Quick Actions with Knowledge

Review our recommendations for how to best use quick actions with knowledge articles.

Required Editions

Note This section contains reference guidance for quick actions. Setup guidance is provided in Set Up Quick Actions (Optional).

When using Agentforce Data Libraries to ground Service Assistant in your knowledge articles, Service Assistant references the articles to create the steps of a service plan and then matches relevant quick actions to those steps. For Service Assistant to accurately assign quick actions to knowledge-based plan steps, the structure, clarity, and detail of the articles play a key role.

Well-organized and detailed articles that have clear ‌titles and summaries help Service Assistant accurately and efficiently surface quick actions to knowledge-based service plan steps. However, if your knowledge articles aren’t as well formatted or aren’t too detailed, Service Assistant can still leverage what information is provided to assign quick actions to knowledge-based steps. What matters in this context is that your quick actions are clear with specific and direct language.

Best Practices for Quick Actions with Knowledge

Using quick actions with knowledge gives you more flexibility in writing action instructions compared to writing them for subagent instructions. The flexibility is a result of knowledge articles typically containing most of the required information that Service Assistant needs to determine what quick actions are relevant to show in plan steps. As a result, you can write effective quick instructions that use various styles: from direct and specific to neutral and generic. The most important rule to follow is to be clear and specific about what the quick action is and what it seeks to accomplish.

Specifically, when writing quick actions that are based on your knowledge articles, follow these rules.

Rule	details
Flexibility in instruction content and style is acceptable.	Instructions can have various writing styles, such as direct, neutral, or generic. Write instructions in a style that aligns with the knowledge article’s level of detail and specificity. The content of the instructions serves to balance any gaps in the knowledge article.
Overlap is acceptable.	If a knowledge article explains the logic for a process, Service Assistant can still recognize what quick action(s) to reference, even if the quick action(s) instruction contains similar or duplicate logic.
Avoid major conflicts.	While some overlap is fine, avoid creating conflicts. Conflict occurs when the knowledge article and the quick action provide different or competing rules for the same task. In this scenario, Service Assistant has no clear path forward.

In summary, think of the knowledge article and the quick action instruction as a balanced pair. Together, they provide the full context Service Assistant needs. The more detail and structure your knowledge article has, the simpler your quick action instruction can be. Oppositely, if a knowledge article is less detailed or not well-organized, the quick action instruction must be more specific to provide the missing context.

Examples and Key Takeaways

The provided examples illustrate how various formats of Quick Action instructions are used with knowledge articles. The key takeaways are these points.

If the knowledge article has all relevant and moderately detailed information, then all the provided quick action instruction formats work. Choose a format that suits your preference based on how specific or detailed the knowledge article is. The quick action can serve to fill any gaps.
If the knowledge article isn’t as detailed or doesn’t have relevant information, make sure that your quick action instructions are specific, explicit, and detailed about what the quick action is and what it seeks to accomplish.
If the knowledge article has a lot of information but isn’t organized well, make sure your quick action instructions are clear and direct. This approach can help you overcome any issues Service Assistant has analyzing the article.

Example 1: Knowledge and Standard Quick Actions

This example presents several variations of the Send Email quick action instructions. One version is the standard instruction we provide you. The others show a generic version and a more specific version of the standard instruction.

The versions highlight the multiple ways you can configure quick actions based on the level of detail in your knowledge articles. The versions apply to standard and custom quick actions. In this example, any version of the quick action is likely to show up in a relevant plan step because the knowledge article has detailed information that’s well-organized.

Key Takeaway

It’s best to include sufficient detail in the knowledge article. Having more information in the article results in a simplified creation of quick action instructions that are more general, as long as they're clear and direct.

Sample Knowledge Article	Quick Action Formats that work for the article
Title: Resending an Order Confirmation Email Summary: This article outlines the process for when a customer reports not receiving their order confirmation. In this scenario, support agents should confirm order status and ensure the confirmation is sent to the correct email address. Locate the Customer’s Order Search by email or order number in the Order Management System (OMS). Confirm that the order was placed successfully and isn't in a failed or pending state. Confirm Email Accuracy Open the customer profile and verify that the email address on file matches what was provided. If the email address was incorrect, update it and log the correction in the case notes. Resend the Confirmation Email Navigate to the order’s communication log or message history. Select the order confirmation message template and resend it to the email address on file.	Name: Send Email Standard instruction format: Drafts and sends an email to a specified recipient directly from a service plan step. The email can be used for providing status updates, conveying resolution details, issuing apologies, requesting or supplying additional information during case management or follow-up, and more. Generic instruction format: Send an email to the customer to follow up, explain an outcome, gather information, or provide an update. Specific instruction format: Resend the customer's order confirmation email to their verified address, ensuring it includes the full order summary.

Sample Knowledge Article

Quick Action Formats that work for the article

Title: Resending an Order Confirmation Email

Summary: This article outlines the process for when a customer reports not receiving their order confirmation. In this scenario, support agents should confirm order status and ensure the confirmation is sent to the correct email address.

Locate the Customer’s Order
- Search by email or order number in the Order Management System (OMS).
- Confirm that the order was placed successfully and isn't in a failed or pending state.
Confirm Email Accuracy
- Open the customer profile and verify that the email address on file matches what was provided.
- If the email address was incorrect, update it and log the correction in the case notes.
Resend the Confirmation Email
- Navigate to the order’s communication log or message history.
- Select the order confirmation message template and resend it to the email address on file.

