Use Execution Modes and Prompting Effectively
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Describe the two execution modes and when to use each.
- Apply prompting best practices to get better results from Agentforce Vibes.
- Explain how Default mode intelligently adapts its behavior based on your prompt.
A Quick Note on Token Budgets
Before you start using execution modes, it helps to know that every request to Agentforce Vibes uses tokens from your org's budget. Tokens are consumed whenever the AI processes a request, and more complex requests use more tokens than simple ones. This doesn't change how you work, but it's good context for why Plan mode (validate your approach first) is often a smart starting point for complex tasks.
See Agentforce Vibes Licensing, AI Models, and Consumption Monitoring for full licensing and token budget guidance.
Two Ways to Work
Agentforce Vibes offers two execution modes: Plan and Default (Agent). Understanding when to use each, and how to prompt effectively, is the key to getting great results.
Mode | Purpose
| Takes Action?
|
|---|---|---|
Default | Handle development tasks, answer questions, debug issues, and generate solutions | Yes |
Plan | Create structured implementation plans before coding | Yes after approval |
Default Mode: Intelligent, Adaptive Development
Default mode is the primary way you interact with Agentforce Vibes. When you type a prompt in Default mode, the AI automatically determines the best way to respond based on what you're asking. It adapts its behavior to your intent.
- If you ask a question, it provides answers and explanations without modifying anything in your org.
- If you describe something to build, it plans the approach, generates the solution, validates its work, and iterates until the task is complete.
If you describe an error or unexpected behavior, it focuses on diagnosing the root cause and proposing targeted fixes.
You don't need to tell the AI which approach to take. Just describe what you need, and Default mode figures out how to help.
Plan Mode: Think Before You Build
Plan mode separates thinking from doing. When you turn on Plan mode, you describe what you want. Then Agentforce Vibes reads your org, analyzes what exists, and produces a structured implementation plan. You review and refine the plan before approving it for execution.
Use Plan mode when:
- You're working on a complex feature that needs decisions before building starts.
- Your changes affect multiple objects, automations, or components.
- You need stakeholder review before implementation.
- You want to validate the approach before spending tokens on generation.
Prompting Best Practices
No matter which mode you use, how you write your prompts directly affects the quality of results. Here are best practices organized by what you're trying to accomplish.
When You Want to Build Something (Default Mode)
- Describe the outcome, not the steps. Enter the prompt: “Create a case escalation process that assigns to a manager when a case is open for 48 hours” rather than “First create a field, then create a trigger, then…”
- Include acceptance criteria. Enter the prompt: “The page should display an error message if no records are found.”
- Mention constraints up front. Enter the prompt: “This needs to work with our existing Case object. Don't create a new custom object."
- Reference your org's patterns. Enter the prompt: "Follow the same layout style used on our Account record page.”
Example prompts:
- Low-code: “Build a record page for Contacts that shows related cases and their status, with a filter for open cases only.”
- Pro-code: “Build a Lightning web component that displays open cases for the current account. Use our existing CaseService class for data access. Include loading states and error handling.”
When You Want to Understand Something (Default Mode)
- Be specific about what you need. Enter the prompt: “Explain what the existing approval process on the Opportunity object does” rather than “Tell me about approvals.”
- Ask for the format you need. Enter the prompt: “Give me a bulleted summary” or “Walk me through this step by step.”
- Provide context about your goal. Enter the prompt: “I’m new to this org and need to understand how case routing works before making changes.”
Example prompts:
- Low-code: “Explain what the existing approval process on the Opportunity object does and which fields trigger it.”
- Pro-code: “Explain how the OpportunityStageHandler class works. I need to modify the stage progression logic and want to understand the current dependencies.”
When You Want to Plan Before Building (Plan Mode)
- Describe the business outcome. Enter the prompt: “We need to track employee certifications with expiration dates and send reminders 30 days before they expire."
- Specify constraints and boundaries. Enter the prompt: "Must work within our existing data model. Don't create new objects without listing them in the plan.”
- Ask for alternatives. Enter the prompt: “Propose two approaches and explain the trade-offs of each.”
- Define success criteria. Enter the prompt: “The plan should include what objects, fields, automations, and UI changes are needed.”
Example prompts:
- Low-code: “Plan a solution for tracking employee certifications with expiration reminders. Show me what objects, fields, and automations are needed before building anything.”
- Pro-code: “Plan a partner certification tracking system with renewal notifications and a manager dashboard. Propose the data model, automation approach, and UI components needed.”
When You Need to Fix an Error (Default Mode)
- Paste the exact error message. The AI needs the specific error, not your interpretation of it.
- Include what you've already tried. Enter the prompt: “I've checked permissions and the user has the right profile.”
- Describe when it happens. Enter the prompt: “This fails only when the Status field is ‘Draft’ and the Amount is empty.”
- Specify the expected behavior. Enter the prompt: “This should allow the record to save when Status is Draft, but it’s blocking.”
Example prompts:
- Low-code: “My validation rule is preventing record saves when the Status is ‘Draft.’ Here's the error message: [paste error]. The rule should only block saves when Status is ‘Closed.’ Help me find the issue.”
- Pro-code: “I'm getting this error when running tests: System.LimitException: Too many SOQL queries: 101. The failure is in CaseEscalationService_Test. Help me find where the query is inside a loop and suggest a fix.”
Choosing the Right Mode
Here's a quick decision guide.
- “I have a complex project and want to validate the approach first.” Use Plan mode.
- For everything else, use Default mode and describe what you need.
Plan mode is especially valuable for complex, multi-step work where you want visibility into the AI’s approach before it starts building. For straightforward tasks like building a single component, asking a question, or fixing an error, Default mode handles it seamlessly.
You can switch between modes at any time. A common pattern is to start in Plan mode for a complex project, review and approve the plan, and then let Agentforce Vibes execute it in Default mode.