Intelligent Actions (External Tool Caller)
The Intelligent Actions agent (previously called External Tool Caller) lets an AI Employee execute concrete actions -- such as creating a ServiceNow ticket, filing PTO in Workday, or updating a Salesforce opportunity -- directly inside the target system, without writing code. More than 200 pre-integrated connectors are available, giving you immediate coverage across HR, CRM, ITSM, finance, and collaboration.
Common Scenarios
| Scenario | Example Systems | Typical Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Assistant | Workday, Jira | Submit time-off requests; open or update IT tickets |
| Finance & Audit | Coupa, SAP, NetSuite | Generate purchase orders; reconcile ledgers |
| Sales Intelligence | Salesforce, HubSpot | Enrich leads; advance opportunity stages |
Agent Anatomy
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Inputs | User query and, if needed, conversation history |
| Configuration | Allowed apps and tools (for example, Create Ticket in ServiceNow) plus high-level instructions that help the AI Employee choose the correct action |
| Output | Raw JSON returned by the external system; downstream blocks transform this into end-user-friendly text |
The decision engine inside the block evaluates the request, selects the appropriate tool, fills required parameters, executes the call, and returns the result for post-processing.
Using Pre-Built Tool Support
1. Connect the App
Open the Integrations page and choose the target application (for example, ServiceNow). Select Connect against the "Intelligent Actions integration" field and complete OAuth or key-based authentication. When the connector card shows Connected, the application is available for use within the current tenant.
Note:
- If you do not see "Intelligent Actions integration" for an app you want, reach out to your Ema sales representative so it can be prioritized for your account.
- Apps like Salesforce require the customer's account to be allow-listed first. See Salesforce Setup for detailed steps.
2. Enable Specific Tools
Now that the connection to the desired application is enabled within your tenant, activate the tools you need. Within the same application panel, switch to the Tools tab and enable only the desired actions (for example, Create Ticket, Update Ticket Description). This gives you granular control over which actions are in scope per application within your tenant.
3. Add Intelligent Actions to Your Workflow
Drag the Intelligent Actions agent onto your workflow canvas. Connect it to the appropriate input source -- typically the workflow trigger or a prior logic block that handles user queries. You can feed output from other agents using the Additional Context configuration in the agent.
To display the output of the tool call, link a Respond with Tool Result or Respond agent immediately downstream. This response agent interprets both the original input query and the raw output from the Intelligent Actions agent, applying your configured instructions to return a user-friendly response.
Configuring the Intelligent Actions Agent
Once the Intelligent Actions agent is selected, a configuration panel appears on the right. Click + Add to open the tool selection menu. Choose your target application (such as ServiceNow) and select the specific tool actions you want to enable -- for example, Create Ticket, Update Due Date, or Add Ticket Comment.
After selection, the tools are listed under Tools and are ready for parameter configuration.
A single Intelligent Actions agent can support multiple applications and tools. It intelligently selects the appropriate tool within the correct system based on the context of the incoming user query and any additional conversation context provided.
Parameter Configuration
Each tool may require a different set of input parameters. For example, when creating a ticket in ServiceNow, fields such as Priority, Short Description, and Assignee Email need to be passed along with the tool call.
Click Manage against any tool to open its parameter configuration screen. For each input, you can specify how the value is prefilled:
- Auto fill by Ema -- Dynamically extracts parameter values from the ongoing conversation context. This is the default behavior and helps automate data capture based on user input.
- Fixed value -- A specific constant that should always be used for a parameter. For example, you may want the User ID to always default to a predefined value.
Enabling Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) Review
Ema can intelligently pause execution and hand off control to a human reviewer before proceeding with a tool action. When HITL is enabled, the agent prompts the user with a confirmation step. You can configure the message text and button labels to suit the tone and context of your workflow.
You may also choose to hide specific parameters from the confirmation view (such as internal fields like User ID) to maintain clarity and protect sensitive data.
Finding Available Tools
To view the full list of tools available for any app:
- Go to Integrations page.
- Select All Apps.
- Click an App.
- Select the Tools tab to see the list of available tools.
For the complete catalog of supported integrations, see Integration List.