sf-ai-agentforce: Standard Agentforce Platform Development

Use this skill for the Setup UI / Agent Builder path: declarative topics, Builder-managed actions, GenAiFunction / GenAiPlugin metadata, Prompt Builder templates stored as GenAiPromptTemplate metadata, Models API usage from Apex, and custom Lightning types.

For new code-first agent development, prefer sf-ai-agentscript.

If the work produces or edits a .agent file — including Builder Script / Canvas work that results in an authoring bundle — use sf-ai-agentscript.

When This Skill Owns the Task

Use sf-ai-agentforce when the user is:

• maintaining existing Builder-based agents
• working in Setup → Agentforce → Agents
• creating or fixing GenAiFunction, GenAiPlugin, or GenAiPromptTemplate metadata
• wiring Builder topics to Flow / Apex / Prompt Builder actions
• using Models API or LightningTypeBundle in the context of Builder-based agents

Do not use it for:

• .agent files or deterministic FSM design → sf-ai-agentscript
• agent test suites and coverage loops → sf-ai-agentforce-testing
• persona / voice design → sf-ai-agentforce-persona

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Required Context to Gather First

Ask for or infer:

• whether this is a Builder / Setup UI project or a code-first Agent Script project
• whether the user is editing Builder metadata or a .agent authoring bundle
• agent type: Service Agent or Employee Agent
• whether the work targets topics, actions, Prompt Builder templates, Models API, or custom Lightning types
• what supporting Flow / Apex / metadata dependencies already exist
• whether the user needs authoring help, publish help, or troubleshooting

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Two Agentforce Paths

Path	Skill	Best fit
Builder metadata path	sf-ai-agentforce	Declarative maintenance, existing Builder agents, metadata-driven action registration
Agent Script authoring bundle path	sf-ai-agentscript	Code-first .agent authoring, deterministic routing, version-controlled agent logic

If the user is starting from scratch and wants strong control over flow/state, route to Agent Script.

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Builder Workflow Summary

1. Confirm this is a Builder / Setup UI project
2. Pick Service Agent vs Employee Agent
3. For Service Agents, provision the running user (prefer sf org create agent-user)
4. For Employee Agents, plan visibility with a Permission Set containing <agentAccesses>
5. Define topics with strong descriptions, scope, and instructions
6. Prepare supporting actions (Flow, Apex, Prompt Builder template)
7. Configure inputs / outputs carefully
8. Validate dependencies and template status
9. Publish, then activate

Expanded workflow: references/builder-workflow.md

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Key Platform Rules

Topic quality matters

Topic descriptions are routing instructions for the planner. They must be:

• specific
• scenario-based
• non-overlapping with sibling topics

Actions are wrappers around real targets

Target type	Typical use	Registered via
Flow	safest default for Builder actions	GenAiFunction
Apex	complex business logic via @InvocableMethod	GenAiFunction
Prompt Builder template	generated summaries / drafts / recommendations	GenAiFunction

Prompt Template vs GenAiPromptTemplate

• Prompt Template is the plain-English / UI term used in Prompt Builder.
• GenAiPromptTemplate is the current Metadata API type for source-driven template work.
• Prefer current source format: genAiPromptTemplates/*.genAiPromptTemplate-meta.xml.
• For flexible Prompt Builder templates, plan around the 5-input maximum and consolidate inputs when needed.
• Prompt content should reference inputs with the current merge-field shape, e.g. {!$Input:TargetRecord} or {!$Input:AdditionalContext}.

Supporting metadata deploys first

Before publishing the agent itself, deploy the supporting stack:

1. metadata / fields if needed
2. Apex if needed
3. Flows if needed
4. GenAiPromptTemplate / GenAiFunction / GenAiPlugin
5. then publish the agent

Service Agent running user

For Service Agents, prefer the native GA command: sf org create agent-user --target-org <alias> --json Use the returned username in the running-user configuration.

Employee Agent visibility

For Employee Agents, ensure end users receive a Permission Set containing <agentAccesses>. Without this, the agent can be active but still invisible in Lightning Experience. See ../sf-permissions/references/agent-access-guide.md.

Publish does not activate

After publish, run sf agent activate separately. For automation, prefer sf agent activate --api-name <AgentName> --version <n> --target-org <alias> --json so the rollout is deterministic and machine-readable.

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Metadata Guidance

GenAiFunction

Use when registering a single callable action. Validate:

• target exists
• target is active / deployable
• input names match the target contract
• output names match the target contract
• capability text clearly says when the action should be used

GenAiPlugin

Use when grouping related functions into one logical package.

GenAiPromptTemplate

Use for generated content, not deterministic business rules.

Prefer the current metadata shape:

• metadata type: GenAiPromptTemplate
• folder: genAiPromptTemplates/
• file suffix: .genAiPromptTemplate-meta.xml
• content lives under templateVersions
• use published template versions before wiring actions that depend on them

Models API

Use when the solution belongs in Apex-driven AI orchestration rather than Builder-only actions.

Custom Lightning Types

Use when the action needs richer structured input or output presentation.

Expanded references:

• references/metadata-reference.md
• references/genaiprompttemplate.md

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Cross-Skill Integration

Recommended Orchestration Order

sf-metadata → sf-apex → sf-flow → sf-ai-agentforce → sf-deploy

Required delegations

Requirement	Delegate to	Why
Create / fix Flows	sf-flow	Action target creation and Flow validation
Create / fix Apex actions	sf-apex	@InvocableMethod and Apex correctness
Deploy / publish	sf-deploy	Deployment orchestration
Test the agent	sf-ai-agentforce-testing	Formal test execution and assertions
Employee Agent visibility / access	sf-permissions	Permission Set <agentAccesses> setup

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High-Signal Failure Patterns

Symptom	Likely cause	Read next
Action not available in Builder	target metadata missing or not deployed	references/metadata-reference.md
Prompt action fails during publish or activation	template is Draft, missing inputs, or old metadata shape is being used	references/genaiprompttemplate.md
Need more than 5 template inputs	flex template input limit hit	references/genaiprompttemplate.md
Apex AI logic times out	Models API work placed in the wrong context	references/models-api.md
Rich input/output UI not rendering	Lightning type config or prerequisites are incomplete	references/custom-lightning-types.md
Agent publishes but is not usable	forgot explicit activation	references/cli-commands.md
Service Agent publish/runtime failure	missing or invalid running user	../sf-ai-agentscript/references/agent-user-setup.md
Employee Agent active but not visible to users	missing <agentAccesses> permission set	../sf-permissions/references/agent-access-guide.md

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Reference Map

Start here

• references/builder-workflow.md
• references/metadata-reference.md
• references/genaiprompttemplate.md
• references/cli-commands.md

Terminology and template planning

• references/prompt-templates.md
• references/models-api.md
• references/custom-lightning-types.md

Rubric

• references/scoring-rubric.md

Cross-skill reads

• sf-ai-agentscript
• sf-ai-agentforce-testing
• sf-flow
• sf-apex
• sf-permissions
• sf-deploy

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Score Guide

Score	Meaning
90+	Ready to deploy
80–89	Strong, minor cleanup only
70–79	Review before deploy
60–69	Needs work
< 60	Block deployment

Full rubric: references/scoring-rubric.md