Custom Tools: Supercharging Your AI Assistant with Any API

Custom tools are one of the most powerful features in your AI assistant—letting you connect to almost any external API or automation platform (like Make, BuildShip, N8N, or even Google Sheets). With custom tools, your AI can access dynamic information, automate workflows, and deliver truly tailored responses in both voice and chat.

---

What Are Custom Tools?

• Custom tools let you define unique integrations by specifying your own API endpoints, parameters, and logic.
  
  

• They are perfect for extending your assistant’s abilities beyond the default toolkit—turning your AI into a “universal connector.”
  
  

---

How to Create & Use Custom Tools

1. Go to Manage Tools:
   Open the AI editor, click “Manage Tools,” and choose the Custom tab.
   
   

2. Create a New Custom Tool:
   
   

   • Give it a clear, unique name (e.g., calculate_distance, get_delivery_date).
     
     

   • Add a descriptive instruction for when to use it and what it does.
     
     

   • Enter the endpoint URL (this could be to Make, BuildShip, N8N, or any external system).
     
     

   • Set up any required authorization.
     
     

   • Define parameters (e.g., origin, destination, order ID), with clear instructions for the AI on what to pass.
     
     

3. Practical Examples:
   
   

   • Distance Calculator: AI sends address data to your automation, receives drive time/miles, and adds notes for a scheduled appointment.
     
     

   • Order Tracking: AI checks delivery dates via your connected order management system.
     
     

   • Google Sheet Lookup: Fetch real-time data (like pricing or stock) from a live spreadsheet.
     
     

4. Initialize & Test:
   Use the “initialize” feature to send a test payload and ensure your integration works before going live.
   
   

---

Prompting for Custom Tools

• Always mention the tool name in your prompt and clearly describe when it should be used.
  
  

• Example:
  “When the user requests their delivery date, use the get_delivery_date tool with their order ID.”
  
  

💡 Tip: With custom tools, your AI can “think outside the box” and interact with almost any modern web service or automation platform—perfect for unique business needs.

---

Best Use Cases

• Live pricing or product info from Google Sheets
  
  

• Real-time calculations (distance, availability, quotes)
  
  

• Third-party data lookups (weather, shipping, inventory)
  
  

• Triggering automations in external platforms (Make, BuildShip, N8N)