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Build an Agent That Thinks Like You

A well-configured agent doesn't just complete tasks — it understands your context, follows your guidelines, and produces output you'd be proud to share with a client.

Beginner10 min5 steps

Agents are the building blocks of every FlowManner workflow. Each agent combines a model, a system prompt, and a set of tools into a reusable unit that you can chain, parallelize, or delegate to.

What Makes a Good Agent

The best agents have three things: a clear role (what they do), specific constraints (what they don't do), and access to the right tools. Think of it like onboarding a new team member — the more context you give upfront, the less supervision they need later.

Choosing a Model

Match the model to the task. GPT-4o excels at analysis and structured output. Claude 4 Sonnet handles long documents and nuanced writing. DeepSeek offers strong reasoning at lower cost. Start with the default model and experiment once you're comfortable.

System Prompt Best Practices

Write system prompts like brief emails to a smart colleague: state the role, the audience, the output format, and any hard constraints. Avoid vague instructions like 'be helpful' — instead, specify exactly what 'helpful' means in your context.

Step-by-Step

1

Open the Agents Page

Click Agents in the sidebar to see your agent library. New accounts start with a set of pre-built agents you can use as-is or customize.

2

Click Create Agent

Hit the Create Agent button in the top right. You'll see a form with Name, Description, Model, and System Prompt fields.

3

Name and Describe Your Agent

Give it a descriptive name like 'Client Report Writer' or 'Code Reviewer'. The description helps you remember what this agent does when you have dozens of them.

4

Write the System Prompt

Define the agent's role, the format of its output, and any constraints. For example: 'You are a technical writer. Produce markdown documentation with code examples. Keep explanations under 200 words per section. Never use jargon without defining it first.'

5

Test in the Chat

Open the Chat page, select your new agent from the dropdown, and give it a real task. Iterate on the system prompt until the output matches your expectations.

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