tools-only Multi-Skill Orchestration: sf-flow Perspective
This document details how sf-flow fits into the multi-skill workflow for Salesforce development.
Standard Orchestration Order
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ STANDARD MULTI-SKILL ORCHESTRATION ORDER │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. sf-metadata │
│ └── Create object/field definitions (LOCAL files) │
│ │
│ 2. sf-flow ◀── YOU ARE HERE │
│ └── Create flow definitions (LOCAL files) │
│ │
│ 3. sf-deploy │
│ └── Deploy all metadata (REMOTE) │
│ │
│ 4. sf-data │
│ └── Create test data (REMOTE - objects must exist!) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Why sf-flow Depends on sf-metadata
| sf-flow Uses | From sf-metadata | What Fails Without It |
|---|---|---|
| Object references | Custom Objects | Invalid reference: Quote__c |
| Field references | Custom Fields | Field does not exist: Status__c |
| Picklist values | Picklist Fields | Flow decision uses non-existent value |
| Record Types | Record Type metadata | Invalid record type: Inquiry |
Rule: If your Flow references custom objects or fields, create them with sf-metadata FIRST.
sf-flow's Role in the Triangle Architecture
Flow acts as the orchestrator in the Flow-LWC-Apex triangle:
┌─────────────────────┐
│ FLOW │◀── YOU ARE HERE
│ (Orchestrator) │
└──────────┬──────────┘
│
┌─────────────────────┼─────────────────────┐
│ │ │
▼ ▼ │
┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ LWC Screen │ │ Apex Invocable │ │
│ Component │ │ Action │ │
└────────┬────────┘ └────────┬────────┘ │
│ @AuraEnabled │ │
└──────────┬──────────┘ │
▼ │
┌─────────────────────┐ │
│ Apex Controller │─────────────────────┘
└─────────────────────┘ Results back to Flow
See docs/triangle-pattern.md for detailed Flow XML patterns.
Integration + Agentforce Extended Order
When building agents with Flow actions:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ AGENTFORCE FLOW ORCHESTRATION │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. sf-metadata │
│ └── Create object/field definitions │
│ │
│ 2. sf-connected-apps (if external API) │
│ └── Create OAuth Connected App │
│ │
│ 3. sf-integration (if external API) │
│ └── Create Named Credential + External Service │
│ │
│ 4. sf-apex (if custom logic needed) │
│ └── Create @InvocableMethod classes │
│ │
│ 5. sf-flow ◀── YOU ARE HERE │
│ └── Create Flow (HTTP Callout, Apex wrapper, or standard) │
│ │
│ 6. sf-deploy │
│ └── Deploy all metadata │
│ │
│ 7. sf-ai-agentforce │
│ └── Create agent with flow:// target │
│ │
│ 8. sf-deploy │
│ └── Publish agent (sf agent publish) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Flows for Agentforce: Critical Requirements
When creating Flows that will be called by Agentforce agents:
1. Variable Name Matching
Agent Script input/output names MUST match Flow variable API names exactly:
<!-- Flow variable -->
<variables>
<name>inp_AccountId</name>
<dataType>String</dataType>
<isInput>true</isInput>
</variables>
# Agent Script action - names must match!
actions:
- name: GetAccountDetails
target: flow://Get_Account_Details
inputs:
- name: inp_AccountId # Must match Flow variable name
source: slot
2. Flow Requirements for Agents
| Requirement | Why |
|---|---|
| Autolaunched or Screen Flow | Record-triggered flows cannot be called directly |
isInput: true for inputs |
Agent needs to pass values |
isOutput: true for outputs |
Agent needs to read results |
| Descriptive variable names | Agent uses these in responses |
3. Common Integration Errors
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Internal Error" on publish | Variable name mismatch | Match Flow var names exactly |
| "Flow not found" | Flow not deployed | sf-deploy before sf-ai-agentforce |
| Agent can't read output | Missing isOutput: true |
Add output flag to Flow variable |
Cross-Skill Integration Table
| From Skill | To sf-flow | When |
|---|---|---|
| sf-ai-agentforce | → sf-flow | "Create Autolaunched Flow for agent action" |
| sf-apex | → sf-flow | "Create Flow wrapper for Apex logic" |
| sf-integration | → sf-flow | "Create HTTP Callout Flow" |
| From sf-flow | To Skill | When |
|---|---|---|
| sf-flow | → sf-metadata | "Describe Invoice__c" (verify fields before flow) |
| sf-flow | → sf-deploy | "Deploy flow with --dry-run" |
| sf-flow | → sf-data | "Create 200 test Accounts" (after deploy) |
Deployment Order for Flow Dependencies
When deploying Flows that reference Apex or LWC:
1. APEX CLASSES (if @InvocableMethod called)
└── Deploy first
2. LWC COMPONENTS (if used in Screen Flow)
└── Deploy second
3. FLOWS ◀── Deploy LAST
└── References deployed Apex/LWC
Best Practices
- Always verify objects exist before creating Flow references
- Use sf-metadata describe to confirm field API names
- Deploy as Draft first for complex flows
- Test with 251 records for bulk safety
- Match variable names exactly when creating for Agentforce
Related Documentation
| Topic | Location |
|---|---|
| Triangle pattern (Flow perspective) | sf-flow/docs/triangle-pattern.md |
| LWC integration | sf-flow/docs/lwc-integration-guide.md |
| Apex action template | sf-flow/templates/apex-action-template.xml |
| sf-ai-agentforce | sf-ai-agentforce/SKILL.md |