Clicks, code, packages or productivity tools
A configuration-first decision order for extending Agentforce Sales: when Flow is enough, when Apex or a Lightning web component is justified, when to buy an AgentExchange package and how to vet it, and when the answer is the mobile app, Slack or the Outlook and Gmail integrations.
Given a scenario, determine when it's appropriate to extend declarative development with custom development, third-party applications, Salesforce products, or productivity tools (email integrations, Slack, Salesforce Mobile).
~7 min read · 14 practice questions ·
What the exam expects
- Evaluate each requirement against configuration first, and justify Apex (batch volume, complex integration logic) or a Lightning web component only when declarative tools can't meet it.
- Recommend an AgentExchange (formerly AppExchange) package for non-differentiating needs such as e-signature or data enrichment, and vet it for limits, licensing, vendor support and a sandbox test.
- Choose the Salesforce mobile app, Slack integration or the Outlook and Gmail integrations when the requirement is about where users already work.
- Route multi-system integration needs to an integration platform rather than point-to-point code.
Key terms: declarative (configured with clicks: Flow, layouts, rules); batch Apex (Apex that processes records in chunks as an asynchronous job); Lightning web component (custom HTML and JavaScript UI on the Salesforce Platform); managed package (vendor-owned package whose code you can't view or change); compact layout (the key fields in a record's highlights area).
Key facts
- Detail
- $Record__Prior holds the record before the change, in flows that run on update
- Detail
- Implements Database.Batchable; QueryLocator chunks up to 2,000 records
- Detail
- Components import Apex methods via @wire or imperatively
- Detail
- Implement complex orchestrations in the middleware layer
- Detail
- Code and metadata hidden; provider can upgrade automatically
- Detail
- Counts against the org total limit; records use data storage
- Detail
- The mobile app is included with all Salesforce orgs
- Detail
- Compact layout shows up to ten fields in the mobile app
- Detail
- Tabs need "Available for Salesforce mobile apps"; overridden standard tabs unsupported
Sources for this section (9)
- Global Variableshelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Use Batch Apexdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Call Apex Methodsdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Integration Patternsarchitect.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Install AgentExchange Packagestrailhead.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Before You Installhelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Salesforce Mobile Apphelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Compact Layoutshelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Create Visualforce Pageshelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Why is a record-triggered flow preferred over an Apex trigger for a close-date slip alert?
- When is batch Apex the right recommendation?
- Why test an AgentExchange package in a sandbox before production?
- Which layout controls the fields in a mobile record's highlights area?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
Keep reading with the Agentforce Sales Consultant pack
- Core concepts
- Exam traps
- Worked scenario
The pack includes:
- All 20 lessons of the Agentforce Sales Consultant guide, with reading progress
- Interactive decision walks and step-by-step sequence steppers
- Inline practice questions and one-click topic practice (14 questions for this lesson)
- An official source cited for every claim
- An AI tutor that answers from the guide
- Unlimited timed practice exams