Agent Actions ISV Guide
Creating and Packaging Agent
Actions
Salesforce, Winter ’25
Last updated: November 25, 2024
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Salesforce, Inc., as are other names and marks. Other marks appearing herein may be trademarks of
their respective owners.
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CONTENTS
Get to Know Agent Actions........................................................................................................ 4
What are Agents?.................................................................................................................... 4
The Building Blocks of Agents................................................................................................. 5
Agents................................................................................................................................5
Topics and Actions............................................................................................................. 5
Reasoning Engine..............................................................................................................5
Large Language Model (LLM)............................................................................................6
Get Access to Scratch Orgs that have Agentforce.................................................................. 6
Scratch Orgs with both Agentforce and Data Cloud..........................................................7
Set Up Agentforce in your Scratch Org................................................................................... 8
Get Access in Your 1GP Packaging Org................................................................................... 8
Create an Agent........................................................................................................................... 8
Create an Agent Action............................................................................................................... 9
Create an Apex Class, Flow, or Prompt Template................................................................... 9
Invocable Apex Classes.....................................................................................................9
Autolaunched Flows.........................................................................................................10
Prompt Templates............................................................................................................ 11
Configure Your Custom Agent Action.................................................................................... 11
Test Your Agent Action...........................................................................................................13
Package Your Action................................................................................................................. 13
Create a Package.................................................................................................................. 13
Add Components to Your Package........................................................................................13
Upload Your Package............................................................................................................ 14
Resources.................................................................................................................................. 14
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Get to Know Agent Actions
Agent actions are how an agent gets things done. You can create actions from invocable Apex
classes, autolaunched flows, or prompt templates.
EDITIONS
Einstein Copilot for Salesforce is available in Lightning Experience.
Available in:
● Enterprise Edition
● Performance Edition
● Unlimited Edition
USER PERMISSIONS
To build and manage agent actions:
● Manage AI Agents AND the user permission for your agent type (for example, Manage
Einstein Copilot for Salesforce) OR Customize Application
For permissions needed to build and manage individual agent types, see the respective
Salesforce Help documentation. Get started with Salesforce Help: Explore Agent Types.
To create and manage prompt templates in Prompt Builder:
● Prompt Template Manager permission set
For permissions needed to build and manage Apex classes, flows, and managed packages, see the
respective Salesforce Help and Developer documentation.
What are Agents?
An agent is a virtual assistant that boosts productivity and reduces workload in a safe way by
automating routine tasks and assisting with complex ones. They’re capable of helping across a wide
range of workflows and tasks.
Some agents handle questions posed by users in natural language and provide answers drawn from
secure, proprietary company data. Other agents are more autonomous, so they can independently
identify opportunities for action, anticipate next steps, and initiate tasks within the use cases and
guardrails an admin specifies.
Agents can collaborate with a user and, in some cases, act on behalf of a user.
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The Building Blocks of Agents
Agents have five components: the agent, topics, actions, the reasoning engine, and the large
language model (LLM).
Agents
Agents are trusted conversational AI assistants. Einstein Copilot for Salesforce, one type of agent, is
seamlessly built into the Salesforce interface and can perform business tasks on behalf of the users in
a Salesforce org. Other types of agents can be deployed to customer channels, including enhanced
messaging channels.
To learn more about the differences between agents, Einstein Copilot for Salesforce, and bots, see
Salesforce Help: Choosing a Conversational AI Assistant.
Topics and Actions
An agent includes a library of topics and actions.
Actions are how an agent gets things done. An action is an individual task the agent can perform. For
example, if a user asks an agent for help with writing an email, the agent can launch an action that
drafts and revises the email and grounds it in relevant Salesforce data. Salesforce provides some
standard actions for common Salesforce tasks by default, and you can create custom actions specific
to your business use cases.
A topic is a category of actions related to a particular job to be done. For example, a topic called Deal
Management can contain agent actions that help a sales rep get up to speed on their day, find
relevant opportunities and contacts, create to-do items, and log calls. Topics contain actions, which
are the tools available for the job, and instructions, which tell the action how to make decisions.
When an agent is triggered, or when a user enters a question or request in an agent conversation, an
agent compares the task or user utterance to the names and classification descriptions of all of the
topics assigned to it. The agent then classifies the task or utterance into the most relevant topic.
Based on the selected topic’s actions and instructions, the agent can launch one or more actions. Or
if the agent is chatting with a user, the agent can prompt the user for additional information (for
example, a clarifying question or the required input for an action).
Reasoning Engine
The reasoning engine orchestrates how an agent launches topics and actions to accomplish a task for
the user.
When an agent is triggered or when a user asks a question or makes a request, the reasoning engine
works with the LLM behind the scenes. Here’s what it does.
● Interprets the trigger or user request and classifies the utterance into a topic.
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● Iteratively builds plans for accomplishing a goal.
● Finds and launches the right topics and actions to achieve the goal.
Large Language Model (LLM)
Agents are AI assistants, and they harness the power of an LLM to communicate with users and take
action.
The reasoning engine calls the LLM at different times during a task or interaction with a user. The
number and size of the LLM calls depends on the task and which topics and actions are launched.
Get Access to Scratch Orgs that have Agentforce
If you don’t already have a Partner Business Org (PBO), join the Salesforce Partner Community and
request a PBO.
If you are new to creating scratch orgs, follow these steps to complete the one-time Dev Hub setup in
your PBO. The Dev Hub is a feature within an org that lets you create and manage scratch orgs,
second-generation managed packages (2GP), and namespaces.
1. Enable Dev Hub and 2GP
2. Create a Developer Edition org using Environment Hub
3. Create a namespace in this Developer Edition org
4. Link that namespace from your PBO. Linking the namespace lets you create 2GP packages
that use that namespace.
As of September 16, 2024, all active Partner PBOs have the ability to create scratch orgs with
Agentforce and Prompt Builder enabled. Agentforce and Prompt Builder can only be enabled in
scratch orgs that are associated with a Dev Hub in a PBO.
Partners with active PBO orgs Enabled as of September 16, 2024
New PBO orgs (Trial or Active) Automatically enabled when created
To create a scratch org with Agentforce and Prompt Builder enabled, use the following sample
project-scratch-def.json file (or simply append the feature and setting below to your existing
scratch org definition file).
Unset
{
"orgName": "GenAI Scratch Org",
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"edition": "Partner Developer",
"features": ["Einstein1AIPlatform"],
"settings": {
"einsteinGptSettings" : {
"enableEinsteinGptPlatform" : true
}
}
}
To create a scratch org with the Einstein1AIPlatform feature, the scratch org you create must be a
Partner Developer edition.
To create a scratch org, run the following command in the Salesforce CLI. Update the
definition-file name, alias, and target-dev-hub alias as needed.
Unset
sf org create scratch --definition-file
config/my-agentforce-project-scratch-def.json --alias MyScratchOrg
--set-default --target-dev-hub MyHub
Scratch Orgs with both Agentforce and Data Cloud
For some use cases such as prompt templates that use RAG, Retrievers, and BYO LLM, a scratch org
that has both generative AI and Data Cloud functionality enabled might be required.
Only include Data Cloud if it’s required. Specifying Data Cloud in a scratch org significantly increases
the time it takes for a scratch org creation to complete.
Note: Including Data Cloud in a scratch org has a prerequisite. You must first open a case in the
Salesforce Partner Community to request for your PBO Dev Hub org to be granted permission to
create Data Cloud scratch orgs. This request is only granted to PBO orgs.
Unset
{
"orgName": "GenAI & Data Cloud Scratch Org",
"edition": "Partner Developer",
"features": ["CustomerDataPlatform",
"CustomerDataPlatformLite","Einstein1AIPlatform"],
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"settings": {
"einsteinGptSettings" : {
"enableEinsteinGptPlatform" : true
}
"customerDataPlatformSettings": {
"enableCustomerDataPlatform": true
}
}
}
Set Up Agentforce in your Scratch Org
Once your scratch org is created, follow these steps to start developing with Agentforce.
1. Enable Agents and Einstein Copilot for Salesforce.
2. Assign User Permissions.
3. To use prompt templates with your agent actions, assign Prompt Template permissions.
Get Access in Your 1GP Packaging Org
To enable Agentforce Extensibility for ISVs on a 1GP packaging org, you must log a case with
Salesforce Partner Support. In the case details, list your packaging org ID and request Agentforce
Extensibility for ISVs be provisioned on your development org. Only 1GP development orgs created
from Environment Hub can have Agentforce provisioned.
To add Agent Actions to a 1GP package:
1. From the Package Manager page in Setup, click on the name of your package.
2. Select Add, and then in the Component Type dropdown list, select Generative AI Function
Definition.
