AI agent
The AI agent step works towards a goal by taking actions one at a time, looking at each result before choosing the next.
| Setting | Notes |
|---|---|
| Instructions | What the agent should achieve. Insert trigger values so it knows which record it is working on. |
| Actions it may use | The Cashfin actions the agent can take. It cannot use any other. See Cashfin actions. |
| Run without approval | Actions from the list above that you trust the agent to take alone. |
| Model | Fast or Smart. Smart when left empty. |
| Most actions per run | Stops a confused agent. 10 when left empty, 25 at most. |
What the agent may do alone
| Kind of action | Without approval | With "Run without approval" |
|---|---|---|
| Looks something up | Runs on its own | Runs on its own |
| Creates or changes a record, or reaches a customer | Waits for approval | Runs on its own |
| Deletes, refunds, or sends money | Waits for approval | Still waits for approval |
When an action waits, the run pauses and a request appears in the approvals inbox showing the action and its inputs. If it is approved the agent carries it out and continues. If it is rejected, or nobody answers in time, the agent is told the action was refused and decides what to do next.
How an agent run ends
| Ending | Run history shows |
|---|---|
| The agent finishes | Step succeeded, with its report (text), the number of actions taken (toolcalls) and each action with its inputs and result (calls). |
| It uses all its actions without finishing | Step failed: "the AI agent used all N of its actions without finishing; raise the limit or narrow its instructions". |
| A reply hits the daily customer message limit | Step failed: "daily limit of N customer messages from automations reached". Nothing was sent. |
| The agent tries an action you did not give it | The agent is told "you were not given this action" and carries on. |
An action that fails for its own reasons, for example a record that no longer exists, is reported back to the agent, which may try something else. Read calls in run history to see exactly what it did.
Replies to customers
An agent given Review reply or Comment reply can answer a product review or a social media comment. Each reply counts towards the daily limit on customer messages, and by default waits for approval. See Let AI reply to reviews and comments.
Write good instructions
- Name the record: "Review id:
{{reviewid}}" tells the agent which review to answer. - Say what done looks like: "then post the reply with the Review reply action".
- Say what not to do: "If the comment is spam or abuse, do not reply and say so in your report."
- Keep the action list short. An agent with three actions is easier to predict than one with thirty.
Request agent review
The Request agent review action is different from the AI agent step. It starts one of the standing AI agents listed under Agents (for example the collections or inventory agent), which then reviews the business in its own way and reports in the usual place. The step is skipped, with the reason, when that agent is switched off or has run recently.