Give agents tools and skills
An agent can only use the tools and skills you give it. This page explains how to choose them for a custom agent, how they combine with approvals, and how external MCP tools fit in.
How tool access works
Tools are the actions and data sources an agent is allowed to call.
Skills are reusable instructions an agent can read when they are relevant.
An agent never receives a tool just because it exists in the workspace. The tool must be selected in the agent's settings.
Built-in agents, such as Scribe, Quill or Beacon, come with a tool set chosen by Helpin. The tool catalog shows which built-in agents use each tool.
Choose tools and skills for a custom agent
When you create a custom agent, the Capabilities section asks you to pick at least one tool or skill.
Under Tools, select Select tools, search for a tool, and select it. Repeat for each tool the agent needs.
To remove a tool, select the remove icon on its pill.
Under Skills, search for a skill and select it.
Save the agent.
If a skill needs certain tools, Helpin adds those tools to the agent automatically.
To change an existing custom agent, open it from Automation → Agents and update its tools. For the full creation flow, see Create a custom agent.
Pick the right tools
Start with the smallest set that lets the agent do its job.
Add read tools, such as list and get tools, so the agent can gather context.
Add write tools, such as create and update tools, only when the agent should change records.
Use the tool catalog to check what a tool does and what input it needs.
Approvals for tools that change data
An agent's Approval policy decides when a person must approve its work. You find it under Run behavior when you edit an agent.
Option | What happens |
|---|---|
Approve high-risk actions | Reads and routine reversible changes run immediately. Sensitive and destructive actions need approval. |
Approve writes and actions | Read-only work starts immediately. A team member approves each write or other change. |
Approve before run and actions | A team member approves before the run starts and again for changes. |
No approval | Runs and changes happen automatically. |
Use agent default | Uses the default approval behavior for that agent. |
New custom agents start with Approve writes and actions.
Add tools from external MCP servers
If your workspace connects an external MCP server, its enabled tools appear in the External MCP category of the tool picker. Select them like any other tool. When a run starts, the agent receives only the external tools you selected, not every tool on the server.
Tools that an external server marks as changing data follow the same approval policy. Setting up servers is covered in External MCP servers.
Who can use the agent
Tools control what an agent can do after it starts. Who can use this agent controls who can see it and start runs. Choose All teams or Specific teams.
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