Create an Agent
When you enable the Agentforce platform, an Einstein Copilot for Salesforce agent type is created for
you automatically. However, you should plan and test your actions with the agent type you plan to
package actions for. In addition to Einstein Copilot for Salesforce, you can create the following agent
types, depending on your licenses and permissions:
● Agentforce Service Agent
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● Agentforce Sales Coach
● Agentforce Sales Development Rep (SDR)
To learn more about how to create an agent from a type and available agent types in Salesforce, see
Salesforce Help: Create Agents and Einstein Copilot for Salesforce. To learn more about the
differences between agents, Einstein Copilot for Salesforce, and bots, see Salesforce Help: Choosing a
Conversational AI Assistant.
Create an Agent Action
Before you begin:
● Review the considerations for custom agent actions.
● Review best practices for writing agent instructions.
● If you haven’t already, create a custom topic.
To assign an agent action to an agent, add the action to a topic. Your action must be assigned
to an agent to test it. Learn more about agent topics and best practices for writing topic
instructions in Salesforce Help. Packaging of topics isn’t currently supported.
User access to a custom agent action depends on the type of Salesforce action it references. For
example, if a custom action was built using a flow, the custom action adheres to the permissions,
field-level security, and sharing settings configured in the flow.
Create an Apex Class, Flow, or Prompt Template
When you create a custom agent action, you build it on top of platform functionality you want to
make available to agents. This platform functionality is called a reference action. You can create a
reference action from an invocable global Apex class, autolaunched flow, or prompt template.
Packaging of prompt templates isn’t currently supported.
Invocable Apex Classes
Apex is a strongly typed, object-oriented programming language that allows developers to execute
flow and transaction control statements on the Salesforce Platform server, in conjunction with calls
to the API. If you’re new to Apex, learn more in the Apex Developer Guide.
Invocable Apex classes can be called by a declarative tool or external system, such as Rest, Apex,
Flow, an Einstein bot, or an agent. Use the InvocableMethod annotation to identify methods that
can be run as invocable actions. Mark your Apex class as global.
You can call an external service API endpoint in an Apex class to add an external service to an agent
action.
Here’s an example of an Apex class used to create an agent action.
global class SimpleInvocableClass {
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@InvocableMethod(label='Simple Invocable Method')
/*
If you want to call Prompt Template from the apex class, make sure that Prompt template API name matches exactly
@InvocableMethod(CapabilityType ='FlexTemplate://PromptTemplateName)
*/
global static void simpleMethod(List<String> inputs) {
// Perform some operations with the inputs
for(String input : inputs) {
System.debug('Input: ' + input);
// Perform additional logic here
}
}
}
To create or manage Apex classes, from Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Apex Classes, and then
select Apex Classes.
Autolaunched Flows
Flows let you create simple or complex automations with little to no code. If you’re new to flows and
Flow Builder, see Salesforce Help: Automate Tasks with Flows to learn more.
A flow or flow version’s type determines which elements and resources you can add to a flow and
how you can distribute the flow. Agents and Copilot support autolaunched flows, which is a flow that
is automatically launched by something, such as a change to a record or a platform event. It runs in
the background and doesn’t require user interaction. This type of flow doesn’t support screens and
local actions. To learn more about autolaunched flows, see the Salesforce Admins blog.
Here’s an example of a flow used to create an agent action.
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To create or manage flows, from Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Flows, and then select Flows.
Prompt Templates
Use Prompt Builder to create, test, revise, customize, and manage prompt templates that incorporate
CRM data from merge fields that reference record fields, flows, related lists, and Apex. You can create
different types of prompt templates in Prompt Builder. If you’re new to prompt templates and
Prompt Builder, learn more in Salesforce Help: Prompt Builder.
To create or manage prompt templates, from Setup, in the Quick Find Box, enter Prompt Builder,
and then select Prompt Builder.
Packaging of prompt templates isn’t currently supported. However, packaging support is coming
soon. Prompt Builder is available in scratch orgs, and we encourage you to experiment.
Configure Your Custom Agent Action
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1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Agent, and then select Agent Actions to view all
the actions in your Salesforce org.
2. Click New Agent Action.
3. From the Reference Action Type dropdown, select the type of action that you want to use to
build your agent action. Then select the action. If you’re adding a flow or a prompt template,
only active flows and prompt templates appear in the list.
