Action Link Templates are reusable Chatter feed-action button definitions — "download this file," "call this API," "navigate to this URL." Once a template is defined, developers attach action links to Chatter feed posts via the Connect API. Useful for building action-rich Chatter integrations (approval requests, link-to-record, etc.) but a niche feature most modern orgs don't use.
- Open Setup → Action Link Templates
Setup gear → Quick Find: Action Link → Action Link Templates.
- Click New
Top-right of the list.
- Set Action Link Template Name and Master Label
Convention: per-action description ("Download Quote PDF").
- Set Action URL
Where the button click goes — external URL, REST API endpoint, or Salesforce-internal URL.
- Set HTTP Method
GET / POST / PUT / DELETE / etc. For API actions; navigation links use GET.
- Set HTTP Request Body Template (for POST/PUT)
Body sent with the request. Supports variables that get substituted at runtime.
- Set User Visibility (Active / Inactive)
Inactive templates exist but can't be used in new feed posts.
- Save
Template is reusable. Attach to feed posts via Apex or REST API: ConnectApi.FeedElement.actionLinks.
API (calls a service) / Download (downloads a file) / Url (navigates) / UI Component (Visualforce / Lightning).
Supports {!variableName} substitution at attach time.
Prompt users to confirm before action fires.
- Action Link Templates are a Chatter / Connect-API feature. Most modern Salesforce orgs use Lightning / Salesforce Anywhere features instead — Action Links are useful for legacy Chatter integrations but rarely the modern best practice.
- Templates can be referenced by Apex / Connect API but not directly from Lightning components. Surfacing Action Links in Lightning UI requires custom Visualforce or LWC bridging.
- POST / PUT actions execute as the clicking user. Risk surface — make sure the API endpoint authenticates and authorizes the user, not just trusts the Action Link.