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Custom Actions extend your AI agents with the ability to perform real-world tasks — look up inventory, check pricing, book meetings, send emails, and more.

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Overview

Custom Actions are tools that agents can invoke during conversations.

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Tool Types

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Function Tools

Connect to your business systems for inventory, pricing, and more. Create a function tool by providing a name, description, and the information the agent should collect. Then point it to your endpoint.

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Transfer Call Tools

Hand off calls to human agents. Add transfer destinations by providing phone numbers or labels for each team (e.g., Sales, Support).

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SMS Tools

Send text messages such as order confirmations or follow-up information during conversations.

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Creating Custom Actions

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Step 1: Define the Function

Navigate to Custom Actions tab → Add Tool. Provide a name, description, and the parameters the agent should collect from the conversation (e.g., product ID, quantity).

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Step 2: Configure the Server

Enter the URL for your API endpoint and any required authentication details. Store API keys securely using the Secrets settings.

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Step 3: Test the Tool

  1. Click Test in the tool configuration
  2. Enter sample parameters
  3. Verify the response

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Common Integrations

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ERP Systems

Connect your agents to your ERP system to look up inventory, pricing, customer data, and orders.

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CRM Systems

Connect your agents to your CRM to look up contacts, create deals, and track opportunities.

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Calendar Systems

Connect your agents to your calendar system to schedule meetings, check availability, and send invitations.

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Tool Prompts

Guide the agent on when and how to use tools:

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System Prompt Instructions

## Available Tools

### check_inventory
Use this tool when customers ask about product availability.
Always check inventory before quoting delivery times.

### get_pricing
Use this tool for pricing questions. Requires product_id.
For volume pricing, include quantity parameter.

### schedule_meeting
Offer to schedule meetings when:
- Customer wants a detailed quote
- Customer has complex requirements
- Customer explicitly requests a meeting

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Contextual Usage

## Tool Usage Guidelines

1. **Always confirm before actions**: "I can check that for you. One moment..."
2. **Handle errors gracefully**: "I'm having trouble accessing that. Let me transfer you..."
3. **Provide context**: "Based on your order of 500 units, the price is..."

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Error Handling

Configure how your tools handle errors in the tool settings:
  • Timeout: Set how long to wait for a response. If the endpoint doesn’t respond in time, the agent delivers a fallback message.
  • Retries: Set the number of retry attempts for failed requests.
  • Fallback messages: Provide a user-friendly message the agent can say if the tool fails (e.g., “I’m unable to check that right now. Let me get you to someone who can help.”).

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Security

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API Key Management

Store API keys securely:
  1. Navigate to Settings → Secrets
  2. Add secret: PRICING_API_KEY
  3. Reference in tools: {{PRICING_API_KEY}}
Never hardcode API keys in tool configurations. Always use secret references.

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Authentication

For systems requiring authentication, configure your credentials in the tool settings. Supported methods include API keys and OAuth2.

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Testing Tools

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Test Panel

  1. Go to Custom Actions tab
  2. Click Test on a tool
  3. Enter sample parameters
  4. View request/response

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Conversation Testing

  1. Open agent test panel
  2. Ask questions that trigger tools
  3. Verify tool invocation in debug view

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Best Practices

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Tool Naming

  • Use clear, descriptive names: check_inventory not inv_chk
  • Use snake_case consistently
  • Group related tools with prefixes: crm_lookup, crm_update

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Parameter Design

  • Make parameters intuitive
  • Provide clear descriptions
  • Set sensible defaults
  • Mark required fields appropriately

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Error Messages

  • Provide user-friendly fallbacks
  • Don’t expose technical errors
  • Offer alternatives when tools fail

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Troubleshooting

  • Check tool description matches use case
  • Verify system prompt includes tool instructions
  • Test with explicit trigger phrases
  • Verify endpoint URL is correct
  • Check authentication headers
  • Test endpoint directly with an API testing tool
  • Check API endpoint performance
  • Reduce timeout if endpoint is fast
  • Add loading messages for long operations

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Next Steps

CRM Integration

Connect your CRM

ERP Integration

Connect ERP systems

Testing

Test custom actions