afv-library/skills/developing-agentforce/references/agent-user-setup.md

Agent User Setup & Permission Model

Complete provisioning workflow for Einstein Agent Users and permission sets. Validated against ORM1, ORM2, AutomotiveSupport, and SalesforceProductAssistant agents.

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License Requirement

PID_DigitalAgent (typically included with Agentforce licenses)

Agent Type Decision Matrix

Aspect	AgentforceServiceAgent	AgentforceEmployeeAgent
Use Case	Customer-facing, external users	Internal employees
Runs As	Dedicated Einstein Agent User	Logged-in user
Einstein Agent User?	Required	Not needed
System PS (AgentforceServiceAgentUser)	Required	Not needed
Custom PS ({AgentName}_Access)	Assigned to agent user	Assigned to employees
default_agent_user in config	Required	Omit entirely
Respects Sharing Rules	No (consistent permissions)	Yes (user's data access)

How to check agent type: Look at the agent_type field in the config: block of your .agent file, or query: sf data query --json --query "SELECT DeveloperName, Type FROM BotDefinition WHERE DeveloperName = 'AgentName'" -o TARGET_ORG

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CLI Fast Track: Complete Workflow

For CLI-first workflow (tested: ~8 minutes total):

# Step 1: Query existing Einstein Agent Users (30 seconds)
sf data query --json \
  --query "SELECT Id, Username, IsActive FROM User WHERE Profile.Name = 'Einstein Agent User' AND IsActive = true" \
  -o TARGET_ORG

# Step 2: Create Einstein Agent User (2 minutes)
# Get Profile ID (read result.records[0].Id from JSON response)
sf data query --json \
  --query "SELECT Id FROM Profile WHERE Name = 'Einstein Agent User'" \
  -o TARGET_ORG

# For Production/Sandbox (non-scratch org):
# Use the ProfileId from the query above
sf data create record --json --sobject User --values \
  "Username=<agent_name>_user@<orgId>.ext \
   LastName=<AgentName> \
   Email=admin@example.com \
   Alias=<alias> \
   TimeZoneSidKey=America/Los_Angeles \
   LocaleSidKey=en_US \
   EmailEncodingKey=UTF-8 \
   ProfileId=<PROFILE_ID> \
   LanguageLocaleKey=en_US" \
  -o TARGET_ORG

# For Scratch Orgs (use user definition file):
# sf org create user --definition-file config/einstein-agent-user.json -o TARGET_ORG

# Step 3: Assign System Permission Set (1 minute)
sf org assign permset --json \
  --name AgentforceServiceAgentUser \
  --on-behalf-of <agent_name>_user@<orgId>.ext \
  -o TARGET_ORG

# Step 4: Deploy Custom Permission Set (3 minutes)
# (Create the .permissionset-meta.xml file first - see Section 3.2 template)
sf project deploy start --json \
  --metadata PermissionSet:<AgentName>_Access \
  -o TARGET_ORG

# Assign custom PS
sf org assign permset --json \
  --name <AgentName>_Access \
  --on-behalf-of <agent_name>_user@<orgId>.ext \
  -o TARGET_ORG

# Step 5: Verify All Permissions (1 minute)
sf data query --json \
  --query "SELECT PermissionSet.Name, PermissionSet.Label FROM PermissionSetAssignment WHERE Assignee.Username = '<agent_name>_user@<orgId>.ext' ORDER BY PermissionSet.Name" \
  -o TARGET_ORG

# Expected: AgentforceServiceAgentUser + <AgentName>_Access

# Step 6: Deploy Agent Bundle (unpublished metadata)
sf project deploy start --json \
  --source-dir force-app/main/default/aiAuthoringBundles/<AgentName> \
  -o TARGET_ORG

# Step 7: Test BEFORE Publishing (recommended)
sf agent preview start --json \
  --api-name <AgentName> \
  -o TARGET_ORG
# Test all subagents and actions to verify permissions

# Step 8: Publish & Activate (only after testing passes)
sf agent publish authoring-bundle --json \
  --api-name <AgentName> \
  -o TARGET_ORG

sf agent activate --json \
  --api-name <AgentName> \
  -o TARGET_ORG

Critical notes:

• For scratch orgs, use sf org create user --definition-file
• For production/sandbox, use sf data create record as shown above
• sf org create user only works in scratch orgs — it will fail in production/sandbox
• Always test with preview BEFORE publishing to avoid version management overhead
• Assign AgentforceServiceAgentUser BEFORE publishing to prevent "Internal Error"
• Publishing does NOT activate — you must run sf agent activate separately

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Service Agent Setup (6 Steps)

Step 1: Create Einstein Agent User

Service agents need a dedicated service account with consistent permissions.

