How are you using User Flow Mapping?

In my day job as a software developer / SDET I've seen User Flow Mapping (also sometimes called User Journey Mapping) used mostly to communicate changes to stakeholders so they can understand the changes to the user's path through the app, usually just mapping out a single, non-branching path to fit it in a slide.

Within the delivery team we're not really using any of those maps or even a full 'all paths combined' map to discuss the work as we rely on Jira tickets pretty exclusively for defining work.

I'm not sure if this is a symptom of how the organisation I'm working with are (mis)using User Flow Mapping or maybe it's just a case that a User Flow Map isn't that useful outside of visualising what the user sees.

When building my side projects I've found my User Flow Map invaluable for getting a bigger picture on what I'm building, understanding the different paths and logical gates and how the smaller changes I make can impact the overall product.

Is this it common to use smaller, simpler paths when working with User Flow Maps or to use one that maps out all paths?

Or do you not use a User Flow Map and use some other means of documenting the paths through your products?