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Full Agent Builder entry
How-to guide

How to set up Agent Builder in Salesforce

Agent Builder is the no-code interface for building Agentforce AI agents — defining their topics (when the agent should engage), actions (what the agent can do — call Apex, query records, run flows), guardrails (what the agent must NOT do), and channels (where the agent appears). Agentforce is Salesforce's autonomous AI platform; Agent Builder is the visual tool to configure agents without writing prompts directly.

By Dipojjal Chakrabarti · Editor, Salesforce DictionaryLast updated Apr 20, 2026

Agent Builder is the no-code interface for building Agentforce AI agents — defining their topics (when the agent should engage), actions (what the agent can do — call Apex, query records, run flows), guardrails (what the agent must NOT do), and channels (where the agent appears). Agentforce is Salesforce's autonomous AI platform; Agent Builder is the visual tool to configure agents without writing prompts directly.

  1. Confirm Agentforce is licensed

    Agentforce is a paid product line. Setup → Agents — if absent, Agentforce isn't enabled in your org.

  2. Open Setup → Agents → Agent Builder (or App Launcher → Agentforce)

    Navigation may vary by Salesforce release. Look for Agentforce or Agents under Setup.

  3. Click New Agent

    Wizard walks through agent type — Customer Agent / Sales Agent / Service Agent / Custom.

  4. Set Agent Name, Description, and Welcome Message

    Welcome is what users / customers see when the agent first engages.

  5. Configure Topics

    Topics are the situations the agent should handle — "Order Status", "Password Reset", "Product Recommendation." For each topic, specify when the agent invokes.

  6. Configure Actions per Topic

    Actions are what the agent can DO — call an Apex method, query a record, run a Flow, post a Chatter message. Each action is bound to a topic.

  7. Set Guardrails

    Constraints on what the agent must NOT do — "never quote pricing without checking current Price Book," "never share Account-level data with anonymous users." Guardrails are the safety rails.

  8. Pick Channels

    Where the agent appears: Embedded Service / Slack / WhatsApp / Salesforce Mobile / etc.

  9. Test in the Agent Builder Test Pane

    Before activating, simulate user inputs and watch the agent's reasoning + actions. Iterate.

  10. Activate

    Live to users in the configured channels. Monitor Setup → Agent Performance for engagement metrics.

Key options
Agent Typeremember

Customer / Sales / Service / Custom. Locked at creation.

Topicsremember

When the agent engages.

Actionsremember

What the agent can do (Apex / SOQL / Flow / Chatter / etc.).

Guardrailsremember

Behavioral constraints.

Channelsremember

Embedded Service / Slack / WhatsApp / etc.

Gotchas
  • Agentforce is a paid product line on top of Service / Sales Cloud. Confirm licensing before scoping — many features overlap with Einstein but with different licensing.
  • Guardrails are critical and easy to under-specify. An agent without good guardrails can hallucinate, share wrong data, or take unauthorized actions. Spend time stress-testing guardrails before going live.
  • Agent reasoning is non-deterministic. Two users asking the same question can get different responses depending on conversation context. Test with realistic conversation paths, not just single questions.

See the full Agent Builder entry

Agent Builder includes the definition, worked example, deep dive, related terms, and a quiz.