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omnistudio-admin-configuration

Use when configuring OmniStudio at the org level: enabling Standard Runtime, selecting the Runtime Namespace, assigning Permission Set Licenses, toggling feature settings, and granting Experience Cloud community access. Trigger keywords: OmniStudio Settings, Standard OmniStudio Runtime, managed package runtime, runtime namespace, OmniStudio Permission Set, OmniStudio PSL. NOT for moving an org off the vlocity namespace — use omnistudio/vlocity-to-native-omnistudio-migration. NOT for deciding whether to adopt OmniStudio — use architect/omnistudio-vs-standard-decision.

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OmniStudio Admin Configuration

Use this skill when an org requires initial OmniStudio configuration or when runtime, namespace, or permission problems are blocking component activation. It covers two independent configuration axes — runtime mode selection and permission set assignment — that must both be correct for OmniStudio to function. A gap in either axis causes activation failures, missing UI, or components that appear active but silently error at runtime.

This skill is explicitly scoped to org-level setup. It does not cover OmniScript step design, DataRaptor logic, Integration Procedure orchestration, or namespace migration from Vlocity to native.


Before Starting

Gather this context before working on anything in this domain:


Core Concepts

Runtime Mode Selection

OmniStudio supports two runtime modes that are mutually exclusive at the component level. Managed Package Runtime uses the installed Vlocity or OmniStudio managed package LWC components. Standard OmniStudio Runtime (also called native runtime) uses the Salesforce-platform-native LWC components shipped with the org.

Enabling Standard OmniStudio Runtime is a one-way toggle per component. Once a component is opened and saved in the Standard designer, it cannot revert to the managed package runtime path. Orgs in a mixed state — some components on native, some on managed — can cause inconsistent behavior and should be treated as transitional, not permanent.

To enable Standard Runtime: Setup > OmniStudio Settings > enable Standard OmniStudio Runtime. The same page contains a toggle to Disable Managed Package Runtime (OmniStudio Settings: disableManagedPackageRuntime), which prevents further use of the managed package components and forces all activity through the native runtime.

Runtime Namespace Configuration

The Runtime Namespace field in OmniStudio Settings controls which managed package namespace is active for the org. Valid values are:

Leaving this field blank or entering an incorrect namespace causes component activation failures that surface as generic errors. This field must match the actual installed namespace. If Standard Runtime is fully enabled and no managed package is present, set the namespace to omnistudio.

Enhanced Runtime Performance and User Mode

Enhanced Runtime Performance is a toggle on the OmniStudio Settings page (Setup > Quick Find > Omnistudio Settings). It is a security change with a performance name. Salesforce Help describes it as ensuring "that Omnistudio communicates with the Salesforce Platform with in-platform capabilities instead of through Apex calls" — removing the Apex hop — and states that the setting makes all components execute in user mode, which "respects the access levels of the person performing an operation." Components that previously reached data through the managed package's Apex layer now stop at the running user's object and field permissions, so a user without the requisite object or field permissions cannot complete key actions.

Two consequences an org-level setup must plan for:

Salesforce is explicit about rollout: do not enable the setting directly in production — test it in a production-like sandbox first. This is an org setting and is independent of the Apex apiVersion user-mode default, which is pinned per class in .cls-meta.xml — see Apex security idiom by API version for that separate rule.

Permission Set Licenses and Assignment

As of Winter '24, OmniStudio consolidates user access into a primary Permission Set License (PSL): OmniStudioPSL. Two core permission sets are derived from this PSL:

Assigning a permission set without the underlying PSL will fail silently or with a generic error. PSL assignment must precede permission set assignment in bulk provisioning workflows.

Experience Cloud Community User Access

Experience Cloud (community) users require additional configuration beyond the standard OmniStudio User permission set. A custom permission set must be created that enables the community consumer custom permission, then assigned to the community profile or permission set group. Without this, authenticated and guest community members will receive access-denied errors even if all standard permission sets are assigned.


Common Patterns

Greenfield Native Runtime Setup

When to use: A new org or sandbox with no prior Vlocity install needs OmniStudio configured from scratch.

How it works:

  1. Go to Setup > OmniStudio Settings.
  2. Enable Standard OmniStudio Runtime.
  3. Set Runtime Namespace to omnistudio.
  4. Assign OmniStudioPSL Permission Set License to all builder and user accounts.
  5. Assign the OmniStudio Admin permission set to builders.
  6. Assign the OmniStudio User permission set to consumers.
  7. Verify by opening the OmniStudio app and confirming the designer and list views load.

