> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.scoutos.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# AI Agents: Build Smart Autonomous Workers with Scout
> Scout agents execute complex tasks using connected tools and AI judgment. Build agents without code or deploy them with full SDK control.
Scout agents are intelligent workers that understand a goal, figure out the steps to reach it, and carry those steps out using the tools you connect — all without you wiring up logic for every scenario. Whether you're automating meeting research, cleaning CRM data, or monitoring a competitor landscape, an agent handles the complexity while you focus on the outcome.
## What Agents Are
An agent in Scout combines three things: **instructions** that define its role and behavior, **tools** that give it the ability to act (search the web, query your CRM, send a Slack message, run code), and an **LLM** that supplies judgment — deciding which tool to use, interpreting results, and choosing what to do next.
Unlike a static automation that breaks whenever something unexpected happens, an agent adapts. It tries alternative approaches, handles edge cases, and asks for clarification when it genuinely needs it. You describe the outcome you want. The agent figures out the path.
## How the Agent Loop Works
Every Scout agent runs the same core loop from the moment you send a message or a scheduled trigger fires:
You give the agent a task in plain English — via chat, a scheduled trigger, or an API call. The agent reads its instructions and decides how to approach the work.
The agent selects the right tools from the ones you've connected: web search, a database query, a CRM lookup, custom code, and more.
The agent calls each tool, reads back what it returns, and incorporates that information into its understanding of the task.
The LLM evaluates the results and chooses the next action — call another tool, ask a clarifying question, or deliver a final response.
The loop continues until the goal is complete or the agent needs input from you. Every step is logged for full auditability.
## Agents vs. Workflows
Both agents and workflows automate work, but they're designed for different situations.
| | **Agents** | **Workflows** |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| **Best for** | Goals where the path isn't fully known | Predictable, repeatable, fixed-step tasks |
| **Input** | Plain-English goal or question | Structured trigger with defined inputs |
| **Handles surprises?** | Yes — adapts and retries | No — unexpected data breaks steps |
| **Configuration** | Instructions + tools | Visual node-based pipeline |
| **Output** | Conversational response or action | Deterministic output from final node |
Use an **agent** when you need flexible, goal-driven behavior — like "research this company and write a briefing." Use a **workflow** when every step is known in advance and consistency matters most — like sending a structured welcome email when a contact is created.
Agents and workflows work together. Workflows can be exposed as tools that an agent calls, giving you the best of both: flexible judgment at the agent layer and reliable, versioned logic at the workflow layer.
## Agent Marketplace
The fastest way to get started is the **Agent Marketplace** — a library of pre-built templates designed for common business tasks. Every template ships with pre-written instructions, the right tools already selected, and a guided setup to connect your accounts.
Browse templates at [studio.scoutos.com/agents/marketplace](https://studio.scoutos.com/agents/marketplace) and install one in under two minutes.
| Template | What it does |
| -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Meeting Prep** | Researches companies, pulls recent news, and prepares call briefings |
| **Competitor Intel** | Monitors competitors and delivers intelligence reports |
| **Deal Monitor** | Watches your pipeline for at-risk deals and recommends next actions |
| **Seller Guidance** | Provides real-time coaching and deal strategy recommendations |
| **CRM Hygiene** | Validates and cleans contact records automatically |
| **Personal Agent** | A general-purpose assistant you configure for your own workflow |
See [Agent Templates](/agents/templates) for full descriptions and setup instructions.
## Key Capabilities
### Scheduling
Run agents automatically on a schedule without building a workflow. Set a daily, weekly, or custom cron schedule from the agent's **Triggers** tab and your agent handles the rest — morning briefings, weekly reports, nightly cleanups. See [Scheduling](/agents/scheduling).
### Code Execution
Enable agents to write and run JavaScript or TypeScript in a secure sandbox when plain reasoning isn't enough. Use it for structured API calls, complex data transforms, and deterministic calculations. See [Code Execution](/agents/code-execution).
### Multi-Agent Collaboration
Agents can work together in two ways:
* **Multi-agent chats** — Mention multiple agents in a single conversation and they collaborate on the task together.
* **Agent delegation** — A coordinator agent identifies sub-tasks and routes them to specialized agents, then assembles the results.
See [Delegation](/agents/delegation) for setup patterns, including the panel-of-judges pattern for quality-critical decisions.
### Copilot Deployments
Embed any agent on your website or inside your app as a chat widget with a single script tag. Each deployment has its own configuration, so you can tailor behavior for different audiences. See [Copilot](/agents/copilot).
## Common Questions
**What's the difference between an agent and a workflow?**
Workflows are deterministic pipelines: input in, steps run in order, output out. They're great when every step is predictable. Agents are goal-driven: you describe what you want and the agent decides the steps, handles surprises, and asks for help when stuck. Use workflows when you know the path in advance. Use agents when the path depends on what you discover along the way.
**How reliable are agents?**
Very. Scout agents include built-in error handling and recover gracefully from tool failures. You can review every session in [Observability](/agents/observability) to see exactly what the agent did and why — every tool call, every decision, every result.
**Can I build a custom agent for something specific?**
Yes. The visual workflow builder lets you create custom tools without code. Attach them to any agent just like a native integration. If you can describe the logic, you can build it.
**Can agents work together?**
Yes. Use multi-agent chats or agent delegation to have specialized agents collaborate on a single task. One agent can act as a coordinator that routes sub-tasks to specialists and assembles the final output.
**Should I start with a template or build from scratch?**
Start with a template if one fits your use case — they're fully customizable after install. Build from scratch when you need something your team-specific that no template covers.
## Explore Further
Create your first agent from a template or from scratch, connect tools, and run your first task.
Browse pre-built agents for meeting prep, CRM hygiene, competitor intel, and more.
Set up recurring runs with daily, weekly, or custom cron schedules from the Triggers tab.
Coordinate multiple specialized agents using delegation and multi-agent chats.
Review activity logs, execution traces, and tool usage for every agent session.
Let agents write and run JavaScript in a secure sandbox for deterministic compute.
Embed an agent on your website or in your app as a chat widget.
Connect Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Notion, Google Workspace, and more.