Add your own data to an agent

In Zapier Agents, you can integrate data from specific apps directly with your agent or allow it to search for information using a search action.

Beta

This product is in open beta. It’s available for use but still in active development and may change.

What is a knowledge source?

A knowledge source is a document that is optimized for use with an agent. The agent can use that content to complete tasks or answer questions.

What is a search action?

Search actions allow the agent to look for data within a specific app based on specific criteria. They allow agents to get information from apps that are not available as knowledge sources.

When should I use each option?

Knowledge sources are generally preferable when using Zapier Agents because they allow the agent to make advanced queries and analyze the data right away. A search action works best when you need to find information and you're unsure of which document has it. Note that if your agent already receives the data contained in the same document or app as part of its trigger, you do not need to add it as a knowledge source. The agent will receive the information through the trigger already.

Example

• You need to add product details and prices for social media posts. Because this product information is consistent, you can add the company product catalog, stored in Zapier Tables, as a knowledge source.
• You need the link to a Google Docs document that your team creates at the end of the week so that the agent can email it to you every Monday morning. Use a Find Document search action for Google Docs, which provides the link to the newest document. 

Add a knowledge source or search action

You can add files, as well as certain apps, as knowledge sources. Apps that can be used as knowledge sources have an icon beside their name. If the type of document you need is not available as a knowledge source, you can also use search actions for those apps. 

Add a fileAdd an appUse a search action

Add a file as a knowledge source

You can add CSV, PDF, DOCX, or TXT files as knowledge sources for your agent.

1. From the agent Instructions field, click Insert tools.
2. Click + Add tool.
3. In the dialog box, select Upload file.
4. Select a file from your computer and click Open.
5. Click Add knowledge source.

The knowledge source will appear in the Instructions field, and you can reference it when chatting with the agent.

Add a knowledge source from an app

1. From the agent Chat field, click Insert tools.
2. Click + Add tool.
3. In the dialog box, search for and select the app you want to use.
4. Select Knowledge source from the list.
5. Select a connection from the dropdown menu, or create a new connection by clicking the Settings icon .
6. New fields will appear to let you select the specific document you want to use as a knowledge source. Learn more about what apps are available as knowledge sources.
7. When you've selected your document, click Add knowledge source. 

The knowledge source will appear in the Instructions field, and you can reference it when chatting with the agent.

Use a search action

1. From the agent Chat field, click Insert tools.
2. Click + Add tool.
3. In the dialog box, search for and select the app you want to use.
4. Select an action from the list. Click the Find data tab to restrict the list to search actions.
5. Select a connection from the dropdown menu or create a new connection by clicking the Settings icon .
   • If you previously used your app account with Zapier Agents, the search action is ready to use.
6. To change the action's fields, click the Settings icon beside its name.
7. Fill out any other fields that may be required for the action.
   • To see optional fields, click Show all options. For these fields, you can let the agent decide the content of certain fields.
8. Click Save. 

The knowledge source will appear in the Instructions field, and you can reference it when chatting with the agent.

Remove a knowledge source or search action

1. From the agent Instructions field, click Insert tools.
2. Click the three dot icon beside the knowledge source you want to remove.
3. Click Remove from agent.

Synchronize your knowledge source

When you add an app as a knowledge source, Zapier will sync the specific document with the agent immediately. The agent will then resync consistently every 24 hours. Whenever possible, the agent will try to resync when a new row or record is added, but not more often than once per hour. 

Note

If there are any issues reaching an app, the agent will try to resync the knowledge source up to 10 times. If it still cannot complete the task after that, you can ask the agent in the Chat field to try again.

Manually sync a knowledge source

If you made changes and want the agent to catch up before the next sync:

1. From the agent Instructions field, click Insert tools.
2. Click the three dot icon beside the knowledge source you want to sync.
3. Click Sync now.

Note

Knowledge sources stop syncing if they've been inactive for more than 90 days. You can use it again by manually syncing the data.

