Tools
Tools extend what an agent can do during a conversation.
Tools
Tools extend what an agent can do during a conversation.
Two Types Of Tools
The Tools page can show:
- built-in tools provided by the platform
- custom tools that you create and manage yourself
You can enable or disable tools per agent, and custom tools can be edited later.
When To Use A Tool
Use a tool when the agent needs to perform an action or fetch live data that should not live in static sources.
Examples:
- check an order status
- look up account data
- fetch structured product availability
- call an internal HTTP service
Tools vs Skills vs MCP Servers
| Use | Choose this |
|---|---|
| The agent needs reusable instructions or behavior guidance | Skills |
| The agent needs one focused action or HTTP call | Tools |
| The agent needs a larger external integration with multiple exposed tools | MCP Servers |
Working With Custom Tools
The custom tool flow lets you:
- create a tool
- configure its HTTP behavior
- test it
- enable or disable it for an agent
Good Custom Tool Workflow
- define one clear job for the tool
- configure the request method, URL, headers, and body shape
- test the tool with realistic inputs
- attach it to the right agent only
- monitor real usage in conversations before expanding scope
If the tool fails often, reduce the scope of what it tries to do instead of piling more fallback logic into the prompt.
Best Practices
- keep tool behavior narrow and reliable
- use sources for stable reference knowledge, not live actions
- test tools before enabling them broadly
- monitor tool-heavy voice sessions in Voice Lab if voice is enabled
Related Docs
Skills
Use reusable instructions when the agent needs behavior guidance, not live actions.
MCP Servers
Connect GitHub, Slack, Notion, databases, and external systems.
API Keys
Create and manage keys for chat, retrieve, and ingest use cases.
API Reference
Interactive endpoint docs for chat, retrieval, and source management.