but updates arrive on their own schedule rather than with Salesforce releases. You need to be comfortable with LWC concepts and with how Flow components interact. Apex-defined objects are supported.
Best fit is when you need more dynamic record manipulation than the native component gives you and you would rather not build a fully custom solution.
OnDuty Enhanced Datatable
Another community-driven LWC, this one aimed at more involved flow interactions.
Not OOTB either, and often installed from a GitHub repository. Setup is 3/5 for the install and configuration. Flexibility is 4/5: editable rows plus features that go past basic CRUD operations. Upgradability is 4/5 and relies on community maintenance. You will want moderate to advanced LWC and Flow development experience, and familiarity with Platform Events helps for some of the features.
What it adds is custom buttons, a Platform Event listener, and automatic navigation inside the Flow. It also supports collaborative, multi-user flows where updates are visible in real time. Best fit is anything demanding advanced interactivity, custom actions behind buttons, or real-time data synchronization across people working the same flow.
Custom LWC solution
For requirements that are genuinely specific or complex, a bespoke LWC is the most powerful option and the most demanding one.
Nothing is OOTB here; you build all of it. Setup is 1/5 for the development time and expertise involved. Flexibility is 5/5, with complete control over functionality, design and integration. Upgradability is 1/5, because maintenance is entirely yours, including adapting to Lightning Platform changes and potential deprecations. It needs advanced LWC skills, an understanding of the Salesforce platform architecture, and development resource you can actually spare.
Best fit is when nothing off the shelf and no third-party component meets your business logic and UI requirements, and you have the people to build it and keep it running.
Comparison summary
| Feature | Salesforce Native Data Table | UnofficialSF Datatable LWC | OnDuty Enhanced Datatable | Custom LWC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OOTB or Not? | Yes | No | No | No |
| User-Friendly Setup | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Flexibility | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Upgradability | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Special Requirements | Basic Flow knowledge | LWC/Flow basics | Moderate/Advanced LWC | Advanced LWC dev. |
| Special Features | Search, Sort | Row Add/Edit | Custom buttons, Events | Full Customization |
| Best Fit | Read-only display | Add/Edit rows | Advanced interactivity | Unique requirements |
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