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An agent only answers from the Knowledge Base folders it can read, only calls the tools connected to it, and only picks up conversations on the channels attached to it. All of this is set on the agent’s own page, in the Knowledge Base, Tools, Channels and Notifications sections. Like every other agent setting, these connections are saved as a draft and reach customers when you publish.

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Before you start

  • Open Agents → Agents and click the agent. You need a role that can edit agents.
  • Knowledge lives in folders. Create folders and publish articles under Agents → Knowledge first (see Knowledge Base).
  • Custom tools are created under Tools first (see Create a custom tool). A tool does not need to be public to be connected.
  • WhatsApp numbers are connected to the workspace under Channels → WhatsApp before they can be attached to an agent (see WhatsApp).
  • Slack alerts need the agent to have been saved at least once.

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Give the agent access to Knowledge Base folders

1

Find the Knowledge Base section

Scroll to Knowledge Base. Every folder in your workspace is listed with its name and description.
2

Turn folders on or off

Switch on each folder the agent should be able to read. Access is granted folder by folder, and the folder’s description helps the agent pick the right folder for a question.
3

Create a folder if you need one

New Knowledge Base takes you to the folder list. Come back and switch the new folder on once it has articles.
4

Save and publish

Click Save & review, then Publish changes. Folder access is part of the published version, so customers only see the change after publishing.
To check that articles are actually used and to test answers, see Connect knowledge to agents.

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Connect custom tools

Custom tools let the agent call your own systems during a conversation (see Custom tools).
1

Find the Tools section

Scroll to Tools. Your workspace’s custom tools are listed with a switch each. If you have none yet, the section shows No tools found! with two buttons: Add Tool opens the tool builder and Open Marketplace opens the Tools Showcase.
2

Switch a tool on

Turn on the tools this agent should be able to call. Turning a tool off removes it from the agent.
3

Save and publish

Click Save & review, then Publish changes.
Connecting copies the tool into the agent, header values included, so a tool cannot be deleted while an agent still uses it: disconnect it here first. Editing the tool under Tools later updates the agent’s copy. If a tool could not be enabled when you save, you see Could not enable … The rest of your changes were saved. instead of Draft saved; everything else is saved, so switch the tool on again and click Save & review.

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Attach channels

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WhatsApp numbers

1

Find the WhatsApp card

Under Channels, the WhatsApp card lists every number connected to your workspace as a Business Number.
2

Connect or disconnect numbers

Click Connect next to a number the agent should answer. A connected number shows Disconnect instead. Add Number takes you to Channels → WhatsApp to connect a new number.
3

Publish

Number changes are staged in the draft and take effect when you click Publish changes.
What to expect:
  • A number can be attached to one agent at a time. Publishing fails with One or more WhatsApp channels are connected to another agent until you disconnect the number from the other agent.
  • A number that is attached to no agent is answered by the workspace’s default agent.
  • An agent must have a published version before a number can be routed to it.
  • Disconnecting a number moves that number’s active conversations to your default agent immediately when you publish, whatever you choose for open chats in the publish dialog.
Manage Sandbox on the same card opens the WhatsApp sandbox, a shared test number for trying an agent on WhatsApp before connecting your own number. See Test and publish.

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Chat Widget

The Chat Widget card shows an embed code that opens this agent in Website Chat. Click the copy icon (you see Copied to clipboard) and paste the snippet into your site. The name, avatar and welcome message Website Chat shows are set under Channels → Website Chat; see Website Chat.

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Get notified when the agent hands over

The Notifications section controls where your team is alerted when a conversation leaves the AI. An alert is sent when the agent hands over through its Handover capability, when Guard hands over after repeated flagged messages, and when Popcorn hands over on its own because the workspace has no credits, no agent is available, or a reply could not be generated. A conversation handed over this way appears in Needs Attention in the Inbox.

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Slack

1

Turn on New conversation assignment

Switch on New conversation assignment (“Get notified in Slack whenever a handover occurs”).
2

Connect Slack

Click Connect to Slack. Slack opens in a new window and asks you to authorize Popcorn and choose the channel that should receive the alerts. When the window closes you see Slack integration successful; the section then shows Connected to Slack and the button becomes Reconnect to Slack.
3

Save again, then publish

Connecting Slack updates the agent directly. If you had already saved a draft, click Save & review again before publishing, otherwise publishing stops with Draft is out of date with the live agent configuration.
Each Slack alert is titled Human Handover and includes the customer’s name and phone number, their email if known, the tag applied by the handover if any, and a link to the conversation.

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Email

1

Turn on Email notifications

Switch on Email notifications (“Get notified via email whenever a handover occurs”).
2

Add recipients

Type an address under Add email recipient and press Enter or click Add. Recipients appear under Current recipients; remove one with the X next to it. An address that is already listed cannot be added twice.
3

Save and publish

Click Save & review, then Publish changes.
Every recipient receives an email with the subject Human Handover - Popcorn AI, the customer’s name, phone number and email if known, and a View Conversation button.