Tool Node
The Tool node runs one integration action at the exact point you place it in the flow — send a confirmation SMS, create a calendar event, look up an order, push a record to your CRM — and maps the result back into the flow as variables. It runs instantly (no caller turn), then passes through to the next node.Why a node, when the agent can already use tools? An agent decides on its own
whether and when to call a tool — which means it might not, or might call it at the
wrong moment. The Tool node makes the action guaranteed and on-script: at this
step, exactly this action runs, with exactly these inputs. Use it whenever an action
must happen at a precise point — taking a payment detail, firing a confirmation,
booking a slot.
Tool node vs. API Request node
| Use the… | When you want to… |
|---|---|
| API Request node | Call your own HTTP API or webhook. |
| Tool node | Run one of the platform’s built-in integrations (messaging, calendar, CRM, and more) — the same tools you attach to an agent. |
Configure it
Select the node on the canvas to open the Inspector.Pick an attached tool
Choose from the tools already attached to this agent. You don’t re-enter
URLs, accounts, or credentials — the node simply references the agent’s tool, so
its credentials stay on the agent and never live in the workflow.
Choose the function (optional)
Some tools expose more than one action. Name the function to run, or leave
it blank for single-action tools.
Map the inputs
Under Parameters, map each input the action needs to a value template — for
example
order_id → {{order_id}}. Templates support {{variable}}
interpolation, so inputs are filled from variables captured earlier in the call.
A parameter that is exactly one {{variable}} keeps the variable’s type
(numbers stay numbers, booleans stay booleans).Map the result (optional)
Use the Response → Variable mapping to land result fields (by dot path)
into workflow variables, so a later Condition
can branch on them. You can also store the whole result in one variable.
The Tool node runs the agent’s existing tools — attach and configure them once in
the agent’s Tools panel, then reference them from any workflow step. For each
tool’s reference, see Tools.
How inputs flow in
Parameters are filled from workflow variables before the action runs, so by the time the flow reaches the Tool node, earlier Conversation or Collector nodes should have captured whatever the action needs. Declare those variables in the Variables panel and make sure a preceding node collects them.Error handling
If the action fails, the node takes its unconditional fallback edge — the call never hangs. Always give a Tool node a path to follow when the action doesn’t succeed, so the agent can apologize, offer an alternative, or transfer instead of going silent. If you map a result field that signals success (or failure) into a variable, a following Condition node can branch on it too.Worked example — confirmation SMS
Confirm the booking
Earlier nodes capture
{{caller_phone}} and {{appointment_time}} and confirm
the booking with the caller.Send the SMS
A Tool node runs your messaging tool. Its parameters map
to →
{{caller_phone}} and body → a confirmation message that includes
{{appointment_time}}.Next steps
API Request Node
Call your own HTTP APIs and webhooks instead of a built-in integration.
Transitions & Variables
Declare the variables the action reads and writes, and branch on its result.
Node Types
See how Tool sits alongside Knowledge, Condition, and the other internal nodes.
Tools
The full catalog of integrations you can run from a Tool node.