Sessions and testing

The agent builder has a chat built in. You use it to try the agent while you edit it, and every conversation is saved so you can come back to it.

Test in the chat#

The chat in the middle of the builder talks to your draft. It always runs your latest edits, not the published version, so you can change the system message, switch a tool off or change the model and ask again at once. Nothing you do here reaches your users until you publish.

The chat is a real run. It calls the models and tools the agent has, so it uses the workspace’s credits and its tools really run. Keep that in mind when you test an agent that can send messages or change records in a connected account.

The Show Progress switch in Model & instructions is on by default. It shows the agent’s progress and tool calls while it works. See preferences.

A short routine for testing:

1. Ask the question you expect most often and check the answer.
2. Ask something outside the agent’s job, to check that the system message keeps it on topic.
3. Ask something that needs a tool, and check that the tool is called.
4. Ask a follow-up, to check that chat history works.

Start a new chat#

Click New chat in the left sidebar, or press Ctrl+I (⌘I on a Mac). A dialog asks Start a new chat? and you confirm with New chat.

Sessions#

Every conversation you have with the agent in the builder is saved as a session. The Sessions group in the left sidebar lists them for this agent, grouped as Today, Yesterday, Previous 7 days and Older. The conversation you are in has a Current session row. The group header has a refresh button.

To look back at one, click it. The chat shows that conversation read-only, with a notice that you are viewing a past session. Click Back to current chat to return. At the bottom you see End of session.

To find a conversation by its words, click Search… at the top of the sidebar or press Ctrl+K (⌘K on a Mac). The dialog Search chats filters your sessions as you type, and shows No chats match your search. when nothing fits.

Conversations your users have through a published chatbot are separate. Read them under chat history.

View as a user#

Click the eye button View as a user in the top bar, next to Publish changes. The builder hides the settings and the editing controls, and shows the agent the way its users see it. If the agent has a description, a description button appears in the top bar. Click the pencil Edit agent button to go back. The preview is only offered to roles that may edit the agent.

If something goes wrong#

• If you see Draft not saved next to the name, the last edit did not save. Make a small edit again and watch the status. If it keeps failing, copy your system message somewhere safe before reloading the page.
• If you cannot tell whether your latest edits are live, look at the dot on Publish changes. A dot means the draft has changes that are not published yet. The test chat runs the draft either way.
• If the session list does not show a conversation you just had, click the refresh button in the Sessions header.

Next steps#