ClickUp's Autopilot Agents (formerly Custom Agents) adapt to changes in your Workspace to autonomously act based on the instructions given. Use our no-code builder to set up Autopilot Agents in multiple Spaces, Folders, Subfolders, Lists, and Chats in your Workspace.
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What is an Autopilot Agent?
You can configure Autopilot Agents (formerly Custom Agents) to respond to certain triggers and perform actions in a specific location.
If you need an Agent to do intelligent work across locations with more flexibility, try building a Super Agent!
An HR Autopilot Agent
The Human Resources (HR) team's Channel gets a lot of questions about employee benefits.
The HR manager wants to use AI to answer employee benefit questions to free up their team's time.
They create an Autopilot Agent in the Channel. They name the Autopilot Agent Benny to make it fun and relevant for employees asking about their benefits.
The HR manager adds Agent Conditions, so the Autopilot Agent only answers questions specifically about benefits.
| Agent Conditions |
| Only answer questions that are specifically about employee benefits. Do not respond to any other questions, or statements that aren't explicitly or implicitly asking about employee benefits. |
The HR manager gives the Autopilot Agent the following instructions:
| Instructions |
| You are an HR benefits specialist, fully aware of our benefits package and options. You can answer specific questions about those options, in general, and as applicable to most employees. Benefits may vary, so if there are conflicting statements in the question, mention @HR-team-leads. |
In the Knowledge section, the HR manager gives the Autopilot Agent access to the Benefits Doc, where employee benefits are explained in detail.
The Autopilot Agent comes with the required default tools toolset. The HR manager doesn't need to add other tools for their Autopilot Agent to answer questions.
Create an Autopilot Agent
To build an Autopilot Agent:
- From your Home Sidebar or Spaces Sidebar:
- Open a Space, Folder, Subfolder, or List.
- Or, from Chat, open the Channel.
- In the upper-right, click the robot icon.
- From the Automation Modal, click Create Automation.
- The Autopilot Agent can be triggered by tasks, subtasks, or both. Configure this in the Tasks or subtasks in the upper-right corner of the Trigger section.
- Configure your Autopilot Agent's Trigger, Conditions (optional), Action, Knowledge, and Tools.
- You can name your Autopilot Agent and enter a description.
- In the lower-right corner, click Create.
- Test and start using your new Autopilot Agent!
Configure Autopilot Agent settings
Configure an Autopilot Agent's Triggers, Conditions, Actions, Instructions, Knowledge, and Tools.
What are Autopilot Agent Triggers?
Autopilot Agent Triggers are very similar to Automation Triggers. They allow you to launch an Autopilot Agent when specific events occur.
Autopilot Agents added to Channels have different Triggers available than Autopilot Agents added to Lists, Subfolders, Folders, or Spaces.
For example, Autopilot Agents added to locations can be triggered by events occurring on tasks, subtasks, or both. Autopilot Agents added to Channels can only take action on messages in the Channel.
The Every... On a schedule Trigger always applies to tasks and subtasks.
Some triggers:
- Allow you to specify Agent Conditions.
- Allow you to use Automation Conditions.
- Automatically add required and optional tools. You can edit the optional tools before or after creating an Autopilot Agent.
Select a Trigger
To select a Trigger:
- On the left side of the Autopilot Agent builder, click the dropdown under the Trigger section.
Available Triggers
You can also use AI Fields in Automations. With certain Triggers, you can select the Action Refresh AI field.
When triggered, the Autopilot Agent will use its selected Knowledge to follow its Instructions. The required Tools are added by default. The Autopilot Agent may need more tools to carry out its Instructions.
