What an agent does
An agent lets your assistant do something rather than just answer – for example check an order, search a catalogue or open a support request.
When a user’s question matches an agent, Echo7 collects any details it needs, runs the agent’s actions and returns the result in the chat. Agents belong to an integration, which holds the shared connection settings.
Step 1: Add the agent
Open your integration’s contextual menu and choose Agents for the Integration, then click Add.
Enter a stable technical Name, for example WooCommerce_GetOrder, and a Description of what it does.
Choose the Activation Mode: semantic (triggered by user questions) or only when called by a workflow.
Choose the Execution Phase: before or after your content is searched.
Step 2: Write activation questions
Add the requests that should trigger the agent – one per line, in natural language. For example:
- I want to check the status of my order
- Where is the order I placed last week?
- Find the customer’s orders using their email address
Avoid isolated keywords or technical words such as “API” or “JSON”. Each phrase needs enough context to tell this agent apart from others.
Step 3: Define parameters
Parameters are the details the agent needs before it can act – such as an order number or email address.
- Choose a Parameter Type: text, email, number, date, time, combobox, checkbox, multiple choice, hidden and more.
- Use How It Should Be Detected by the AI to explain exactly what to extract – and when to leave it empty.
- Mark only genuinely essential parameters as Required. The assistant will ask the user for anything missing.
- For bookings, use date and time fields with an inline picker, block past dates and set available days and times.
Step 4: Add actions
Actions are what the agent does once it has its parameters. They run in order.
| Action type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Webhook call | Calls an HTTP endpoint, for example /orders/{{order_id}}. |
| MCP call / UCP call | Uses a tool exposed by an MCP or UCP server. |
| Generate SQL query | Queries a database through a database connector. |
| Send email | Sends an email to recipients defined in the assistant. |
| JavaScript | Runs code on the page hosting the assistant. |
| None | Just collects the details, for a workflow to use next. |
Use {{parameter_name}} to insert parameter values into URLs, headers and request bodies. Values extracted from one action’s response can be reused in the next.
Step 5: Enable it on your assistant
Edit your assistant, go to Integration Configuration and click Agents next to the integration. Tick Enabled for the agent. If you like, customise its activation phrases or parameters for this assistant only – the original agent stays unchanged for everyone else.
Best practices
- Keep names and parameter names stable – workflows and placeholders depend on them.
- Test with realistic questions, including ones with missing details.
- Use Blocked to pause an agent without deleting it.
Prefer a guided walkthrough? Book a training session and an Echo7 specialist will help your team set it up.
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This guide covers the essentials. For detailed reference on every setting and feature, explore the full Echo7 Wiki.
Echo7 Wiki