Agentforce Standard Actions — Complete Guide 2026
๐
Agentforce
๐ค Free Agentforce Course 2026 — sfinterviewpro.com
⚡ Module 7 of 15
Standard Actions —
Real Salesforce Data for Your Agent
Connect your XYZ Sales Assistant to real Salesforce data using pre-built Standard Actions. No code needed! Your agent will finally retrieve Accounts, Opportunities, and generate AI emails from live data.
10+
Standard Actions
4
Added to Agent
Zero
Code Needed
Live
Data Access
๐ Course Progress — Module 7 of 15
✅What is Agentforce
✅Trust Layer
✅Dev Org Setup
✅Agent Builder
✅TIA Framework
✅Prompt Builder
M7Std Actions
M8Flow Actions
M9Apex Actions
M10API Actions
M11Data Cloud
M12Deploy
M13Escalation
M14Testing
M15Full Project
๐ฏ What Changes in This Module
Until now, your agent was intelligent but data-blind. After this module, your agent will retrieve real Salesforce records — Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities — and use your Prompt Templates to generate AI emails. This is the turning point where the agent becomes genuinely useful for XYZ Company sales reps!
⚡
1. What Are Standard Actions?
Pre-built Salesforce actions — zero configuration, instant power
Standard Actions are pre-built agent capabilities that Salesforce provides out of the box. You don't write code or configure any logic — you simply add them to your agent's Topic and they work immediately. They cover the most common Salesforce operations: querying records, creating records, sending emails, searching knowledge, and more.
๐ก Standard Actions vs Custom Actions
Standard Actions = built by Salesforce, zero config, works instantly, covers most common use casesFlow Actions (M8) = you build the Flow, agent calls it — for DML and multi-step processes
Apex Actions (M9) = you write Apex @InvocableMethod — for complex logic and SOQL
API Actions (M10) = calls external REST APIs — for non-Salesforce systems
Rule: Always check Standard Actions FIRST before building custom ones. If a Standard Action does what you need — use it. Save custom development for genuinely unique requirements.
⚡ How Standard Actions Work in a Conversation
๐ค User: "Show me ABC Pharma details"
→
๐ค Agent matches Sales Assistant Topic
↓
๐ค Reads Instructions + selects "Query Records" Action
→
⚡ Standard Action: Query Records runs
↓
๐ Salesforce: SOQL query on Account WHERE Name = 'ABC Pharma'
→
⚡ Returns record data to agent
↓
✅ Agent formats response using Instructions → Returns to user
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2. Complete List of Standard Actions
Know all available actions before choosing which to add
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Query Records
Search for Salesforce records matching criteria. Returns a list of matching records with their fields.
Data Read
๐
Get Record Details
Retrieve full details of a specific Salesforce record by ID or name.
Data Read
➕
Create Record
Create a new Salesforce record (Task, Case, Contact, etc.) from within the agent conversation.
Data Write
✏️
Update Record
Update fields on an existing Salesforce record based on user input.
Data Write
✉️
Send Email
Send an email directly from the agent conversation using Salesforce email service.
Communication
๐
Draft or Revise Email
Generate or revise an email draft using a Prompt Template. Connects your Prompt Builder templates to the agent.
AI Generation
๐
Summarize Record
Generate an AI summary of any Salesforce record using Einstein Generative AI.
AI Generation
๐
Search Knowledge
Search Salesforce Knowledge articles for relevant content to answer user questions.
Data Read
๐ท️
Identify Object by Name
Find a specific Salesforce record when the user mentions it by name (e.g., "ABC Pharma"). Returns the record ID.
Data Read
๐
Get Related List Records
Retrieve child records related to a parent record (e.g., all Opportunities for an Account).
Data Read
๐ XYZ Sales Assistant — Which Actions We Add Today
We add 4 Standard Actions to the Sales Assistant Topic:1. Query Records — find Accounts and Opportunities by name
2. Get Record Details — get full Account/Opportunity info
3. Draft or Revise Email — connects XYZ Follow-up Email Prompt Template
4. Summarize Record — instant AI summary of any record
These 4 actions cover 90% of what a sales rep actually needs from an AI assistant.
1
Add Action 1 — Query Records
Lets agent search Salesforce for Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities by name or criteria
a
Open your Dev Org → Setup → Agents → XYZ Sales Assistant
b
Click on the "Sales Assistant" Topic in the left panel
c
Find the Actions section within the Topic → Click "Add Action"
d
A picker appears showing Standard Actions, Flow Actions, Apex Actions. Make sure "Standard" tab is selected
e
Search for "Query Records" → Select it → Click Next
Agent Builder → Sales Assistant Topic → Actions → Add Action → Standard → Query Records
f
Configure the Action with these settings:
⚙️ Query Records — Action Configuration
Action Label
Search Salesforce Records
Description
Search for Accounts, Contacts, or Opportunities by name or criteria. Use when user asks about a specific company, person, or deal.