Name: Send Email

Standard instruction format:
Drafts and sends an email to a specified recipient directly from a service plan step. The email can be used for providing status updates, conveying resolution details, issuing apologies, requesting or supplying additional information during case management or follow-up, and more.
Generic instruction format:
Send an email to the customer to follow up, explain an outcome, gather information, or provide an update.
Specific instruction format:
Resend the customer's order confirmation email to their verified address, ensuring it includes the full order summary.

Example 2: Knowledge and Custom Quick Actions

This second example demonstrates how different instruction styles for a custom quick action can work effectively with a well-detailed knowledge article. The table shows three instruction formats for a Process Refund quick action. We recommend following these formats for creating quick action instructions for knowledge.

Key Takeaway

Some overlap between the information in a knowledge article and a Quick Action instruction is acceptable. As long as the information doesn’t conflict, the duplication can reinforce the connection for Service Assistant and increase the chances of the quick action showing in the correct plan step. In addition, when there is enough information in the article, the condensed format works well.

Sample Knowledge Article	Quick Action Formats that work for the article
Title: Issuing a Refund or Credit After a Return Summary: This process applies when a returned item has been received at the warehouse and the customer is eligible for a refund or store credits Verify that the return has been marked “Received” in the system. Locate the return request linked to the customer’s order. Confirm the return reason is valid and inspect notes or photos if required. Click Issue Refund or Apply Store Credit, depending on the customer's original payment method and preference. Use the appropriate reason code and confirm.	Name: Process Refund Direct, conditional style instruction with knowledge overlap: If the returned item has been marked as received, issue a refund or store credit based on the customer's preference. Neutral, conditional style instruction with knowledge overlap: Issue a refund or store credit to the customer's order once the item is confirmed as received. High-level, direct command-style instruction: Issue a refund or store credit for the returned item based on the customer's preference.

Sample Knowledge Article

Quick Action Formats that work for the article

Title: Issuing a Refund or Credit After a Return

Summary: This process applies when a returned item has been received at the warehouse and the customer is eligible for a refund or store credits

Verify that the return has been marked “Received” in the system.
Locate the return request linked to the customer’s order. Confirm the return reason is valid and inspect notes or photos if required.
Click Issue Refund or Apply Store Credit, depending on the customer's original payment method and preference. Use the appropriate reason code and confirm.

Name: Process Refund

Direct, conditional style instruction with knowledge overlap:
If the returned item has been marked as received, issue a refund or store credit based on the customer's preference.
Neutral, conditional style instruction with knowledge overlap:
Issue a refund or store credit to the customer's order once the item is confirmed as received.
High-level, direct command-style instruction:
Issue a refund or store credit for the returned item based on the customer's preference.

Example 3: Unstructured Knowledge with Clear Quick Actions

This example illustrates how a clear and direct quick action instruction can be effective even when the knowledge article contains a lot of information that isn’t perfectly structured.

Key Takeaway

A clear and direct quick action helps Service Assistant analyze disorganized knowledge articles. Because the article still contains relevant information, detailed instructions aren’t required. A condensed format using broad, clear, and conditional language works well.

Sample Knowledge Article	Quick Action Formats that work for the article
Title: Return - No Receipt or Related Documentation Summary: This article covers what to do for gift returns when a customer doesn't have the receipt. First, you need to verify the item is eligible for a return. If it is, you'll have to use the return tool, but you'll probably need to search by product info, like its name or SKU. Make sure to log the case as a “Gift Return” and include any notes from the customer, like who gave them the gift. When you're in the system, create a return request manually and be sure to mark it with the “Gift Return – No Receipt” reason. Since you can't issue a refund, you'll use the credit section; check the current catalog for the item's price and enter that amount. Finally, link the store credit to the customer’s email so they get the confirmation.	Name: Apply Store Credit - No Receipt Direct, conditional-style instruction: If the customer received the item as a gift card and doesn’t have a receipt, apply a store credit to their account. Neutral, conditional-style instruction: Issues store credit for a returned gift when no receipt or related documentation is provided. Direct, command-style instruction: Verify the item is a product of our store. If verified, apply a store credit for the item if the customer doesn’t have a receipt.

Sample Knowledge Article

Quick Action Formats that work for the article

Title: Return - No Receipt or Related Documentation

Summary: This article covers what to do for gift returns when a customer doesn't have the receipt. First, you need to verify the item is eligible for a return. If it is, you'll have to use the return tool, but you'll probably need to search by product info, like its name or SKU. Make sure to log the case as a “Gift Return” and include any notes from the customer, like who gave them the gift. When you're in the system, create a return request manually and be sure to mark it with the “Gift Return – No Receipt” reason. Since you can't issue a refund, you'll use the credit section; check the current catalog for the item's price and enter that amount. Finally, link the store credit to the customer’s email so they get the confirmation.

Name: Apply Store Credit - No Receipt

Direct, conditional-style instruction:
If the customer received the item as a gift card and doesn’t have a receipt, apply a store credit to their account.
Neutral, conditional-style instruction:
Issues store credit for a returned gift when no receipt or related documentation is provided.
Direct, command-style instruction:
Verify the item is a product of our store. If verified, apply a store credit for the item if the customer doesn’t have a receipt.