Get Org ID first (needed for username format):

sf org display --json -o TARGET_ORG
# Read result.id from the JSON response

Query existing Einstein Agent Users (skip creation if one exists):

sf data query --json --query "SELECT Id, Username, IsActive FROM User WHERE Profile.Name = 'Einstein Agent User' AND IsActive = true" -o TARGET_ORG

Create the user (if none exists):

1. Get the Einstein Agent User profile ID:

   sf data query --json --query "SELECT Id FROM Profile WHERE Name = 'Einstein Agent User'" -o TARGET_ORG
   

2. Create a user definition file (config/einstein-agent-user.json):

   {
     "Username": "{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext",
     "LastName": "{AgentName} Agent",
     "Email": "placeholder@example.com",
     "Alias": "agntuser",
     "ProfileId": "<profile-id-from-step-1>",
     "TimeZoneSidKey": "America/Los_Angeles",
     "LocaleSidKey": "en_US",
     "EmailEncodingKey": "UTF-8",
     "LanguageLocaleKey": "en_US",
     "UserPermissionsKnowledgeUser": true
   }
   

3. Create the user:

   Option A: Scratch Org (Definition File)

   sf org create user --json \
     --definition-file config/einstein-agent-user.json \
     -o TARGET_ORG
   

   Option B: Production/Sandbox (Direct Record Creation)

   # Get Profile ID first
   # Get Profile ID (read result.records[0].Id from JSON response)
   sf data query --json \
     --query "SELECT Id FROM Profile WHERE Name = 'Einstein Agent User'" \
     -o TARGET_ORG
   
   # Create user directly (use ProfileId from query above)
   sf data create record --json --sobject User --values \
     "Username='{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext' LastName='{AgentName} Agent' Email='placeholder@example.com' Alias='agntuser' ProfileId='<PROFILE_ID>' TimeZoneSidKey='America/Los_Angeles' LocaleSidKey='en_US' EmailEncodingKey='UTF-8' LanguageLocaleKey='en_US'" \
     -o TARGET_ORG
   

   Note: sf org create user only works in scratch orgs. For production/sandbox, use sf data create record. Attempting sf org create user in a non-scratch org fails with an authorization error.

4. Verify creation:

   sf data query --json --query "SELECT Id, Username, IsActive FROM User WHERE Username = '{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext'" -o TARGET_ORG
   

Username format: {agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext (production) or {agent_name}.{suffix}@{orgfarm}.salesforce.com (dev/scratch). Always query the target org to confirm the exact format.

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Step 2: Assign System Permission Set (AgentforceServiceAgentUser)

Critical: Must be assigned BEFORE publishing the agent. Without it, publish fails with "Internal Error".

Via Setup UI:

1. Setup > Permission Sets > search "AgentforceServiceAgentUser"
2. Manage Assignments > Add Assignments > select the Einstein Agent User > Save

Via CLI:

sf org assign permset --json --name AgentforceServiceAgentUser --on-behalf-of "{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext" -o TARGET_ORG

Verify assignment:

sf data query --json --query "SELECT Id, PermissionSet.Name FROM PermissionSetAssignment WHERE Assignee.Username = '{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext' AND PermissionSet.Name = 'AgentforceServiceAgentUser'" -o TARGET_ORG

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Step 3: Create Custom Permission Set for Apex Classes

The custom PS grants the agent user permission to execute your Apex invocable actions.

Naming convention: {AgentName}_Access (e.g., AutomotiveSupport_Access)

File: force-app/main/default/permissionsets/{AgentName}_Access.permissionset-meta.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<PermissionSet xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <description>Grants access to {AgentName} Agent Apex classes</description>
    <hasActivationRequired>false</hasActivationRequired>
    <label>{AgentName} Access</label>

    <!-- Add one entry per Apex class the agent calls -->
    <classAccesses>
        <apexClass>YourApexClassName</apexClass>
        <enabled>true</enabled>
    </classAccesses>
    <!-- Repeat for ALL Apex classes referenced via apex:// in agent script -->
</PermissionSet>

Key rule: Include EVERY Apex class referenced via apex:// in your agent script. Missing even one causes "invocable action does not exist" at runtime.

Deploy the permission set:

sf project deploy start --json --source-dir force-app/main/default/permissionsets/{AgentName}_Access.permissionset-meta.xml -o TARGET_ORG

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Step 4: Assign Custom Permission Set to Agent User

Via CLI:

sf org assign permset --json --name {AgentName}_Access --on-behalf-of "{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext" -o TARGET_ORG

Verify both permission sets are assigned:

sf data query --json --query "SELECT PermissionSet.Name FROM PermissionSetAssignment WHERE Assignee.Username = '{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext'" -o TARGET_ORG

Expected output includes both:

• AgentforceServiceAgentUser (system)
• {AgentName}_Access (custom)

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Step 5: Set default_agent_user in Agent Config

In your .agent file:

config:
  developer_name: "AgentName"
  agent_description: "Your agent description"
  agent_type: "AgentforceServiceAgent"
  default_agent_user: "{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext"  # Service agents ONLY

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Step 6: Deploy, Test, Publish & Activate

Validated workflow pattern: Deploy as unpublished metadata, test with preview, then publish only when tests pass. This avoids version management overhead during iteration.