Objects Allowed
✅ Account ✅ Contact ✅ Opportunity
Max Results
5 (keeps responses concise — too many records overwhelm users)
Require Confirmation
No (agent runs automatically — no need to ask user to confirm a query)
g
Click Save
๐ธ After Adding Query Records Action
The Actions panel in the Sales Assistant Topic now shows "Search Salesforce Records" as an active action. The action shows its description and type (Standard). The agent can now use this action whenever it needs to find records — automatically, based on the user's question.
๐ Why the Action Description Matters
The description "Search for Accounts, Contacts, or Opportunities by name or criteria. Use when user asks about a specific company, person, or deal" tells the AI exactly WHEN to call this action. The AI reads action descriptions and matches them to user intent — just like Topic Classification Descriptions. Write them clearly!
2
Add Action 2 — Get Record Details
Retrieves complete information about a specific record
a
In Sales Assistant Topic → Actions → Add Action → Standard → Search "Get Record Details"
b
Configure the action:
⚙️ Get Record Details — Action Configuration
Action Label
Get Account or Opportunity Info
Description
Retrieve complete details about a specific Account, Opportunity, or Contact record when the user wants full information about a company, deal, or person. Use after identifying the record ID.
Objects Allowed
✅ Account ✅ Opportunity ✅ Contact
Fields to Return
Account: Name, Industry, Phone, BillingCity, AnnualRevenue, Description
Opportunity: Name, StageName, Amount, CloseDate, Probability, Description
Contact: FirstName, LastName, Title, Email, Phone
Opportunity: Name, StageName, Amount, CloseDate, Probability, Description
Contact: FirstName, LastName, Title, Email, Phone
c
Click Save
๐ก Query Records vs Get Record Details — When to Use Each
Query Records: User says "Show me accounts in Mumbai" or "Find opportunities above ₹10 lakhs" — broad search returning multiple recordsGet Record Details: User says "Tell me everything about ABC Pharma" — deep dive on ONE specific record. Agent typically calls Query Records first to find the record ID, then Get Record Details to fetch full info.
3
Add Action 3 — Draft or Revise Email
Connects your XYZ Follow-up Email Prompt Template to the agent
a
Sales Assistant Topic → Actions → Add Action → Standard → Search "Draft or Revise Email"
b
Configure the action:
⚙️ Draft or Revise Email — Action Configuration
Action Label
Draft Follow-up Email
Description
Generate a professional follow-up email for a customer or prospect. Use when the user asks to draft, write, or compose an email to a contact or regarding an opportunity.
Prompt Template
XYZ Follow-up Email (select from dropdown — the template you built in Module 6)
Primary Object
Opportunity (matches the Prompt Template's primary object)
Require Confirmation
Yes — show draft to user before sending (agent shows email, user reviews)
c
Click Save
๐ธ Connecting Prompt Template to Action
In the "Draft or Revise Email" configuration, you'll see a dropdown to select your Prompt Template. Click it and select "XYZ Follow-up Email" — the template you built in Module 6. This is the moment your Prompt Template becomes an agent capability!
If you don't see the template in the dropdown — verify it's Activated in Prompt Builder (Setup → Prompt Builder → XYZ Follow-up Email → Status: Active).
If you don't see the template in the dropdown — verify it's Activated in Prompt Builder (Setup → Prompt Builder → XYZ Follow-up Email → Status: Active).
✅ Prompt Template Connected!
When a sales rep says "Draft an email for the MedTech deal" — agent calls "Draft Follow-up Email" action → action fetches Opportunity + Contact data → populates XYZ Follow-up Email template → LLM generates email → agent shows draft to user. Entire flow in under 5 seconds!
4
Add Action 4 — Summarize Record
Instant AI summary of any Salesforce record
a
Sales Assistant Topic → Actions → Add Action → Standard → "Summarize Record"
b
Configure:
⚙️ Summarize Record — Action Configuration
Action Label
Summarize Account or Deal
Description
Generate a concise AI summary of an Account or Opportunity record. Use when user asks for a quick overview, briefing, or summary of a company or deal — especially before a meeting or call.
