Tools let your AI agent take actions beyond answering questions. A tool connects to an external API so the agent can look up data, trigger actions, or retrieve information from other systems during a conversation.
For example, you could create a tool that looks up a customer's order status, checks their account balance, or creates a support ticket in another system.
Accessing tools
Navigate to Agent Studio in the sidebar. The Tools panel is in the left panel on desktop. Click Create Tool to open the tool configuration form.
Creating a tool
The tool form has four sections.
Basic information
Name (required)
A unique name for the tool. This is how the tool appears in your agent configuration and in the Tools panel. Names must be unique across all your tools.
Description (required)
Describe what this tool does. This is important because the AI reads this description to decide when to use the tool. Write it clearly, for example: "Looks up order status by
order ID and returns tracking information."
Category
An optional label to help you organize your tools.
Authentication
Choose how the tool authenticates with the external API. Options:
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None - no authentication needed
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API Key - sends an API key as a header or query parameter. You provide the key name (for example
X-API-Key) and the key value. -
Bearer Token - sends a token in the Authorization header
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Basic Auth - sends a username and password
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OAuth 2.0 - authenticates using a token URL, client ID, client secret, and optional scope
Request configuration
Method
The HTTP method the tool uses to call the API: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, or DELETE.
Endpoint URL (required)
The full URL the tool calls, for example https://api.yourservice.com/orders/lookup.
Custom Headers
Any additional headers the API requires. Click + Add Header to add key-value pairs. Authentication headers are added automatically based on your authentication settings, so
you do not need to add those manually.
Timeout
How long the tool waits for a response before giving up, in seconds.
Parameters
This section appears only for POST, PUT, and PATCH methods. Define the data the tool sends in the request body using a JSON schema. This tells the AI what inputs the tool
needs.
For example, a tool that looks up orders might need an order_id parameter. The AI will extract this from the conversation and pass it to the tool automatically.
Testing a tool
After saving a tool, you can test it to make sure it works before assigning it to an agent.
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Open the tool from the Tools panel.
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Click Test.
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If the tool has parameters, fill in test values.
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Click Run Test.
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Review the response to confirm the tool is working correctly.
Assigning a tool to an agent
Creating a tool does not automatically make it available to any agent. You must assign it.
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Go to Agents, select your agent, and click Edit.
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Scroll to the Tools section.
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Toggle on the tools this agent should be allowed to use.
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Save.
How the agent uses tools
When a customer asks a question that requires looking something up or taking an action, the agent reads the descriptions of its available tools and decides which one to use. It
extracts the necessary information from the conversation (like an order ID or email address), calls the tool, and uses the response to answer the customer.
For example:
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Customer says: "What is the status of my order #A7X-993?"
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Agent recognizes this needs the order lookup tool
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Agent extracts the order ID "A7X-993" from the message
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Agent calls the tool with that order ID
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Tool returns the order status
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Agent responds: "Your order #A7X-993 is currently in transit and expected to arrive on April 15."
This happens automatically. You do not need to configure trigger conditions or map inputs manually.
Where tools are used
Tools can be used in two places.
In free-response mode
When an agent is responding freely to a customer (not in a workflow), it decides on its own when to call a tool based on the conversation. You control which tools the agent has
access to in the agent configuration under the Tools section.
In workflows
You can add a Tool node to any workflow. Unlike free-response mode, a tool node in a workflow runs at a specific step that you define. You choose which tool to run, provide
the inputs (which can reference variables collected earlier in the workflow), and optionally save the result to a variable for use in later steps.
For example, a workflow could collect a customer's order ID in a conversation node, then pass it to an order lookup tool node, then display the result in the next message.
Tips for effective tools
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Write clear descriptions. The AI uses the description to decide when to call the tool. "Looks up order status by order ID" is better than "Order tool."
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Keep tools focused. One tool should do one thing. A tool that looks up orders and also processes refunds should be split into two separate tools.
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Test before assigning. Always test a tool to make sure it returns the expected response before assigning it to a live agent.
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Secure your credentials. API keys and tokens are stored securely, but use dedicated API keys with the minimum permissions needed for the tool's purpose.