What is an Agent?
An agent is a complete AI assistant configured with:- Execution logic — A runbook or workflow that defines how it handles conversations
- Knowledge — Sources it can search for information
- Guidelines — Rules for communication style and tone
- Guardrails — Safety constraints and escalation rules
- Tools — Actions it can perform (respond, search, escalate, call APIs)
Agent Capabilities
Agents can:| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Respond to customers | Generate and send replies across Zendesk, Slack, Intercom, and more |
| Search knowledge | Find relevant information from your connected documentation |
| Follow procedures | Execute runbooks or workflows you define |
| Take actions | Create tickets, update records, send messages, call APIs |
| Escalate | Hand off to humans when guardrails trigger |
| Classify | Tag conversations with categories and attributes |
Agent Configuration
Starting Logic
Every agent needs either a runbook or workflow that defines how it operates:- Runbooks — Natural language instructions that give agents flexibility to adapt
- Workflows — Visual, step-by-step processes for deterministic execution
Knowledge Sources
Control what information the agent can access:- Assign specific knowledge sources (Notion, Confluence, etc.)
- Use knowledge tags to filter what’s searchable
- Mix connected sources with custom articles
Guidelines
Shape how the agent communicates:- Tone and voice (friendly, professional, casual)
- Response format and length
- Brand terminology and phrases
- Domain-specific instructions
Guardrails
Define safety boundaries:- Escalation rules — When to hand off to humans
- Restrictions — What the agent cannot do or say
Classification
Configure how conversations are tagged:- Categories (Billing, Technical Support, etc.)
- Custom attributes (Priority, Product Area, etc.)
Multiple Agents
You can create multiple agents for different purposes:| Strategy | Example |
|---|---|
| By team | Billing Agent, Technical Support Agent, Sales Agent |
| By channel | Slack Agent (casual), Zendesk Agent (formal) |
| By customer | Enterprise Agent (high-touch), Self-serve Agent |
| By product | Product A Agent, Product B Agent |
Agent vs Runbook vs Workflow
| Concept | What It Is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Agent | The complete AI assistant with all configuration | ”Support Agent” |
| Runbook | Flexible instructions the agent follows | ”When a customer asks about refunds, verify their order, check eligibility, process or explain policy” |
| Workflow | Visual process with explicit steps and branches | Start → Check Order → Decision: Eligible? → Yes: Process Refund / No: Explain Policy |