This table describes the triggers available for Autopilot Agents and the location where they're available:
| Trigger | Description of the Trigger | Trigger options | Locations Trigger is available |
| All checklists resolved | All checklists in the task are resolved. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| All immediate subtasks resolved | First-level subtasks are updated to a closed status. This Trigger doesn't work when nested subtasks are resolved. |
None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Assignee added | The selected assignee or assignees are assigned to a task. If you select multiple assignees as the trigger, adding one of the assignees will trigger the Autopilot Agent. |
None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Assignee removed | The selected assignee or assignees are unassigned from a task. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Comment is added | A comment is added to a task. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Custom field changes | The value of a task's Custom Field changes. This tool can analyze Custom Fields from several locations simultaneously. |
Field dropdown: Click to select the Custom Field. From dropdown: Click to select the value that will change. To dropdown: Click to select the value that the Custom Field will change to. |
Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Date is before/after | The date is a specified number of hours, days, or weeks before or after the task's start or due date. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Date Custom Field arrives | If a Date-type Custom Field exists in this location, the date is the same a the Custom Field's specified date. | Custom Fields dropdown: Click to select the Date Custom Field. | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Due date changes | The task's due date changes. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Every... On a schedule | A specified day and time arrive. | Repeat: Select a schedule for the Action to repeat. At: Select a time for the Action to take place. Starts: Select a day for the schedule to begin. To show more settings, click Advanced. Choose from these advanced settings: • Timezone: By default, this is the timezone set in My Settings. • Ends: Select a time for this schedule to end. |
Channels Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Existing task or subtask added here | A task or subtask is added to this location from another location. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Existing task or subtask moved here | A task or subtask is moved to this location from another location. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Message is posted | A message is posted in this Chat Channel. | None | Channels |
| Priority changes | A task's priority changes. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Start date changes | A task's start date changes. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Status changes | A task's status changes. | From dropdown: Click to select the status that will change. To dropdown: Click to select the status that the task will change to. |
Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Tag added | A Tag is added to a task. | By default, the Autopilot Agent will be triggered when any Tag is added. Tag dropdown: Click to select a specific Tag. |
Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Tag removed | A Tag is removed from a task. | By default, the Autopilot Agent will be triggered when any Tag is removed. Tag dropdown: Click to select a specific Tag. |
Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Task or subtask created | A task or subtask is created in the Autopilot Agent's location. | By default, any task or subtask created in this location will trigger the Autopilot Agent. Created by dropdown: Click to deselect certain task-creation methods. |
Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Task or subtask linked | A task or subtask is linked to or from a task. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Task or subtask name changes | A task or subtask has been renamed. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Task or subtask unblocked | A task or subtask is unblocked. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Task type changes | The task type changes. | From dropdown: Click to select the task type that will change. To dropdown: Click to select the type that the task will change to. |
Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
| Time tracked | Time is tracked on the task or subtask. | None | Spaces Folders Subfolders Lists |
Add Agent Conditions
Agent Conditions are required for every Trigger other than the Every... On a schedule Trigger.
To add Agent Conditions:
- On the left side of the Autopilot Agent builder, type a prompt into the field.
The following table provides tips for configuring the Autopilot Agent's Conditions:
| Autopilot Agent prompting tips |
| Type a prompt telling the Autopilot Agent when or when not to act. Be as specific as possible. Use natural language. Identify instances when you wouldn't want the Autopilot Agent to act. Be as specific as possible. Explain to the Autopilot Agent what to do if it can't perform the specified action. Be as specific as possible. |
Add Automation Conditions
Below the Agent Trigger, click the plus icon to add one or more Automation Conditions.
Your Agent will only run when these Conditions are met.
Autopilot Agent Action
Combining the Autopilot Agent Trigger with its Instructions, Knowledge, and Tools allows the Agent to do almost anything!
Set the Autopilot Agent Action to Do anything with AI. Then, configure its Instruction, Knowledge, and Tools.
Instructions
Instructions tell your Autopilot Agent what to do. Instructions are always required.
You can use Brain to help craft the instructions for your Autopilot Agent, or refer to our prompting best practices.
To configure Instructions:
- On the right side of the Autopilot Agent builder, type a prompt into the field.
