Tools

Give agents the actions to get the job done.

Tools are the callable actions agents use to reach external services, process data, and take real steps in the world. When there is work to do, Tools make it possible — without waiting for a dedicated integration.

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Tools · callable actionsready to call

check_stock_level

inventory api · product_id

GET

submit_request

service desk · payload

POST

get_invoice_status

billing api · account_id

GET

lookup_record

internal api · record_id

GET

agentattached

task · flowattached

templatedefinition

The problem

Not every system has a ready-made integration.

The systems that matter most are often the ones nobody has integrated yet — internal APIs, niche platforms, and services built for one team.

An agent that cannot act is an agent that hands the work back to you.

Important systems left out

Many organizations run critical tools that do not have pre-built Connectors. Without a way to reach them, agents are limited to what is already integrated.

One-off actions, repeated overhead

When a specific action needs to happen repeatedly — check an inventory level, submit a form, retrieve a record — someone has to do it manually or build a custom solution from scratch each time.

Single-use setup

When an action is configured directly in one place, it cannot be easily reused. Every new agent or workflow that needs the same capability has to start over.

What is a Tool

Define an action once. Make it available everywhere.

A Tool is a reusable, callable action that an agent can invoke to take a specific step — like calling a web API, processing data, or retrieving information from a system that is not available through a Connector.

01
Tool Definition
The reusable blueprint for every Tool. A Tool Definition captures the action's name, description, parameters, and execution method — define it once and instantiate it as many times as needed.
02
HTTP actions
Call any external service over HTTP. Define the URL, method, and headers — and agents can call that service directly, no dedicated Connector required.
03
Configuration fields
Add fields that prompt users to supply context when creating a Tool from a definition — like a base URL, an account ID, or an API key — so the same definition works across different environments and setups.
04
Parameter schema
Define what the agent needs to provide each time it calls the Tool — the inputs that vary from one call to the next, like a product ID or a request type.
05
Attach anywhere
Attach Tools to agents, spaces, tasks, and flows. Attach Tool Definitions to agent, task, and flow templates for consistent setup at scale.
06
Variables support
Header values in HTTP Tool configurations can reference Variables for secure, centralized credential management.

Tool callrunning

agent · fulfillment

"Do we still have SKU-4192 in stock?"

calls check_stock_level

check_stock_level

http request · executing

GET/inventory/v1/stock?product_id=SKU-4192

AUTHheader · {{INVENTORY_API_KEY}}

200 OK142 ms

returns · json

{ "sku": "SKU-4192",
  "in_stock": 38,
  "warehouse": "ATL-2" }

agent replies: 38 units in stock at ATL-2

How it works

Define once. Call whenever the work requires it.

Step 01

Create a Tool Definition

Define the action: give it a name, write a description, specify its parameters, and configure the HTTP method, URL, and any required headers.

Step 02

Add configuration fields

If the same action will be used in different contexts, add configuration fields for values that differ per Tool — like a base URL or account ID.

Step 03

Create a Tool from the definition

Instantiate the definition as a Tool, filling in the configuration fields for this specific context and setup.

Step 04

Attach to your workforce

Attach the Tool to an agent, space, task, or flow. Attach the definition to a template so future agents start with it already in place.

Step 05

Agents call it when work requires

When an agent encounters work the Tool can address — retrieving a value, submitting a request, processing data — it calls the Tool, uses the result, and continues.

Key benefits

Every system, within reach.

Reach what Connectors do not cover

Connect agents to any service with an HTTP API — no MCP integration required. If a system has a web endpoint, a Tool can reach it.

Reuse through definition

Define an action once and instantiate it as many Tools as needed — each configured for its own context, without duplicating the underlying logic.

Available across the platform

Attach Tools to agents, spaces, tasks, and flows. Attach Tool Definitions to templates. The right actions are available wherever work happens.

Agents take real steps

Tools give agents the ability to act — not just respond. When work calls for a system interaction, the agent handles it without manual intervention.

Consistent from templates

Attaching Tool Definitions to agent, task, and flow templates ensures every resource created from that template starts with the right actions already configured.

Tools vs. Connectors

Two ways to extend what agents can do.

CompareToolsConnectors

How it worksCalls any HTTP endpoint you defineConnects through MCP to a supported integration

Best forServices without an MCP integration; simple HTTP operationsSystems with a native Connector available

SetupDefine a Tool Definition and configure itConnect through an MCP Server and create an MCP Connection

Credential handlingSupports Variables in headersSupports per-user or shared authorization via OAuth, API Key, or Credentials

Both approaches give agents the ability to act. Tools are the right choice when a system does not have a Connector, or when a simple, direct HTTP call is all that is needed.

See it in practice

Actions that get the work done.

Lookups, submissions, and retrievals — defined once and called by agents whenever the work requires them.

Case 01

Operations

Inventory lookup in the agent

An operations team runs an internal inventory system with a web API but no Connector. An administrator creates a Tool Definition for a “Check Stock Level” action, configured as an HTTP call to the system's endpoint with a product ID as a parameter. When a colleague asks the fulfillment agent whether an item is in stock, the agent calls the Tool, retrieves the answer, and responds — without anyone leaving the platform or checking the system manually.

Tool: Check Stock Level · HTTP
Parameter: Product ID
Outcome: Answers without leaving the platform

Case 02

Finance

Cross-system data retrieval

A finance team uses an internal billing platform that does not have a Connector but does expose a web API. A builder creates an HTTP Tool Definition for pulling invoice status by account ID. The billing agent uses the Tool to fetch current status on demand — real data, real time, no integration backlog.

Tool: Invoice status lookup
Parameter: Account ID
Outcome: Real data, no integration backlog

Case 03

Platform Admin

Template-first consistency

A platform administrator creates Tool Definitions for three common external lookups. She attaches them to the agent and flow templates her team uses as starting points. Every agent and flow created from those templates starts with the right actions already configured — no manual setup required for each deployment.

Definitions: 3 common external lookups
Attached to: Agent and flow templates
Outcome: No manual setup per deployment

Security and compliance

Actions that stay governed and auditable.

Role-Based Access Control

Permissions govern who can create, edit, and manage Tool Definitions and Tools.

Variables Integration

Header credentials in HTTP Tools can be stored as Variables — centralized, versioned, and permissioned rather than hardcoded.

Audit Log

Tool configuration and changes are tracked in the platform's activity log.

Zero Data Retention

ZDR is enabled automatically for models and providers that support it, covering the underlying intelligence agents bring to every Tool interaction.

Certifications

ISO 27001, ISO 42001, and SOC 2 Type II certifications are underway.

Part of a complete platform

Tools connect across Opal.

01ConnectorsTools extend reach to services without MCP support; Connectors handle systems with native MCP integrations.02AgentsAgents call Tools to take action when the work requires an external interaction — and Agent Templates start with the right Tool Definitions in place.03TasksTools attach to Tasks and Task Templates so agents can act during asynchronous, triggered work.04FlowsTools attach to Flows and Flow Templates so agents can act during multi-step, structured processes.05SpacesTools attach to Spaces, making actions available across all agents and work within that context.06VariablesTool Definition headers reference Variables for secure, centralized credential management.