6.1: Deploy Agent Bundle (Unpublished)

sf project deploy start --json \
  --source-dir force-app/main/default/aiAuthoringBundles/<AgentName> \
  -o TARGET_ORG

This deploys the agent as unpublished metadata — you can edit freely without version management.

6.2: Test with Preview (Before Publishing)

sf agent preview start --json \
  --api-name <AgentName> \
  -o TARGET_ORG

What to test:

1. All subagents trigger correctly
2. All Apex actions execute without "Insufficient Privileges" errors
3. Agent responds with expected data
4. No compilation errors

If testing reveals problems, edit your agent script or Apex classes, redeploy, and test again — no publish required.

⚠️ WITH USER_MODE Object Permissions: Apex using WITH USER_MODE requires the Einstein Agent User to have read access on queried objects. Class-level access alone is not enough. Missing object permissions fail silently — 0 rows, no error. If live preview returns empty but simulated works, check Setup > Profiles > Einstein Agent User > Object Permissions. Fix by adding <objectPermissions> to your custom PS:

<objectPermissions>
    <allowRead>true</allowRead>
    <object>Vehicle__c</object>
</objectPermissions>

See preview-test-loop.md for the complete smoke test workflow.

6.3: Publish Agent

Only publish after all tests pass.

sf agent publish authoring-bundle --json \
  --api-name <AgentName> \
  -o TARGET_ORG

Publishing does NOT activate. The new BotVersion is created as Inactive. You must explicitly activate.

6.4: Activate Agent

sf agent activate --json \
  --api-name <AgentName> \
  -o TARGET_ORG

Note: sf agent activate may not support --json in all CLI versions. It prints a plain-text confirmation.

6.5: Verify Activation

sf data query --json \
  --query "SELECT Id, DeveloperName, Status FROM BotVersion WHERE BotDefinition.DeveloperName = '<AgentName>' ORDER BY CreatedDate DESC LIMIT 1" \
  -o TARGET_ORG

Expected: Status = 'Active'

After publish: Any further changes require version management. Test thoroughly before publishing.

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Employee Agent Setup

Employee agents run as the logged-in user. The permission model is simpler.

What You DO NOT Need

• No Einstein Agent User creation
• No AgentforceServiceAgentUser system permission set
• No default_agent_user in agent config

What You DO Need

Custom permission set(s) assigned to employees who will use the agent.

Step 1: Create Custom Permission Set

Same XML template as Step 3 above. Include <classAccesses> for all Apex classes the agent calls.

Step 2: Assign to Employees

Assign the custom PS to employees (not to a service account):

sf org assign permset --json --name {AgentName}_Access --on-behalf-of "employee@company.com" -o TARGET_ORG

Or use Permission Set Groups for role-based access.

Step 3: Configure Agent Script (No default_agent_user)

config:
  developer_name: "Employee_Agent"
  agent_description: "Internal employee assistant"
  agent_type: "AgentforceEmployeeAgent"
  # NO default_agent_user — agent runs as logged-in user

Step 4: Publish

sf agent publish authoring-bundle --json --api-name Employee_Agent -o TARGET_ORG

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Auto-Generated Permission Set Warning

Salesforce auto-generates NextGen_{AgentName}_Permissions when an agent is published. Do NOT rely on this PS — it is often incomplete.

ORM1 Testing Example

• Agent script referenced 4 Apex classes: OrderManagementVerification, FraudRiskCalculator, OrderLookupService, ShipmentTracker
• Auto-generated NextGen_ORM1_Permissions only included 3 classes (missing ShipmentTracker)
• Runtime error: "invocable action track_delivery does not exist"
• Fix: Created custom ORM1_Access with all 4 classes — no errors

Best practice: Always create your own custom {AgentName}_Access PS with explicit <classAccesses> for every Apex class. Ignore the auto-generated PS.

