# Preferred, required and excluded resource preferences

*Agentforce Field Service and Operations Consultant Study Guide · Managing Work Orders · Last updated October 29, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-field-service-consultant/managing-work-orders/preferred-required-and-excluded-resource-preferences*

Choosing between Preferred, Required and Excluded resource preferences, where they live and how they reach work orders (asset, then location, then account), and which work rule or service objective enforces each one during scheduling.

- Certification: Salesforce Agentforce Field Service and Operations Consultant
- Exam section: Managing Work Orders
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-field-service-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a scenario, choose the appropriate Resource Preferences.

## What the exam expects

- Choose Preferred, Required or Excluded from a customer requirement such as "favor", "only" or "never".
- Pair each preference type with what enforces it: the Required Resources or Excluded Resources work rule, or the Preferred Resource service objective and its weight.
- Predict which preference reaches a new work order from its asset, location or account, and which record's preferences an appointment uses.
- Explain why preferences don't reach work orders created by code, and how to fix open work orders when a required resource is unavailable.
- State the permissions and restrictions for adding preferences.

Key terms:
- **Resource preference:** a record naming a service resource as Preferred, Required or Excluded on an account, asset, location, work order or line item.
- **Required Resources work rule:** limits an appointment's candidates to resources listed as Required on its work order or line item.
- **Excluded Resources work rule:** stops resources listed as Excluded from being assigned to the appointment.
- **Preferred Resource objective:** a service objective that favors preferred resources according to its weight in the scheduling policy.
- **Direct parent:** the work order or line item that a service appointment belongs to.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Preference types | Preferred, Excluded, Required | [Resource Preferences](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.fs_resource_preferences.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Where preferences live | Accounts, assets, locations, work orders, line items | [Resource Preferences](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.fs_resource_preferences.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Copy order on creation | Asset, then location, then account; first found is copied | [Resource Preferences](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.fs_resource_preferences.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Preference used for scheduling | The appointment's direct parent's | [Resource Preferences](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.fs_resource_preferences.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Account preferences enforced | Only once listed on the work order or line item | [Required Resources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_optimization_theory_work_rules_required_resources.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Work orders from code or automation | Account preferences not recreated automatically | [Required Resources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_optimization_theory_work_rules_required_resources.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Rule type by engine | Database rule with Enhanced Scheduling and Optimization; Apex rule without | [Required Resources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_optimization_theory_work_rules_required_resources.htm&language=en_US&type=5), [Excluded Resources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_optimization_theory_work_rules_excluded_resources.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Not allowed as preferences | Inactive resources and dispatchers | [Resource Preferences](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.fs_resource_preferences.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Preferences on work orders | Edit on work orders and Read on service resources | [Resource Preferences](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.fs_resource_preferences.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Objective influence | Set by its weight in the scheduling policy | [Service Objectives](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.pfs_optimization_theory_service_objectives.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why does a work order that already has a resource preference not receive a copied one?
- When would you skip account-level preferences entirely?
- When is Excluded Resources an Apex work rule type?
- Which permissions let a user view resource preferences?

## Sources

- [Add Service Resource Preferences in Field Service](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.fs_resource_preferences.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Work Rule Type: Required Resources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_optimization_theory_work_rules_required_resources.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Work Rule Type: Excluded Resources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_optimization_theory_work_rules_excluded_resources.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create and Manage Field Service Objectives](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.pfs_optimization_theory_service_objectives.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Guidelines for Creating Work Orders for Field Service](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.fs_work_order_guidelines.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create Field Service Work Orders](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=fs_create_wo.htm&language=en_US&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 9 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Agentforce Field Service and Operations Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams