Tools transform your knowledge agents from passive information providers into active problem solvers. By integrating specialized capabilities, your agents can perform tasks, retrieve real-time data, make calculations, and connect to enterprise systems—all while maintaining the conversational experience users expect.

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What Are Tools?

In Prisme.ai, tools are specialized functions that extend an agent’s capabilities beyond retrieving and presenting information from your knowledge base. They allow agents to:

Perform Actions

Execute tasks based on user requests

Access Live Data

Retrieve real-time information from external systems

Process Information

Perform calculations, transformations, and analysis

Integrate with Systems

Connect with enterprise applications and services

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Tool Types

Prisme.ai supports several types of tools, each with specific purposes and capabilities:

Built-in tools provided by Prisme.ai, ready to use with minimal configuration.

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Common Tools

Prisme.ai includes a growing library of native tools that you can add to your agents with minimal configuration:

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Creating Custom Tools

You can create custom tools to address specific needs in your organization:

1

Define Tool Requirements

Determine what the tool should do and how it should interact with users and systems.

Consider:

  • What problem does this tool solve?
  • What inputs will it need?
  • What outputs should it provide?
  • Which systems will it interact with?
  • What security considerations are important?
2

Select Tool Type

Choose the most appropriate tool type based on your requirements.

Tool selection guidance:

  • Use native tools for common functions
  • Choose custom code for specialized logic
  • Select API connectors for external service integration
  • Use webhooks for complex process orchestration
  • Implement database tools for structured data queries
3

Configure or Develop the Tool

Set up the tool’s parameters or develop its code.

For custom development:

  • Create clear input/output schemas
  • Implement robust error handling
  • Ensure appropriate security measures
  • Test with various input scenarios
  • Document the tool’s functionality
4

Test the Tool

Verify that the tool works as expected in different scenarios.

Testing should include:

  • Basic functionality verification
  • Edge case handling
  • Performance assessment
  • Security testing
  • Integration testing with agent
5

Add to Your Agent

Integrate the tool with your knowledge agents.

During integration:

  • Provide clear tool descriptions
  • Configure when the tool should be used
  • Set appropriate permissions
  • Define error handling behavior
  • Test the agent with the new tool

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Tool Usage Strategies

Effective tool integration requires thoughtful configuration of when and how tools are used:

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Integration Examples

Agent Purpose: Answer product questions and resolve customer issues

Integrated Tools:

  • Ticket Creator: Create support tickets for complex issues
  • Order Lookup: Check order status and details
  • Product Catalog: Access current product information
  • Document Analyzer: Process customer documents and screenshots
  • Email Composer: Send confirmation and follow-up emails

Benefits:

  • Streamlined issue resolution
  • Reduced handoffs between systems
  • Consistent information across channels

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Security and Governance

Ensuring secure and responsible tool usage is critical:

Authentication & Authorization

Configure secure access to tools and their underlying systems.

Key Controls

:

    Tool-specific permissions

    API key management

    Credential rotation

    User-based access control

Data Privacy

Ensure tools handle sensitive information appropriately.

Key Controls

:

    Data minimization

    Information redaction

    Temporary storage policies

    Privacy-preserving integration

Logging & Auditing

Maintain records of tool usage for compliance and security.

Key Controls

:

    Comprehensive activity logs

    Tool usage analytics

    Audit trails

    Anomaly detection

Rate Limiting & Quotas

Prevent abuse and manage resource consumption.

Key Controls

:

    Usage quotas

    Rate limiting

    Cost controls

    Resource allocation

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Best Practices

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Next Steps

Agent Testing

Learn how to test and validate your tool-enabled agents

Advanced RAG

Combine tools with advanced RAG techniques

RAG Configuration

Configure how tools interact with your knowledge base

Analytics

Monitor tool usage and performance

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