# Case deflection across sites, agents and Knowledge

*Agentforce Service Consultant Study Guide · Case Management · Last updated October 15, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-service-consultant/case-management/case-deflection-across-sites-agents-and-knowledge*

Which deflection layer fits which audience (the Case Deflection component, Ask suggestions or Agentforce Service Agent), how to configure the component, and how to prove deflection with metrics instead of anecdotes.

- Certification: Salesforce Agentforce Service Consultant
- Exam section: Case Management
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-service-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a set of requirements, explain how case deflection strategies are delivered in Experience Cloud sites, Agentforce, and Knowledge.

## What the exam expects

- Pick the deflection layer from the audience and the need: the Case Deflection component for anonymous visitors filling in a support form, Agentforce Service Agent for conversational answers grounded in Knowledge and CRM data.
- Configure the Case Deflection component with the Contact Support Form: content types, suggestion count, placement, guest-user behavior and deflection metrics prompts.
- Explain how Experience Cloud, Agentforce and Knowledge combine, and what each layer cannot do.
- Measure deflection credibly: Site Case Deflection Metrics reports and the Case Deflection Dashboard, agent session data, article views and case volume by origin against a baseline.

Key terms: **case deflection** (a customer finds an answer instead of creating a case); **Contact Support Form** (the site component that creates the case); **Case Deflection component** (suggests articles and discussions as the visitor types); **potential vs confirmed deflection** (the dashboard's two measures); **Agentforce Service Agent** (ASA, the AI agent for service).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What the component searches | Text typed into the Contact Support Form; returns articles and discussions | [Case Deflection](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=rss_case_deflection.htm) |
| Guest-user matching | Article titles only, not the body | [Case Deflection](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=rss_case_deflection.htm) |
| Maximum Suggestions to Display | Default 6 | [Case Deflection](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=rss_case_deflection.htm) |
| Placement | Not in the template header or footer | [Case Deflection](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=rss_case_deflection.htm) |
| Deflection reporting | Custom report type on Site Case Deflection Metrics; Manage Custom Report Types | [Site Case Deflection Reporting](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.networks_case_deflection_reporting.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Dashboard source | Salesforce Community Management package | [Case Deflection](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=rss_case_deflection.htm) |
| Migration prerequisites | Web-to-Case on, Create a Record global action on Case, Guest Access to the Support API | [Migrate to Support Components](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.rss_migrate_to_support_components.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| ASA conversations | Inbound only; consumption-based billing | [ASA Considerations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.service_agent_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Article view statistics | Published and archived articles only; drafts not tracked | [KnowledgeArticleViewStat](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.object_reference.meta/object_reference/sforce_api_objects_knowledgearticleviewstat.htm) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't a count of published articles serve as a deflection rate?
- When should a design use Agentforce Service Agent instead of the Case Deflection component?
- Which two content types can the Case Deflection component suggest?
- Why turn on the satisfaction prompt in the component's Deflection Metrics settings?

## Sources

- [Case Deflection](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=rss_case_deflection.htm)
- [Migrate to the Contact Support Form and Case Deflection Components](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.rss_migrate_to_support_components.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Site Case Deflection from Discussions and Articles](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.networks_case_deflection_reporting.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Contact Support & Ask Buttons](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.rss_contact_support.htm&type=5)
- [Get to Know Agentforce Service Agent](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.bots_service_asa_about.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Considerations for Agentforce Service Agent](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.service_agent_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Explore Use Cases for Agentforce for Service](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/agentforce-service-agent-quick-look/explore-use-cases-for-agentforce-for-service)
- [About Agent Analytics](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.generative_ai_agent_analytics_about.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [KnowledgeArticleViewStat](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.object_reference.meta/object_reference/sforce_api_objects_knowledgearticleviewstat.htm)
- [Case Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.cases_fields.htm&type=5)
- [Build an Effective Self-Service Help Center](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.essentials_effective_self_service.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Assign Cases](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=cases_assign.htm&language=en_US&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 8 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Agentforce Service Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams