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Configure the Omni-Channel Routing Engine for a Service Cloud queue

Set up the routing engine so new cases land with the right agent automatically: define skills, set capacity, create a routing configuration, and turn it on.

By Dipojjal Chakrabarti · Founder & Editor, Salesforce DictionaryLast updated May 26, 2026

Set up the routing engine so new cases land with the right agent automatically: define skills, set capacity, create a routing configuration, and turn it on.

  1. Enable Omni-Channel

    Setup, Omni-Channel Settings. Toggle Enable Omni-Channel. The engine becomes available for configuration.

  2. Define service channels

    Setup, Service Channels. Add a channel for each work item type (Cases, Chats, Messaging, Voice). Each channel maps to one or more Salesforce objects.

  3. Set agent capacity

    Setup, Presence Configurations. Define how many concurrent work items each agent can hold. Typical capacities are 3 to 5; voice typically caps at 1.

  4. Configure skills

    Setup, Skills. Define the skills agents have (Spanish, Billing, Tier 2). Assign skills to each user.

  5. Create routing configurations

    Setup, Routing Configurations. Create one per service channel with the routing model, required skills, and priority value.

  6. Link to queues and test

    Associate the routing configuration to the destination queue. Generate a test case. Confirm it pushes to an eligible agent's Omni-Channel widget within seconds.

Key options
Routing Modelremember

Most Available, Least Active, External. Most Available is the default; balances workload across the team.

Push vs Pullremember

Engine pushes work to an agent or surfaces it in a queue for manual pickup.

Skills Requiredremember

Skill set the engine matches against agent skill assignments.

Priorityremember

Numeric priority that drives work item ordering when multiple configurations target the same queue.

Gotchas
  • Omni-Channel respects agent presence. If no agent is Available, the work item sits in the queue. Misconfigured presence (everyone left Busy at end of day) produces a backlog overnight.
  • Skills-based routing produces zero matches if the skill set on the work item does not align with any agent's skill assignments. Audit the skill graph regularly.
  • External Routing requires partner system integration. The roundtrip latency can exceed the timeout window if not tuned, leading to work items that get re-routed before the partner system responds.
  • Routing configuration changes do not affect in-flight work items. Items already pushed to an agent stay where they are; only new items use the updated configuration.

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