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Sub-agents for one-off tasks

Sub-agents for one-off tasks

A Sub-agent is a built-in agent that handles one delegated task with a limited set of tools. Ask Agent uses it for one-off work that doesn't need a saved agent, such as researching one topic in parallel with another, or doing a focused job on a single record.

You don't configure or start a Sub-agent yourself. Ask Agent does it for you from a chat.

When Ask Agent uses a Sub-agent

Ask Agent does most everyday work itself. It hands a piece of work to another agent when that helps, for example when:

  • several parts of a request can run in parallel,

  • a job will take a long time and shouldn't block the chat,

  • a task needs to be kept separate from the rest of the conversation.

If one of your saved agents fits the job, such as Forge for code changes or a custom agent you've built, Ask Agent can start that agent instead. When no saved agent fits, it uses a Sub-agent.

How a Sub-agent run works

  1. Ask Agent writes instructions for the task and picks a target, such as a task, a document, a CRM record or the whole workspace.

  2. It chooses only the tools the task needs. A Sub-agent can't use tools it wasn't given.

  3. Depending on your workspace's approval settings, Ask Agent may ask you to confirm before it starts. Review the card and select Approve to continue.

  4. The Sub-agent works in the background. You can follow it in the dock's Agent runs view.

  5. When it finishes, it hands a short summary of what it did back to your chat, and Ask Agent continues from there.

A Sub-agent is limited to one task. For larger requests, Ask Agent can launch several steps, some of which wait for others to finish first.

Follow and manage Sub-agent runs

  • Open a run from Agent runs in the dock, or from Activity, to see its transcript and results. See Agent runs.

  • If a run needs your input or approval, it's marked Needs you.

  • To stop work you no longer need, ask Ask Agent to cancel it.

Sub-agent or custom agent?

Use

When

Sub-agent (through Ask Agent)

A one-off task you describe in a chat.

Custom agent

A job you repeat, want to run from a flow, or want your team to start the same way every time.

If a one-off job turns out to be useful, ask Ask Agent to turn it into a reusable custom agent. See Create a custom agent.

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