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Understand Agent Creation

You create and manage Agents under Intelligence in your app. The following sections walk through creating an Agent, configuring instructions and tools, and using the Agent in your workflows and channels.

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Create an Agent

  1. Within your app, click Intelligence in the left navigation menu.
  2. Click + Agent in the top right corner.
  3. Enter a name and description in the respective fields.
  4. Select an LLM from the dropdown. If none are available, click Set up AI Service.
  5. Choose the permissions level.
    • Run as publisher: The agent always has the same level of access, regardless of the user interacting with the agent.
    • Run as current user: Permissions change with the user interacting with the agent.
    • Run as service account: Set up a dedicated account with specific permissions for the agent. This is ideal for integrations or automations that require consistent, controlled access.
  6. Select the Agent type.
  7. Click Create Agent.

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Configure Agent Settings

Test the agent in the chat panel as you update the settings.
  1. Click the Configure button on the agent profile.
  2. Add the first message you want the user to see or hear when using the agent.
  3. Add instructions. This is the prompt the agent will follow. Make sure to include the agent’s overall purpose, core responsibilities, guidance on using specific tools, and any constraints.
Use an LLM to help refine the agent’s prompt for clarity and completeness.

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Starting Actions

You can configure Starting Actions—clickable chips that appear below the agent’s greeting before the user’s first message. Each action has a name, icon, and prompt template; optional {{variable}} placeholders open an inline form to collect inputs (Text, Number, or Dropdown) before sending. Actions without variables send immediately. Chips can be reordered by drag-and-drop and toggled on or off. For full setup and variable options, see Agent Starting Actions.

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Tool Call Messages in Chat

When the agent runs a tool, users see a live status message in the chat showing that a tool is executing. Admins can set a custom display message per tool (e.g., “Searching knowledge base…”) so users understand what is happening. Multiple back-to-back tool calls appear as separate messages. This behavior is supported in both the agent builder preview and deployed app agents.

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Configure Agent Tools

Add and configure tools for Agents to perform actions like creating or searching records, running automations, delegating to sub-agents, or connecting to external MCP services.
  1. In the Agent profile page, click the Configure button.
  2. Click + Tool in the Tools section.
  3. Select the tool type.
  4. Complete the configuration. Follow the specific instructions below for the tool type you’re creating.
  5. Save the tool.
See the sections below for field-by-field configuration details for each tool type.

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Search Records

Enables the Agent to search for existing records based on a query. Configuration uses a three-step wizard: Basic Info, Filter Conditions, and Output Fields. Step 1: Basic Info
  • Tool Name: Enter a name with no spaces or special characters.
  • Tool Description: Describe when and how the Agent should use this tool. This helps the Agent understand when to invoke it.
  • Tool Start Message: Customize what the user sees or hears when the tool runs.
  • Permissions: Select the execution permissions for the tool. Defaults to agent default.
  • Select Object: Choose the record object to search.
  • Max Results: Set the maximum number of results returned per search (default is 10). Keeping this low prevents overwhelming the Agent.
  • Sort Configuration: Define the default sort order for search results returned by this tool. Click Add Sort and select a field to sort by.
Step 2: Filter Conditions
  • Filter Variables: Define variables the Agent fills in at runtime. Click + Add Variable and provide a variable name, a description with valid values, and whether it is required. Use the link button on a filter row to set a variable as the filter value.
  • Filter Conditions: Add static filter conditions to narrow results. Build rules using a field, operator, and value. Click + Condition to add a row or + Condition Group to add grouped conditions.
Step 3: Output Fields
  • Output Fields: Toggle on the fields from the search results that should be returned to the Agent.
The search returns results similar to a list view search. If more than 100 records are found, the Agent receives a failure message indicating the need for a more refined query.
Provides advanced search capabilities using AI, allowing the Agent to understand and retrieve related data based on natural language. Configuration uses a five-step wizard: Basic Info, Select Source, Configure Fields, Output Fields, and Review and Save. Step 1: Basic Info
  • Tool Name: Enter a name with no spaces or special characters.
  • Tool Description: Describe when and how the Agent should use this tool. This helps the Agent understand when to invoke it.
  • Tool Start Message: Customize what the user sees or hears when the tool runs.
  • Permissions: Select the execution permissions for the tool. Defaults to agent default.
Step 2: Select Source
  • Select Object: Choose the record object to search.
  • Search Service: Select the AI search service to use for this tool.
  • Max Results: Set the maximum number of results returned per search (default is 10). Keeping this low prevents overwhelming the Agent.
Step 3: Configure Fields
  • Search Field Description: Describe how the Agent should use the search functionality.
  • Filter Variables: Define variables the Agent can fill in at runtime. Click + Add Variable to create a variable, then use the link button on a filter row to reference it as the filter value.
  • Configure Search Filters: Add filters to narrow down search results. Build filter conditions using a field, operator, and value. Click + Condition to add a row or + Condition Group to add grouped conditions.
Step 4: Output Fields
  • Output Fields: Toggle on the fields the Agent can return. Available fields are specific to the record object chosen in Step 2. Only enable fields relevant to the Agent’s task.
Step 5: Review and Save Review your configuration across all steps before saving. Once saved, the tool will be available for the Agent to use.

