Configuring Specialist Agents

Create and configure Specialist Agents (SMEs) to handle domain-specific tasks for your organization.

Two Ways to Create an SME

Creation Wizard (Recommended)

The SME Creation Wizard is the fastest way to create a well-configured SME. It walks you through 6 guided steps, recommends tools based on your domain, and auto-generates optimized instructions.

1. Navigate to Build > AI Agents > Specialist Agents
2. Click Create with Wizard
3. Follow the guided steps

See SME Creation Wizard for a detailed walkthrough.

Traditional Form

For power users who prefer full manual control:

1. Navigate to Build > AI Agents > Specialist Agents
2. Click Create SME (flat form)
3. Configure all fields manually

The sections below describe the traditional form approach.

Accessing SME Configuration

1. Navigate to Build > AI Agents > Specialist Agents
2. Click Create SME for the traditional form, or Create with Wizard for guided creation
3. Click on an existing SME to edit its configuration

Creating with the Traditional Form

Step 1: Basic Information

Field	Description	Example
Name	Unique identifier (letters, numbers, underscores, 3-50 chars)	accounting_sme
Friendly Name	Display name	"Accounting SME"
Description	Brief summary of expertise	"Expert in financial operations, invoicing, and expense management"

Step 2: SME Configuration

Enable the SME designation and configure specialized settings:

Setting	Description	Recommended
Enable as SME	Marks this agent as a Specialist Agent	Required
SME Description	Detailed description shown to calling agents	Include capabilities and when to use
Default Timeout	Maximum execution time in seconds	3600 (1 hour) for complex tasks
Max Nesting Depth	How deep SME chains can go	3 (prevents infinite loops)

SME Description Best Practice

Write the SME description as if explaining to another agent when to delegate work. Include:

• What domains/tasks this SME handles
• When other agents should invoke it
• What results to expect

Step 3: LLM Configuration

Choose the AI model and parameters:

Parameter	Description	SME Recommendation
Model	The LLM powering this SME	Claude Sonnet or Opus for complex reasoning
Temperature	Creativity level (0-1)	0.3-0.5 for accuracy-critical tasks
Max Tokens	Response length limit	4000+ for detailed reports

Step 4: Write Instructions

SME instructions should focus on domain expertise and task handling. Include:

## Role
You are the [Domain] SME for [Organization]. Your expertise covers [specific areas].

## Responsibilities
1. [Primary responsibility]
2. [Secondary responsibility]
3. [Additional duties]

## Knowledge Areas
- [Domain knowledge 1]
- [Domain knowledge 2]
- [Reference to Operations Knowledge Base topics]

## Working Guidelines
- Always check the Operations Knowledge Base for relevant policies
- Use timeout reminders for tasks that may take multiple sessions
- Escalate to [manager role] when [escalation criteria]

## Output Format
When completing a task, provide:
1. Summary of findings/actions
2. Supporting details
3. Recommendations (if applicable)
4. Any items requiring follow-up

Example: Accounting SME Instructions

## Role
You are the Accounting SME for TechCorp. Your expertise covers financial operations, invoice processing, expense management, and QuickBooks integration.

## Responsibilities
1. Process invoices and track payments
2. Handle expense reports and reimbursements
3. Answer financial policy questions
4. Generate financial reports and summaries

## Knowledge Areas
- Company expense policies (see Operations Knowledge Base)
- QuickBooks data and transaction history
- Approval thresholds and authorization levels
- Tax procedures and deadlines

## Working Guidelines
- Always verify transactions in QuickBooks before taking action
- For expenses over $10,000, escalate to CFO for approval
- Use timeout reminders for payment follow-ups
- Document all financial decisions with supporting data

## Output Format
When completing a task, provide:
1. Summary of action taken
2. Relevant transaction details (amounts, dates, parties)
3. Policy references used
4. Any outstanding items or follow-ups needed

Step 5: Assign Tools

Select the tools this SME needs for its domain. Common SME tools include:

Core SME Tools (auto-assigned):

• query_operations_knowledge - Search the Operations Knowledge Base
• set_timeout_reminder - Track long-running work
• request_human_input - Escalate to managers

Domain-specific tools:

• Search and knowledge base tools relevant to the domain
• API integration tools (QuickBooks, HubSpot, etc.)
• Data retrieval tools (SQL queries, reports)

Tool Selection

SMEs typically should NOT have direct communication tools like reply_email or send_sms. Results should flow back to the calling agent, which handles user communication.

Step 6: Configure Knowledge Access

Set the SME's access level to the Operations Knowledge Base:

Access Level	Description	Use Case
Own	Only documents uploaded for this SME	Default, most restrictive
Department	Documents in specified domains	Cross-functional SMEs
All	All tenant documents	Executive or admin SMEs

Step 7: Save and Register

When you save an SME, the system automatically:

1. Creates a tool registration for the SME
2. Generates a rich tool description from the SME configuration
3. Makes the SME available for assignment to other agents

Granting Access to an SME

After creating an SME, grant other agents permission to invoke it:

From the SME

1. Open the SME configuration
2. Go to the Access tab
3. Click Grant Access
4. Select which agents can invoke this SME
5. Set maximum concurrent invocations (optional)

From the Calling Agent

1. Open the agent that needs SME access
2. Go to the Tools tab
3. Find the SME in the tools list (under "SME" category)
4. Assign the SME tool to the agent

SME Tool Description

When an SME is registered as a tool, a description is generated to help calling agents understand when to use it:

Delegate [domain] tasks to the [SME Name]. This expert handles:

- [Capability 1]
- [Capability 2]
- [Capability 3]

**When to use:** [Usage guidance]

**Do not use for:** [Exclusions]

The SME will work asynchronously and notify you when complete.

Best Practices

Instruction Writing

1. Be domain-specific: Focus on the SME's area of expertise
2. Reference the knowledge base: Direct the SME to use Operations Knowledge
3. Define escalation criteria: Clear thresholds for human involvement
4. Specify output formats: Consistent, actionable results

Tool Selection

1. Match tools to domain: Only assign tools relevant to the SME's expertise
2. Avoid communication tools: SMEs return results to callers, not end users
3. Include knowledge tools: Always enable Operations Knowledge Base access

Access Control

1. Minimum necessary access: Only grant SME access to agents that need it
2. Set concurrency limits: Prevent overloading SMEs with too many simultaneous tasks
3. Review access regularly: Audit which agents can invoke which SMEs

Related Topics

• SME Creation Wizard (guided creation)
• Operations Knowledge Base
• SME Escalation Paths
• Monitoring SME Activity
• Tools