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Anitha Reddy 14Anitha Reddy 14 

What is the difference between validation rule and workflow?

SandhyaSandhya (Salesforce Developers) 
Hi Anitha,


Validation Rule is used to improving the data quality inserted by the end user.
If the input is fine, the record will be saved; if the input is in conflict with your Validation Rule, the error will be displayed, and the record cannot be saved.

In other words

Validation rules verify that the data a user enters in a record meets the standards you specify before the user can save the record. A validation rule can contain a formula or expression that evaluates the data in one or more fields and returns a value of “True” or “False”. Validation rules also include an error message to display to the user when the rule returns a value of “True” due to an invalid value. Review these considerations before implementing validation rules in your organization.

https://help.salesforce.com/apex/HTViewHelpDoc?id=fields_validation_considerations.htm&language=en


Workflow rule consists of a series of actions to reflect a real business process.
Usually, when the input/update in a specific field/record to meet your workflow Criteria, the workflow will start.
Workflow allows you to automate standard internal procedures and processes to save time across your org. A workflow rule is the main container for a set of workflow instructions.

https://help.salesforce.com/HTViewHelpDoc?id=customize_wf.htm&language=en_US
 
https://help.salesforce.com/HTViewHelpDoc?id=workflow_examples.htm
 
Hope this helps you!

Please mark it as Best Answer if my reply was helpful. It will make it available for other as the proper solution. 


Thanks and Regards
Sandhya
PRIYAN NEERUDUPRIYAN NEERUDU
Salesforce processes any rules in the following order:
Validation rules
Assignment rules
Auto-response rules
Workflow rules (with immediate actions)
Escalation rules

Workflow Rule
A workflow rule sets workflow actions into motion when its designated conditions are met. You can configure workflow actions to execute immediately when a record meets the conditions in your workflow rule, or set time triggers that execute the workflow actions on a specific day. If a workflow action has not executed yet, you can view and modify it in the Workflow Queue. See Managing Workflow Rules to get started using workflow rules. For a list of the maximum number of rules allowed in each organization, see Salesforce Editions and Limits.
Approval Process
An approval process is an automated process your organization can use to approve records inSalesforce. An approval process specifies the steps necessary for a record to be approved and who must approve it at each step. A step can apply to all records included in the process, or just records that have certain attributes. An approval process also specifies the actions to take when a record is approved, rejected, recalled, or first submitted for approval. See Managing Approval Processes to get started using approval processes.
Flow
A flow starts out as a process or decision diagram created in the Flow Designer. Once uploaded and run in Salesforce, it becomes an application for navigating users through a series of screens. SeeForce.com Flow Overview to get started using flows.
Workflow and Approval Actions
Workflow and approval actions consist of email alerts, tasks, field updates, and outbound messages that can be triggered by a workflow rule or approval process.
Email Alert
Email alerts are workflow and approval actions that are generated using an email template by a workflow rule or approval process and sent to designated recipients, either Salesforce users or others. See Managing Email Alerts to get started using email alerts.
Field Update
Field updates are workflow and approval actions that specify the field you want updated and the new value for it. Depending on the type of field, you can choose to apply a specific value, make the value blank, or calculate a value based on a formula you create. See Managing Field Updates to get started using field updates.
Task
Assigns a task to a user you specify. You can specify the Subject, Status, Priority, and Due Date of the task. Tasks are workflow and approval actions that are triggered by workflow rules or approval processes. See Managing Tasks for Workflow and Approvals to get started using tasks.
Outbound Message
An outbound message is a workflow, approval, or milestone action that sends the information you specify to an endpoint you designate, such as an external service. An outbound message sends the data in the specified fields in the form of a SOAP message to the endpoint. See Managing Outbound Messages to get started using outbound messages.



​Validation rules
Validation rules verify that the data a user enters in a record meets the standards you specify before the user can save the record. A validation rule can contain a formula or expression that evaluates the data in one or more fields and returns a value of “True” or “False”. Validation rules also include an error message to display to the user when the rule returns a value of “True” due to an invalid value. Review these considerations before implementing validation rules in your organization.
Inshort:validation rules: Validation rules are used to confirm that the data entered into a record meet various data quality / business rules before letting the user save it.