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Create Record

Allows the Agent to create new records in the system.
  • Tool Name: Enter a name with no spaces or special characters.
  • Tool Description: Describe when and how the Agent should use this tool. This helps the Agent understand when to invoke it.
  • Tool Start Message: Customize what the user sees or hears when the tool runs.
  • Permissions: Select the execution permissions for the tool. Defaults to agent default.
  • Record Object: Choose the record object the Agent will create.
  • Fields to Create: Click + Field to add fields the Agent will populate when creating a record. A record object must be selected before fields can be configured. Each field can be given a name, a description to guide the Agent on what value to provide, and toggled as required.

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Update Record

Allows the Agent to update existing records.
  • Tool Name: Enter a name with no spaces or special characters.
  • Tool Description: Describe when and how the Agent should use this tool. This helps the Agent understand when to invoke it.
  • Tool Start Message: Customize what the user sees or hears when the tool runs.
  • Permissions: Select the execution permissions for the tool. Defaults to agent default.
  • Record Object: Choose the record object the Agent will update.
  • Identifier Description: Help the Agent understand the unique identifier of the record to update (e.g., record ID or name).
  • Fields to Update: Click + Field to add fields the Agent will update on the record. Each field can be given a name, a description to guide the Agent on what value to provide, and toggled as required.
The Agent is notified whether the update was successful or not, along with reasons for failure, allowing it to attempt corrections.

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Run Automation

Allows the Agent to execute existing automations that have an On-Demand trigger, enabling complex workflows to be triggered conversationally.
  • Tool Name: Enter a name with no spaces or special characters.
  • Tool Description: Describe when and how the Agent should use this tool. This helps the Agent understand when to invoke it.
  • Tool Start Message: Customize what the user sees or hears when the tool runs.
  • Permissions: Select the execution permissions for the tool. Defaults to agent default.
  • Automation: Choose an existing on-demand automation to run.
  • Input Values: Click + Input to define the values the Agent will pass to the automation. Each input can be given a name and a description to guide the Agent on what value to provide.
  • Output Values: Click + Output to define the values the Agent will receive back from the automation. Each output can be given a name and a description so the Agent understands how to use the returned data.

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Run Agent

Allows the Agent to delegate tasks to another agent (sub-agent) for specialized processing. Each execution creates a new conversation between the main agent and the sub-agent.
  • Tool Name: Enter a name with no spaces or special characters.
  • Tool Description: Describe when and how the Agent should use this tool. This helps the Agent understand when to invoke it.
  • Tool Start Message: Customize what the user sees or hears when the tool runs.
  • Permissions: Select the execution permissions for the tool. Defaults to agent default.
  • App: Choose the App containing the target agent.
  • Target Agent: Choose the sub-agent to delegate tasks to.
  • Worker Task Prompt: Instructions for how this agent should delegate tasks to the worker agent.
Each tool execution starts a new conversation with the sub-agent. The main agent can provide context and instructions, and results from the sub-agent are returned for continued processing.

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MCP Tool

The MCP (Model Context Protocol) Tool allows the Agent to connect to external MCP servers and use custom tools, extending the Agent’s capabilities beyond the platform’s built-in tools. Configuration follows a three-step wizard: Connect to MCP Server, Select Tool, and Configure Tool. Step 1: Connect to MCP Server
  • MCP Server URL: Enter the base URL of the MCP server (e.g., https://api.example.com/mcp).
  • Authentication: Select the authentication method — Bearer Token, Basic Auth, API Key, or None.
  • Click Connect to discover available tools on the server.
Step 2: Select Tool
  • Browse and select from the tools available on the MCP server.
Step 3: Configure Tool
  • Tool Name: Enter a name with no spaces or special characters.
  • Tool Description: Describe when and how the Agent should use this tool. This helps the Agent understand when to invoke it.
  • Tool Start Message: Customize what the user sees or hears when the tool runs.
  • Permissions: Select the execution permissions for the tool. Defaults to agent default.
The Agent communicates with the external MCP server to execute the tool. Authentication is handled automatically based on the configured method. Results are returned to the Agent for use in the conversation.

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Add Your Agent to Your App Workflow

Once your Agent is created and configured, you can edit and test by returning to Intelligence in your app. The Agent can now be added to Automations. You can also open the Agent wherever you see the Agent button in Elementum, or use it through Microsoft Teams, Slack, and phone integrations.