Limitations

• Zapier Agents can synchronize up to 75,000 rows/records at a time across all knowledge sources on your account.
• On Team and Enterprise accounts, this 75,000 record limit applies to each user individually. 
• Uploaded files can be up to 100MB.

Knowledge sources limitations

Below, you can see what apps are supported as knowledge sources and the different limitations related to each.

Airtable

• To sync when changes are made, the table must have a column of type "Last Modified Time". Otherwise, each table will sync once a day.
• Formulas will be synced as the final evaluated value.
• Airtable views are not synced.
• Only visible fields are synced.
• Maximum synced columns: 50
• Maximum synced tables: 20 

Asana

• You must connect a paid Asana account.
• You must select a date range for syncing, up to 2 months in the past.
• The agent can only sync project sections, tasks, and users.

Box

• Only supports text files, Box notes, Word documents, and PDF files.
• Maximum synced words: 96,000

Confluence

• The agent can only pick from the 50 most recent pages.

CSV file

• CSV files can be used with or without headers.
• Good header names can increase the agent's accuracy.
• Files should contain only valid UTF-8 characters. Invalid characters will be replaced.

Google Docs

• The agent only syncs text, no document outlines.
• Maximum synced words: 96,000

Google Drive

• Only supports Google Docs, Google Slides, PDF files, text files, and Word documents.
• Maximum synced words: 96,000

Google Sheets

• The spreadsheet must have headers.
• Formulas will be synced as the final evaluated value.
• Maximum synced columns: 50
• Maximum synced worksheets per user: 20 (shared across all synced spreadsheets)
• Maximum synced records: 50,000

Hubspot

• The agent can only sync Hubspot deals.
• If a deal is deleted, the agent will not automatically resync. It must be manually resynced.
• You must select a date range to sync, up to two months in the past.
• Maximum deal properties synced: 50

JIRA Software Cloud

• You must select a date range to sync, up to 2 months in the past.
• Only issues and their associated users are synced.
• You cannot select custom properties.

Microsoft Excel

• Formulas will be synced as the final evaluated value.

Microsoft Sharepoint

• Maximum synced words: 96,000
• Only supports Word documents, text files, and PDF files.

Notion

• The agent can only use pages or databases, added individually.
• The agent will sync all content visible on a database table, up to the account record limit.
• The agent can only sync text.
• Page Properties are synced along with content.
• Maximum synced child pages from a database: 100
• Maximum synced words: 96,000

PDF files

• Zapier Agents works best with documents originally created as PDFs (an Amazon receipt, for example) or other file types exported as PDFs. It may not be able to recognize the content of scanned PDF files.
• Maximum synced words: 96,000

Zapier Tables

• The agent cannot use views as a knowledge source.
• Maximum synced columns: 50

Zendesk

• You must select a date range to sync, up to 2 months in the past.
• Maximum ticket properties: 50

Zoom

• Agents can sync up to one year of past meetings and transcripts.
• The agent can only sync scheduled meetings where the user is a host.
• To use transcripts, you must have a Pro or higher plan and cloud Recording enabled on your Zoom account.
• Maximum number of words synced: 96,000

Remove a knowledge source

You can remove a knowledge source from your agents at any time. You can remove it from a specific agent or from all agents that use it.

Remove from one agentRemove from all agents

1. From the agent Instructions field, click Insert tools.
2. Click the three dot icon  for your knowledge source.
3. Click Remove from agent. 
4. Confirm by clicking Remove.

1. From any page in your Zapier Agents account, click Data usage at the bottom left of the sidebar. You'll be taken to the Data tab.
2. Search for the knowledge source you want to delete and click the three dot icon.
3. Click Delete from all agents.
4. Confirm by clicking Delete knowledge source.

Note

When you delete a knowledge source from your agents, the data is fully removed from Zapier Agents after 14 days.

Provide feedback and get help

Submit a feature request, provide feedback on existing features, or get help from the Zapier Agents team. You can also discuss Agents with other users on Zapier's Early Access Program Slack.