ConvIntelligenceSignalRule Metadata Type in SFDX

Architectural Overview#

When Einstein Conversation Insights (ECI) transcribes a VoiceCall or VideoCall, it evaluates the transcript against two sets of intelligence models: Salesforce’s out-of-the-box NLP insights (such as Next Steps, Question Asked, or Action Items) and organization-specific keyword rules defined via ConvIntelligenceSignalRule.

Architecturally, ConvIntelligenceSignalRule allows Sales Enablement and Contact Center Architects to codify domain-specific taxonomy—such as Competitor Mentions, Renewal Churn Signals, Pricing Discount Requests, and Mandatory Regulatory Disclosures—as version-controlled XML metadata. When a signal matches during transcript processing, Salesforce creates a CallCoachingMediaProvider / signal insight record that can trigger record-triggered Flows, populate coaching dashboards, and highlight exact timestamps on the call timeline player.

SFDX Directory and File Suffix#

Key Metadata Fields#

A ConvIntelligenceSignalRule acts as a container for one or more rules (ConvIntelligenceSignalSubRule), each containing the list of signals (keywords) to detect.

ConvIntelligenceSignalSubRule (rules) Subtype Fields#

Declarative XML Example#

Below is a production Enterprise_Competitor_And_Churn_Signals.convIntelligenceSignalRule-meta.xml defining both a Competitor mention rule and a customer-spoken Churn Risk objection rule.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ConvIntelligenceSignalRule xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <active>true</active>
    <conversationType>VoiceAndVideo</conversationType>
    <masterLabel>Enterprise Competitor and Churn Signals</masterLabel>
    <rules>
        <category>Competitor</category>
        <categoryValue>Globex Cloud</categoryValue>
        <language>en_US</language>
        <participantRole>All</participantRole>
        <signals>
            <signalValue>Globex</signalValue>
            <type>Keyword</type>
        </signals>
        <signals>
            <signalValue>Globex Enterprise Suite</signalValue>
            <type>Keyword</type>
        </signals>
    </rules>
    <rules>
        <category>Custom</category>
        <categoryValue>Cancellation and Churn Risk</categoryValue>
        <language>en_US</language>
        <participantRole>Customer</participantRole>
        <signals>
            <signalValue>cancel our contract</signalValue>
            <type>Keyword</type>
        </signals>
        <signals>
            <signalValue>not renewing</signalValue>
            <type>Keyword</type>
        </signals>
        <signals>
            <signalValue>switching providers</signalValue>
            <type>Keyword</type>
        </signals>
    </rules>
</ConvIntelligenceSignalRule>

package.xml Manifest#

Deploy ConvIntelligenceSignalRule together with ConversationalIntelligenceSettings:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <types>
        <members>ConversationalIntelligence</members>
        <name>Settings</name>
    </types>
    <types>
        <members>Enterprise_Competitor_And_Churn_Signals</members>
        <name>ConvIntelligenceSignalRule</name>
    </types>
    <version>68.0</version>
</Package>

SFDX CLI Retrieval and Deployment#

Manage ConvIntelligenceSignalRule files across environments using the sf CLI:

# Retrieve all Einstein Conversation Insights signal rules
sf project retrieve start --metadata ConvIntelligenceSignalRule

# Deploy a specific signal rule to a target org
sf project deploy start --metadata ConvIntelligenceSignalRule:Enterprise_Competitor_And_Churn_Signals

Architect Best Practices and Gotchas#

• Governor Limits on Custom Insights: Orgs can configure up to 100 custom insights (rules) per conversation type, with up to 25 keywords (signals) per insight sub-rule. Consolidate synonymous phrases under a single categoryValue rather than creating separate rules for each spelling variant.
• Scope participantRole to Reduce False Positives: For objection and churn signals, always set <participantRole>Customer</participantRole> so sales reps asking discovery questions don’t inadvertently trigger false-positive churn alerts. Conversely, for mandatory legal disclosures (“This call is recorded for quality assurance”), set <participantRole>Rep</participantRole>.

Frequently asked questions

What does ConvIntelligenceSignalRule do in Einstein Conversation Insights?

ConvIntelligenceSignalRule defines custom keyword detection rules that scan voice and video call transcripts for specific words or phrases (such as competitor names or cancellation threats) and surface insights on call records.

Where are ConvIntelligenceSignalRule files stored in SFDX?

They are stored in force-app/main/default/convIntelligenceSignalRules/ with the file suffix .convIntelligenceSignalRule-meta.xml.

Can a ConvIntelligenceSignalRule filter by who spoke the keyword?

Yes, each signal sub-rule can specify participantRole (such as Agent, Customer, or Any) so you only trigger an objection signal when the customer says the phrase or a compliance signal when the agent says it.

What setting must be enabled before deploying ConvIntelligenceSignalRule?

Einstein Conversation Insights must be enabled in the target org via ConversationalIntelligenceSettings (enableConversationalIntelligence set to true) before deploying ConvIntelligenceSignalRule components.