Why not the alternative: Skipping the Runtime Namespace field leaves it blank, which causes silent activation failures on first component save.

Community / Experience Cloud User Access

When to use: Community members — authenticated portal users or guest users — need to run OmniScripts embedded in Experience Cloud pages.

How it works:

  1. Complete the standard greenfield or managed-package setup first.
  2. Create a new Permission Set with the OmniStudio Community User custom permission enabled.
  3. Assign this permission set to the community profile or to the Experience Cloud permission set group.
  4. In Experience Cloud Builder, confirm the OmniScript component is visible in the component palette.
  5. For guest users, additionally confirm the guest user profile has access to the OmniScript record via sharing and that no IP or DataRaptor action requires authentication it cannot provide.

Why not the alternative: Assigning only OmniStudio User to the community profile produces access-denied errors at runtime because the community consumer custom permission is absent.


Decision Guidance

SituationRecommended ApproachReason
New org, no prior Vlocity installEnable Standard Runtime, set namespace to omnistudioAvoids managed package dependency
Org has Vlocity managed package, not yet migratingSet Runtime Namespace to correct Vlocity namespace, do not enable Standard Runtime yetPreserves managed package compatibility
Org is mid-migration from Vlocity to nativeEnable Standard Runtime, keep Managed Package Runtime enabled until all components are migratedPer-component migration; mixed state is transitional only
Internal builders need design accessAssign OmniStudioPSL PSL + OmniStudio Admin permission setPSL must precede permission set assignment
Internal consumers onlyAssign OmniStudioPSL PSL + OmniStudio User permission setLeast privilege
Community or portal usersStandard setup + custom community consumer permission setCommunity permission is separate from internal user permission

Step-by-step instructions for an AI agent or practitioner activating this skill:

  1. Gather context — confirm org edition, installed OmniStudio license type, current Runtime Namespace field value, and whether any components have already been opened in Standard designer.
  2. Determine runtime mode — decide between Standard OmniStudio Runtime (native) and Managed Package Runtime based on org state; if the org has no Vlocity packages, use native.
  3. Configure OmniStudio Settings — navigate to Setup > OmniStudio Settings, enable Standard OmniStudio Runtime if applicable, and set the Runtime Namespace to the correct value (omnistudio or the matching Vlocity namespace).
  4. Provision Permission Set Licenses — assign the OmniStudioPSL PSL to every user who will be an admin or consumer before assigning any permission sets.
  5. Assign permission sets — assign OmniStudio Admin to builders and OmniStudio User to consumers; for Experience Cloud users, create and assign the additional community consumer permission set.
  6. Verify activation — open the OmniStudio app, create a test OmniScript, activate it, and confirm it renders; check that consumer users can view the component without errors.
  7. Document the configuration — record the runtime mode, namespace value, and permission set assignments in the deployment runbook for future sandboxes and scratch org refreshes.

Review Checklist

Run through these before marking work in this area complete:


Salesforce-Specific Gotchas

Non-obvious platform behaviors that cause real production problems:

  1. Standard Runtime enable is irreversible per component — once a component is opened in the Standard OmniStudio designer, it cannot be converted back to Managed Package Runtime. Plan the cutover carefully before enabling Standard Runtime in production.
  2. Blank Runtime Namespace causes silent activation failures — the OmniStudio Settings page does not validate the namespace field on save; an empty value only surfaces as a cryptic activation error when a user first tries to activate a component.
  3. PSL must precede permission set assignment — attempting to assign OmniStudio Admin or OmniStudio User before assigning the underlying PSL will fail, sometimes silently, in bulk user provisioning scripts.
  4. Community consumer permission is separate from standard user permission — assigning OmniStudio User to a community profile is necessary but not sufficient; the community-consumer custom permission is an additional requirement that is easy to overlook.
  5. Enhanced Runtime Performance re-scopes every component to user mode at once — the toggle reads as tuning, but it makes all components execute in user mode org-wide, so narrow-profile consumers, Experience Cloud users, and guest users break first. Salesforce directs orgs not to enable it directly in production.

Output Artifacts

ArtifactDescription
OmniStudio Settings configuration checklistVerified runtime mode, namespace value, and feature toggle state for the org
Permission set assignment planMaps user populations to PSL and permission set assignments including community users
Post-activation verification logTest activation results for a sample OmniScript confirming correct runtime behavior

Package files