Objects Allowed
✅ Account ✅ Opportunity
Summary Length
Concise (2-3 paragraphs)
c
Click Save
⚡ Also Add to Contact Lookup Topic
Go to your Contact Lookup Topic → Add Action → Standard → "Query Records" (configure for Contact object only). This allows the Contact Lookup Topic to actually retrieve contact information! Same process, different Topic.
5
Update Topic Instructions — Reference the New Actions
Tell the agent HOW to use its new actions
Now that you've added Actions, update the Sales Assistant Topic Instructions to tell the agent WHEN and HOW to use each action. Without updated instructions, the agent may not call actions at the right time.
a
Click on Sales Assistant Topic → Open Instructions
b
Add these new instructions at the end of your existing ones:
ACTION USAGE RULES:
- When user asks about an Account or company → FIRST use "Search Salesforce Records" to find it, THEN use "Get Account or Opportunity Info" for full details
- When user asks about open deals, opportunities, or pipeline → use "Search Salesforce Records" filtered to Opportunity object
- When user asks to "draft an email", "write a follow-up", or "compose a message" → use "Draft Follow-up Email" action with the relevant Opportunity
- When user asks for a "summary", "overview", "brief me on", or "prep for meeting" → use "Summarize Account or Deal" action
- If a record is not found after searching → say "I couldn't find [name] in our Salesforce. Could you check the spelling or let me know the exact company name?"
- Always confirm with user before sending any email — show the draft first
- After retrieving data, format it according to the FORMAT RULES above (INR format, structured display)
c
Click Save
✅ Agent is Now Fully Configured!
Your agent has: 3 Topics + Instructions + 4 Standard Actions. It's time to test it with real data and have a genuine conversation about your XYZ Company accounts!
6
Test the Agent — Real Data Conversations! ๐
Your agent now retrieves real Salesforce data — test every action
a
Open Test Panel in Agent Builder → Click "New Session" to reset
b
Test these conversations one by one:
๐งช Test 1 — Account Lookup with Real Data
๐ค Sales Rep
Tell me about ABC Pharma
⚙️ Agent (internal) — calling action
→ Calls "Search Salesforce Records" → Query: Account WHERE Name LIKE '%ABC Pharma%'
→ Returns: ABC Pharma Pvt Ltd record
→ Calls "Get Account or Opportunity Info" → Returns full Account details
๐ค XYZ Sales Assistant
Here's the information on ABC Pharma Pvt Ltd:
๐ข Industry: Healthcare
๐ Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
๐ Phone: +91-22-12345678
๐ฐ Annual Revenue: ₹5,00,00,000
๐ฅ Employees: 500
๐ Notes: Leading pharma manufacturer, key XYZ Company silicone customer since 2019
Is there anything else you'd like to know about ABC Pharma — open opportunities, contacts, or a full summary?
๐ข Industry: Healthcare
๐ Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
๐ Phone: +91-22-12345678
๐ฐ Annual Revenue: ₹5,00,00,000
๐ฅ Employees: 500
๐ Notes: Leading pharma manufacturer, key XYZ Company silicone customer since 2019
Is there anything else you'd like to know about ABC Pharma — open opportunities, contacts, or a full summary?
๐งช Test 2 — Opportunity Search
๐ค Sales Rep
What are the open deals for MedTech Solutions?
⚙️ Agent (internal)
→ Calls "Search Salesforce Records" → Query: Opportunity WHERE Account.Name LIKE '%MedTech%' AND IsClosed = false
๐ค XYZ Sales Assistant
Here are the open opportunities for MedTech Solutions India:
๐ MedTech - Device Seals Annual Contract
• Stage: Negotiation/Review
• Amount: ₹18,00,000
• Close Date: 15 June 2026
• Probability: 80%
This deal looks strong at 80% probability! Would you like me to draft a follow-up email to Priya Sharma to move it forward?
๐ MedTech - Device Seals Annual Contract
• Stage: Negotiation/Review
• Amount: ₹18,00,000
• Close Date: 15 June 2026
• Probability: 80%
This deal looks strong at 80% probability! Would you like me to draft a follow-up email to Priya Sharma to move it forward?
๐งช Test 3 — AI Email Draft (Prompt Template in action!)
๐ค Sales Rep
Yes, draft a follow-up email for the MedTech deal
⚙️ Agent (internal)
→ Calls "Draft Follow-up Email" action
→ Fetches Opportunity: MedTech Device Seals Annual Contract
→ Fetches Contact: Priya Sharma (VP Operations)
→ Populates XYZ Follow-up Email Prompt Template
→ LLM generates email → Returns draft
๐ค XYZ Sales Assistant
Here's a draft follow-up email for Priya Sharma at MedTech Solutions:
Subject: Following Up — Device Seals Annual Contract
Dear Priya,
I hope you're doing well. I wanted to follow up on our ongoing discussion regarding the Device Seals Annual Contract for MedTech Solutions India.