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End-to-End Verification Checklist

Run this combined query to verify all setup steps for a Service Agent:

# 1. Einstein Agent User exists and is active
sf data query --json --query "SELECT Id, Username, IsActive, Profile.Name FROM User WHERE Username = '{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext'" -o TARGET_ORG

# 2. System PS assigned
sf data query --json --query "SELECT PermissionSet.Name FROM PermissionSetAssignment WHERE Assignee.Username = '{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext' AND PermissionSet.Name = 'AgentforceServiceAgentUser'" -o TARGET_ORG

# 3. Custom PS assigned
sf data query --json --query "SELECT PermissionSet.Name FROM PermissionSetAssignment WHERE Assignee.Username = '{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext' AND PermissionSet.Name = '{AgentName}_Access'" -o TARGET_ORG

# 4. All permission sets for user (combined view)
sf data query --json --query "SELECT PermissionSet.Name, PermissionSet.Label FROM PermissionSetAssignment WHERE Assignee.Username = '{agent_name}_agent@{orgId}.ext'" -o TARGET_ORG

# 5. Agent config has default_agent_user
# Check your .agent file's config: block

# 6. Agent publishes successfully
sf agent publish authoring-bundle --json --api-name AgentName -o TARGET_ORG

Checklist:

• Einstein Agent User created and active (IsActive = true)
• Profile is "Einstein Agent User" (or "Minimum Access - Salesforce")
• AgentforceServiceAgentUser system PS assigned
• Custom {AgentName}_Access PS deployed with ALL Apex classes
• Custom PS assigned to the agent user
• default_agent_user set in .agent config block
• Agent tested with preview before publishing
• Agent publishes without error
• Agent activated (publish does NOT auto-activate)

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Common Pitfalls (Validated)

1. "Internal Error" on First Publish

• Cause: Publishing before assigning AgentforceServiceAgentUser
• Prevention: Assign system PS (Step 2) before publishing (Step 6.3)
• Result: First-time publish success (no retries needed)

2. "Insufficient Privileges" on Apex Actions

• Cause: Missing <classAccesses> in custom permission set
• Prevention: Custom PS template includes all Apex classes (Step 3)
• Result: All actions execute without permission errors

3. Testing After Publishing

• Cause: Publishing before testing, then needing version management for fixes
• Prevention: Deploy → Test → Publish workflow (Step 6.1-6.3)
• Result: No version management overhead during development

4. Wrong User Creation Command

• Cause: Using sf org create user in non-scratch orgs
• Prevention: Step 1 provides correct commands for each org type (Option A vs B)
• Result: User created successfully without authorization errors

5. Auto-Generated Permission Set Gaps

• Cause: Relying on NextGen_{AgentName}_Permissions (often incomplete)
• Prevention: Custom PS with explicit Apex access (Step 3)
• Result: All Apex classes accessible from the start

6. Forgot to Activate After Publish

• Cause: Assuming publish automatically activates
• Prevention: Step 6 splits publish and activate into separate steps with verification
• Result: Agent is both published AND activated

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Troubleshooting

Error	Cause	Fix
"Internal Error" on publish	AgentforceServiceAgentUser PS not assigned to Einstein Agent User	Assign system PS (Step 2), wait 2-3 min, retry publish
"Insufficient Privileges" at runtime	Custom PS missing or incomplete <classAccesses>	Verify custom PS includes ALL Apex classes, redeploy + reassign
"invocable action does not exist"	Apex class not in custom PS (auto-generated PS incomplete)	Create custom {AgentName}_Access with all <classAccesses> (Step 3)
"Invalid default_agent_user"	Username typo or user not active	Query Einstein Agent Users, verify exact username + IsActive = true
Agent runs but returns wrong data	Employee agent using wrong user context	Verify agent_type — Service agents use dedicated user, Employee agents use logged-in user
sf org create user fails	Used in production/sandbox org	Use sf data create record instead (Step 1, Option B)

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Permission Set XML Template (Complete Example)

AutomotiveSupport agent (5 Apex classes):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<PermissionSet xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <description>Grants access to Automotive Support Agent Apex classes</description>
    <hasActivationRequired>false</hasActivationRequired>
    <label>Automotive Support Access</label>

    <classAccesses>
        <apexClass>VehicleLookupService</apexClass>
        <enabled>true</enabled>
    </classAccesses>
    <classAccesses>
        <apexClass>ErrorCodeDiagnosticsService</apexClass>
        <enabled>true</enabled>
    </classAccesses>
    <classAccesses>
        <apexClass>CheckEngineDiagnosticsService</apexClass>
        <enabled>true</enabled>
    </classAccesses>
    <classAccesses>
        <apexClass>BehaviorAnalysisService</apexClass>
        <enabled>true</enabled>
    </classAccesses>
    <classAccesses>
        <apexClass>ServiceSchedulerService</apexClass>
        <enabled>true</enabled>
    </classAccesses>
</PermissionSet>

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Validated against: ORM1, ORM2, AutomotiveSupport, SalesforceProductAssistant agents. Last validated: 2026-03-07.