> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.deflect.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create Chat Agent

> Learn how to create and manage your AI agents

An **agent** is the AI assistant your customers talk to. You can run agents on your **website**, over **email**, or on **WhatsApp** — each channel type has its own setup steps after creation.

## Choose a channel

When you create an agent, pick the channel it will serve:

| Channel      | Best for                              | Plan requirement  |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------- | ----------------- |
| **Web**      | Website chat widget                   | All plans         |
| **Email**    | Inbound support email with AI replies | Starter and above |
| **WhatsApp** | WhatsApp Business messaging           | Starter and above |

If Email or WhatsApp is locked on your plan, the dashboard prompts you to upgrade from **Settings → Billing**.

<Frame caption="Create agent dialog — name field and channel selector (Web, Email, WhatsApp).">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/quensultingai/xnI-ZHCSg6FKh-rL/images/create-agent-channel.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=xnI-ZHCSg6FKh-rL&q=85&s=7dfe54d963a11c9fcb70ccf86f886876" alt="Create agent dialog with channel type selection" width="1440" height="900" data-path="images/create-agent-channel.png" />
</Frame>

### Email agents — footer required

Email agents must include a **footer** (disclaimer, unsubscribe line, company address, etc.) when you create them. This footer is appended to outbound email replies. You can refine it later in the agent editor.

## Creating a new agent

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Agents">
    Click **Agents** in the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create agent">
    Click **+ Create Agent**, enter a name (e.g. "Website Support"), choose a **channel**, and confirm.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the agent editor">
    Click the new agent to configure persona, knowledge, and tools.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Frame caption="Agents list — table or cards with channel badges and actions menu.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/quensultingai/xnI-ZHCSg6FKh-rL/images/create-agent.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=xnI-ZHCSg6FKh-rL&q=85&s=3c67dcc674fc334212b7df5c85f573f2" alt="Agents list page with create button and channel labels" width="1440" height="900" data-path="images/create-agent.png" />
</Frame>

## Agent configuration

### Persona and instructions

Use the **System prompt** to define who the agent is, its tone, and what it should escalate. See [Prompt engineering](/prompt-engineering) for tips.

### Model selection

| Setting         | What it does                                                             |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Model**       | Which AI model powers replies — affects quality, speed, and credit usage |
| **Temperature** | Lower = more consistent; higher = more varied                            |
| **Max tokens**  | Maximum length of each reply                                             |

Which models you can choose depends on your plan.

### Welcome message

* **Static** — A fixed greeting you write.
* **Dynamic** — An AI-generated greeting that can vary.

### Language

See [Set language](/set-language) for fixed vs. dynamic multilingual behavior.

### Knowledge base

Upload files and web sources in **Knowledge Base** first, wait until they are **ready**, then **link** them to the agent from the agent editor. See [Knowledge base](/knowledge-base).

### Tools and capabilities

| Tool                 | Purpose                            |                                       |
| -------------------- | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| **Human handoff**    | Escalate to a live agent           | [Human handoff](/human-handoff)       |
| **End chat**         | Let the agent close a conversation |                                       |
| **Custom functions** | Call your own APIs                 | [Custom functions](/custom-functions) |

### Post-chat analysis

Automatically summarize conversations after they end. See [Post-chat analysis](/post-chat-analysis).

### Auto-close

Close conversations after a period of inactivity. Set the timeout in minutes from the agent editor.

### WhatsApp-specific settings

For WhatsApp agents, configure:

* **Linked phone numbers** — Which connected WhatsApp numbers route to this agent.
* **Dormancy and reopen rules** — How long before inactive chats sleep or close.
* **Response style** — **Single message** or **Multiple messages** (up to four short bubbles, like a natural WhatsApp chat).

See [WhatsApp integration](/whatsapp-integration) for connecting numbers.

## Managing agents

From the **Agents** page you can:

* **Rename** — ⋯ menu → Rename
* **Duplicate** — Copy configuration to a new agent
* **Export / Import** — Back up or move configs — [Agent import & export](/agent-import-export)
* **Delete** — Permanently remove an agent

<Warning>
  Deleting an agent cannot be undone. Past conversations stay in history, but the agent configuration is lost.
</Warning>

## Next steps by channel

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Web agent" icon="globe" href="/launch-on-your-website">
    Embed the widget on your site.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Email agent" icon="envelope" href="/email-branding">
    Set up sending domain and branding.
  </Card>

  <Card title="WhatsApp agent" icon="messages" href="/whatsapp-integration">
    Connect a WhatsApp number.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>