We're in the final stages and I'm confident we can finalize the ₹18,00,000 partnership that supports your medical device production needs. As we're targeting June 15th, would you be available for a brief call this week to review the final terms?
Best regards,
XYZ Company Sales Team
Would you like me to adjust the tone, add anything, or send this email?
Subject: Following Up — Device Seals Annual Contract
Dear Priya,
I hope you're doing well. I wanted to follow up on our ongoing discussion regarding the Device Seals Annual Contract for MedTech Solutions India.
We're in the final stages and I'm confident we can finalize the ₹18,00,000 partnership that supports your medical device production needs. As we're targeting June 15th, would you be available for a brief call this week to review the final terms?
Best regards,
XYZ Company Sales Team
Would you like me to adjust the tone, add anything, or send this email?
๐งช Test 4 — Record Summary
๐ค Sales Rep
Brief me on BioLife Research before my call with them
⚙️ Agent (internal)
→ Calls "Search Salesforce Records" → finds BioLife Research Ltd
→ Calls "Summarize Account or Deal" → AI generates briefing
๐ค XYZ Sales Assistant
Pre-Call Briefing: BioLife Research Ltd
BioLife Research is a Hyderabad-based biotechnology research company with 80 employees, currently categorized as a Prospect in our system.
They have one active opportunity — an Initial Trial Order worth ₹3,50,000 (Qualification stage, 30% probability) for pharma-grade silicone tubing for lab testing. This is an early-stage relationship with significant expansion potential if the trial is successful.
Suggested talking points: Understand their specific lab tubing requirements, discuss certification/compliance needs for biotech, position XYZ as a pharma-grade quality supplier.
Good luck with the call! ๐ค
BioLife Research is a Hyderabad-based biotechnology research company with 80 employees, currently categorized as a Prospect in our system.
They have one active opportunity — an Initial Trial Order worth ₹3,50,000 (Qualification stage, 30% probability) for pharma-grade silicone tubing for lab testing. This is an early-stage relationship with significant expansion potential if the trial is successful.
Suggested talking points: Understand their specific lab tubing requirements, discuss certification/compliance needs for biotech, position XYZ as a pharma-grade quality supplier.
Good luck with the call! ๐ค
๐ Your Agent is LIVE with Real Salesforce Data!
Look at what just happened — your agent retrieved real records from your Dev Org, formatted them correctly, generated a personalized AI email using your Prompt Template, and gave a pre-call briefing. This is a production-ready sales AI assistant! And you haven't written a single line of code yet!
๐ค
3. Add Actions to Contact Lookup Topic
Give the Contact Lookup topic real data access too
Your Contact Lookup Topic currently has no Actions — it can only respond generically. Add Query Records (Contact object) so it can actually find and return real contact information from your Salesforce org.
1
Agent Builder → Click Contact Lookup Topic
2
Actions → Add Action → Standard → Query Records
3
Configure:
⚙️ Contact Lookup Topic — Query Records Configuration
Action Label
Find Contact Information
Description
Search for a contact by name, email, or company. Returns work contact details including name, title, email, and phone number.
Objects Allowed
✅ Contact only
Fields to Return
FirstName, LastName, Title, Email, Phone, Account.Name
4
Click Save
5
Test: Type "Find Priya Sharma's email" in Test Panel → Agent should return real contact details from your Dev Org!
