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What does it do?

Tools nodes connect your assistant to external systems and services, giving it the ability to take actions beyond just processing information. Tools let your assistant send emails, update databases, create documents, and interact with business applications. Think of Tools as giving your digital assistant access to the same software and systems that human employees use to get work done.

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How do I use it?

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Selecting Tools

Choose tools based on what actions your assistant needs to perform: Email & Communication: Gmail, Outlook, Microsoft Teams for sending emails and messages Project Management: Asana, Linear, Monday.com, ClickUp for creating tasks and updating projects Customer Management: HubSpot, Salesforce, Attio for managing customer data and interactions Document & Content: Tools for creating documents, presentations, and managing files Data & Analytics: Database connections and spreadsheet tools for handling structured data Custom Integrations: Connect to your organization’s proprietary systems and APIs

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Setting Up Authentication

Most tools require credentials to access external systems: API Key: Enter your API key for services that use this authentication method OAuth: Use secure OAuth flows for platforms like Gmail and HubSpot - these don’t require sharing passwords Custom: Configure authentication for specialized or proprietary systems All credentials are securely stored and encrypted.

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Configuring Tool Permissions

Human Approval vs Auto Execute:
  • Human Approval: Assistant asks for permission before using the tool (recommended for sensitive actions like sending emails)
  • Auto Execute: Assistant uses the tool automatically (good for internal data updates)
Scope Limitations: Define what the tool can access and modify in external systems

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Custom Instructions

Custom instructions let you specify exactly how tools should behave for your specific needs: Example for Email Tool: 
When sending customer support emails:
- Include the ticket reference number in the subject
- Use our customer support signature template
- Copy the support manager on all emails
- Set priority to "High" for urgent issues
Example for CRM Tool: 
When creating customer records:
- Always include lead source in the description
- Set follow-up reminder for 3 days
- Tag based on company size: startup, SMB, or enterprise
Writing Good Custom Instructions:
  • Be specific about what the tool should do
  • Include required fields or formatting
  • Specify any approval processes
  • Define error handling steps

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Referencing Activities

In custom instructions, you can reference Activity nodes using @activity-name to include their outputs or context in tool usage.

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Configuration Steps

  1. Select Your Tool: Choose from available integrations or add a custom one
  2. Add Credentials: Authenticate using API key, OAuth, or custom method
  3. Choose Actions: Select which specific actions the tool can perform
  4. Set Permissions: Decide if actions need human approval or can run automatically
  5. Add Custom Instructions: Define exactly how the tool should behave (optional but recommended)

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Best Practices

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Security First

  • Use the minimum permissions needed for each tool
  • Require human approval for sensitive actions like external communications
  • Regularly review which tools have access to what systems

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Write Clear Custom Instructions

Be specific about what you want the tool to do. Include examples when helpful. Good: “Create a task in the ‘Customer Support’ project with priority set to ‘High’ and assign to the support manager” Poor: “Create a task for this issue”

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Test Your Tools

Test tool configurations with sample data to make sure they work as expected before deploying to users.

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Start Simple

Begin with basic tool usage and add custom instructions as you understand your needs better.
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