4. The agent action label and API name are populated with the reference action name and API
name. Review these fields and, if necessary, edit the values so they accurately describe the
action. Then click Next.
5. The instructions for the custom action and each input and output are populated with the
descriptions from the reference action. Review these fields and make changes. See Salesforce
Help: Best Practices for Einstein Agent Action Instructions.
We copy over the descriptions from the reference action to give you a head start, but agent
action instructions differ from traditional descriptions. An agent uses a large language model
(LLM) and the reasoning engine to determine when to launch an action in a conversation.
The instructions for the action, inputs, and outputs tell an agent what your action does and
when and how to use it. Effective instructions vary by action and use case. Plan to test and
iterate on your instructions to ensure that your action performs as expected.
6. For each input and output, specify any applicable settings.
Setting Details
Collect data from user Require this parameter to be provided by
the user.
Filter from agent action When you create an agent action, all inputs
and outputs from the reference action are
added to the agent action. Enable this
setting when you don’t want to use a
parameter from the reference action with
your agent action. At least one output must
be used with the agent action.
Require input Require this parameter in order to execute
the action. All other inputs are treated as
optional. If an input is required by the
reference action, this setting is enabled by
default and read-only.
Show in conversation Allow an agent to include this parameter in
a response to a user. At least one output
must be available to show in an agent
conversation.
Tip: When an action makes a change to a record, you can require an agent to ask the
user to confirm the change before the agent can execute it. On the record page for the
action, enable the Require user confirmation setting.
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7. Click Finish.
Test Your Agent Action
After you create your action, add the action to a topic to assign it to an agent. Your action must be
assigned to an agent to test it. Learn more about agent topics and best practices for writing topic
instructions in Salesforce Help.
To test your action and preview how the output appears in an agent conversation, open an agent in
the Agent Builder and start a preview conversation. Enter utterances that you expect to trigger your
action, and then adjust the agent action and topic instructions based on your results.
Tip: The packaging of topics isn’t currently supported. Keep in mind that the instructions
for whatever topic your users assign your action or actions to will interact with your action
instructions. Plan to test with many variations.
If your action isn’t performing as expected, review these common troubleshooting tips.
Package Your Action
Currently, custom actions can be packaged using first-generation managed packaging. Support for
second-generation managed packaging is coming soon.
Before you begin, verify that you’ve completed the steps in Get Access to Scratch Orgs that have
Agentforce.
Create a Package
1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Package Manager, and then select Package
Manager.
2. Click New.
3. Enter a name for your package. You can use a different name than what appears on
AppExchange.
4. Agents currently support English only, so leave the Language dropdown set to English.
5. Optionally, enter a description that describes the package. You can change this description
before you upload it to AppExchange.
6. Click Save.
Add Components to Your Package
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1. From the Components tab, click Add.
2. From the Component Type field, choose the type of component you want to add to your
package. You must add the agent action and the Apex class or flow that your action
references. For the agent action, select the Generative AI Function Definition component
type.
3. Select the component you want to add, and then click Add to Package.
Repeat these steps until you add all of the components you want to your package.
Upload Your Package
1. From the Package detail page, click Upload.
2. On the Upload Package page, enter a Version Name. As a best practice, it's useful to have a
short description and the date.
3. Enter a Version Number for the upload, such as 1.0. The format is
majorNumber.minorNumber. This field is required for managed packages and corresponds
to a Managed - Release upload.
4. For the Release Type, select Managed - Released to upload an upgradable version. After
upload, some attributes of the metadata components are locked.
5. Update your package’s description, if necessary.
6. Optionally, specify a link to release notes for the package. Click URL and enter the details in
the text field that appears. This link appears during the installation process, and on the
Package Details page after installation.
7. Click Upload.
When you create a managed package to publish on AppExchange, you must pass the AppExchange
security review. Then create a listing with the Partner Action listing type and publish your managed
package on AppExchange.
Resources
Trailhead: Quick Start: Build Your First Agent with Agentforce
Salesforce Help: Agentforce: Agents and Copilot
Salesforce Help: The Building Blocks of Agents and Copilot
Salesforce Help: Customize Your Agents and Copilot with Topics and Actions
Salesforce Help: AI Project Success
Salesforce Help: Considerations for Agents and Copilot
First-Generation Managed Packaging Developer Guide
Second-Generation Managed Packaging Developer Guide
Scratch Orgs and Package Development
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