๐ง
4. Troubleshooting Standard Actions
Common issues and exact fixes
| Problem | Root Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Agent doesn't call the action when expected | Action description too vague — AI can't match it to user intent | Make Action description more specific: add "Use when user says..." with exact phrases users might say |
| Query Returns 0 results even though records exist | Record name in test doesn't match exactly, OR user's sharing rules hide it | Try searching by partial name. Check agent runs as the correct user (System Admin in Dev Org should see all records) |
| "Draft or Revise Email" shows no Prompt Templates | Template not activated in Prompt Builder | Setup → Prompt Builder → XYZ Follow-up Email → Click Activate. Status must show Active. |
| Agent calls wrong action for a query | Multiple action descriptions overlap — AI picks the wrong one | Rewrite descriptions to be mutually exclusive. Use "ONLY use this action when..." in descriptions to create clear boundaries. |
| Agent shows raw record data without formatting | Instructions don't specify how to format retrieved data | Add FORMAT RULES to Topic Instructions: "When displaying Account data, use: Company | Industry | City | Phone format" |
| Email draft doesn't include contact name | Contact not linked to the Opportunity, or Prompt Template missing Contact merge fields | Ensure Contacts are linked to Account + Opportunity. Check Prompt Template uses {!$Input:Contact.FirstName} merge fields. |
๐ฏ
5. Standard Actions — Interview Questions
Questions interviewers ask about Agentforce Actions
| Interview Question | Best Answer |
|---|---|
| What are Standard Actions in Agentforce? | Pre-built agent capabilities provided by Salesforce — zero code or configuration. Examples: Query Records, Get Record Details, Create Record, Update Record, Send Email, Draft Email (Prompt Template), Summarize Record, Search Knowledge. Always check Standard Actions first before building custom ones. |
| How does an agent decide which Action to call? | The AI reads the Action's Name and Description and selects the one whose description best matches what the user is asking. Specific, clear Action descriptions = correct Action selection. Vague descriptions = wrong Action called or no Action called. |
| What is the difference between Query Records and Get Record Details? | Query Records = search returning multiple matching records (broad search). Get Record Details = full information on ONE specific record by ID. Agents typically call Query Records first to find the record, then Get Record Details for complete information. |
| How do you connect a Prompt Template to an agent? | Add "Draft or Revise Email" Standard Action to the Topic, select the Prompt Template from the dropdown. Agent calls this action when user requests email drafting → action fetches record data → populates merge fields → LLM generates email → returned to user. |
| When would you NOT use Standard Actions? | When Standard Actions can't meet the requirement: complex multi-object SOQL (use Apex), DML with business logic (use Flow), external system calls (use API Actions). Standard Actions cover simple CRUD — use custom actions for complex logic. |
✅
Module 7 Summary
Agent has real data superpowers — biggest upgrade so far!
- ✅Standard Actions — pre-built Salesforce capabilities, zero code, instant power. Always check Standard first!
- ✅10 Standard Actions known — Query Records, Get Record Details, Create/Update Record, Send Email, Draft Email, Summarize, Search Knowledge, Get Related List, Identify Object
- ✅Action 1 Added — "Search Salesforce Records" (Query Records) — finds Accounts, Opportunities, Contacts
- ✅Action 2 Added — "Get Account or Opportunity Info" (Get Record Details) — full record details
- ✅Action 3 Added — "Draft Follow-up Email" — connects XYZ Follow-up Email Prompt Template
- ✅Action 4 Added — "Summarize Account or Deal" — instant AI briefings
- ✅Contact Lookup Topic — also got Query Records action for real contact retrieval
- ✅Live Tested — 4 real conversations with actual Salesforce data, AI-generated email, pre-call briefing
๐ฏ Course Checkpoint — You're Past Halfway!
Look at what your agent does now: retrieves real Accounts, shows live Opportunity pipeline, generates personalized AI emails, summarizes records for meeting prep — all from natural language conversations. Zero code written! Modules 8-10 add even MORE power: Flow Actions (create records), Apex Actions (complex queries), API Actions (external systems). The agent keeps getting smarter!
๐ง Module 7 — Knowledge Check
Q1: What is the rule for choosing Action types? → Always check Standard Actions FIRST. Use Standard if it covers your need. Flow for DML/multi-step. Apex for complex SOQL. API for external systems.
Q2: How does the agent decide which Action to call for a user message? → Reads Action Name + Description and matches to user intent — just like Topic Classification. Specific descriptions = correct selection. Always write clear, specific Action descriptions.
Q3: What is the difference between Query Records and Get Record Details Standard Actions? → Query Records = search returning multiple records (broad). Get Record Details = full info on one specific record. Agent typically calls Query first (find ID) then Get Record Details (full info).
Q4: How do you connect a Prompt Template to an agent? → Add "Draft or Revise Email" Standard Action → select Prompt Template from dropdown. Agent calls it when user requests email drafting → fetches data → populates merge fields → LLM generates → user sees draft.
Q5: Your agent finds a record but displays raw unformatted data. How do you fix it? → Add FORMAT RULES to Topic Instructions: "When displaying Account data, show: Company | Industry | City | Phone format with bullet points for each field." Instructions control display — not actions.
๐ Ready for Module 8?
Next: Flow Actions — Build Autolaunched Flows that your agent can trigger. Create follow-up Tasks, send email notifications, update Opportunity stages, and run multi-step business processes — all from natural language commands. Your agent starts WRITING data, not just reading it!
Module 8: Flow Actions →