The following table provides tips for reconfiguring the Autopilot Agents' Instructions:
| Autopilot Agent Instructions prompting tips |
| @mention any people, tasks, Docs, locations, Custom Fields, or Chats you want the Autopilot Agent to review directly into your conditions. You can tell it to search these sources, or to search these sources before any others. Let the Autopilot Agent know what format you'd like the reply in. It's very effective to provide a template for the Autopilot Agent to use when responding. |
Configure Knowledge
Customize the knowledge available to each Autopilot Agent.
Add knowledge sources
To add locations, items, and external apps to an Autopilot Agent's available knowledge, from the Autopilot Agent builder:
- From the Workspace Access section:
- Click Add from Spaces.
- Or click Add task, Doc, Chat.
- From the External Search section:
- Click the toggles to activate or deactivate external sources.
- Or click Connect an app.
Knowledge sources
The following table describes the knowledge sources available to an Autopilot Agent:
| Section | Option | Description |
| Workspace Access | All public Spaces | This option is required to enable the Autopilot Agent to find information from anywhere in your Workspace. With only this option enabled, the Autopilot Agent won't have access private locations, tasks, or Docs. |
| Workspace Access | Add from Spaces | Click and select individual public Spaces, Folders, Subfolders, or Lists. You can select private locations. |
| Workspace Access | Add task, Doc, Chat | Click and select tasks, Docs, and Chats. You can select private locations. |
| External Search | GPT-4.1 | This is required for Autopilot Agent to provide responses. |
| External Search | ClickUp Help Center | This enables the Autopilot Agent to answer questions about how to use ClickUp from our Help Center articles. |
| External Search | Apps | Other apps you've added to ClickUp with Connected Search. |
Remove Knowledge sources
From the Autopilot Agent builder, you can click a toggle to deactivate knowledge sources that are not required.
Removing knowledge sources may cause the Autopilot Agent to be less helpful.
For example, if you deselect the Channel where Autopilot Agent replies, it will still be able to post in the Channel, but it can't search the Channel to formulate its response.
Add or remove Tools
Tools enable Autopilot Agents to perform different jobs for you. Toolsets are curated packs of tools designed to give Agents the necessary capabilities for specific use cases.
Autopilot Agents are always given a required toolset called Default tools. It includes the tools required for the Autopilot Agent to perform basic actions.
Add a tool
You can add toolsets or individual tools to allow your Autopilot Agent to perform more actions according to its Instructions.
To add a tool:
- On the right side of the Autopilot Agent builder, click Add tool.
Remove a tool
To remove a tool:
- Hover over a Tool that is not required.
- In the upper-right corner, click the trash can icon.
Test an Autopilot Agent
You should test your Autopilot Agent. This is particularly true of complex Autopilot Agents.
As you improve your Autopilot Agent, we recommend making one change at a time rather than several at once.
We recommend testing the Agent on a task or message containing representative test data, rather than a task where someone is doing real work.
To test the Autopilot Agent, trigger it and see if it acts in the ways you instructed it to.
Open or update an Autopilot Agent
To update an existing Autopilot Agent
- Open the location where the Autopilot Agent was created.
- In the upper-right, click the robot icon.
- Click Manage Automations.
- Browse to find the Autopilot Agent.
If not, you can improve your Agent by following these tips:
- Ensure your instructions are clear. Use Brain to help you, and follow our prompting best practices.
- Be very clear when telling the Autopilot Agent when not to trigger. Combine Agent Conditions and Automation Conditions.
- Include examples of messages that it should respond to.
- Add an example of how you would like it to respond.
- Delete any ambiguous or redundant sentences.
- Look at the Knowledge section. Does the Autopilot Agent have access to the right information?
- Look at the Tools section. Does the Autopilot Agent have the tools it needs to carry out your instructions?
Help us make Autopilot Agents better
Don't forget to upvote or downvote based on the quality of the agent's responses!
Deactivate an Autopilot Agent
To deactivate an Autopilot Agent:
- Open the location where the Autopilot Agent was created.
- In the upper-right, click the robot icon.
- Click Manage Automations.
- Browse to find the Autopilot Agent.
- Click the toggle to deactivate the Autopilot Agent.
