Salesforce has committed to bringing the dedicated search function back to its help portal in a statement to CX Today.
The news comes after users expressed their frustration at the replacement of its classic search bar with an Agentforce AI assistant on September 29.
Instead of being able to type a keyword to get a list of matching articles, documentation, or guides, the only option was to ask the AI‑powered conversational assistant questions.
Frustrated at the loss of the familiar tool, many users took to Salesforce’s IdeaExchange forum and social media to request its return, saying that it was faster, more predictable, and more reliable.
Yet, Salesforce has listened and is now bringing the search bar back in response to the feedback.
Bernard Slowey, SVP of Digital Success at Salesforce, said: First and foremost, I want to thank you. The passion and feedback you've shared on IdeaExchange about the removal of the site search bar has been heard loud and clear. Your willingness to use this platform to let us know where we can improve is invaluable, and I have personally read every single one of your comments. We truly appreciate it.
Slowey added that the company had decided to remove the search bar as part of a data-driven effort to streamline the user experience and shift focus toward Agentforce, but acknowledged that the move underestimated how essential traditional search still is for a core group of users.
"We know how important Salesforce Help is to your daily work," he continued. "The decision to remove the search bar was based on data analysis that showed an average of only 1.7% of Help sessions engaging with search, with trends pointing down. With our focus on enhancing the Agentforce experience and a belief that we could streamline the customer journey, we felt this was a logical step forward."
You’ve made clear that even with low usage, the search bar is a critical tool for many of you, and that removing it created friction in your workflow. We hear you. Because of your feedback, we are committing to bringing back a dedicated search capability to Salesforce Help - this is a top priority.
Slowey indicated that rather than reverting to the traditional search bar completely, Salesforce will combine search and conversational AI with search functionality built into or accessible via Agentforce.
