Lookups vs actions
Lookups and actions behave differently when you connect an integration:
Lookups run automatically once connected. Actions require explicit setup.
Authorized vs unauthorized lookups
When you connect an integration (MCP server, Composio, etc.), all its lookup tools become available to the AI Agent:
Authorized lookups run silently. Unauthorized lookups flag the conversation for
review.
Why unauthorized lookups exist
Many actions need supporting data to work. For example, an MCP action “Create support ticket” might require a project ID. The AI Agent can fetch that ID using a lookup, but if you haven’t explicitly added that lookup to Knowledge Hub, it’s unauthorized. Rather than block the AI or require you to manually configure every dependency, unauthorized lookups let the AI gather what it needs. The trade-off: a Human Agent must approve before anything acts on that data.How approval works
Example: You configure an MCP action called “Create support ticket” that requires a project ID.- Customer asks to log an issue
- AI Agent calls
get_projectsto find the project ID. This lookup isn’t in Knowledge Hub, so it’s unauthorized - The lookup returns the project ID
- AI Agent prepares to create the ticket
- Human Agent sees: “Action approval required: We need your approval since we had to perform additional lookups to get information for this action.”
- Human Agent clicks Yes to approve or Takeover to handle manually
The lookup completes: the AI gets the data it needs. Approval is required
before the AI acts on that data or sends messages to the customer. This lets
the AI work while you maintain oversight.
Add a lookup to Knowledge Hub
Adding a lookup authorizes it: the AI Agent can use it without triggering approval workflows.1
Open Knowledge Hub
Go to Knowledge Hub and click Add source.
2
Choose integration
Select the integration containing your lookup (for example, Linear or
Salesforce).
3
Select the lookup
Choose the specific lookup tool (for example,
get_customer_details). If the
lookup is already used elsewhere, the picker shows a warning with the usage
count.4
Configure and save
Set the Name, description, access level, and inputs, then click
Confirm.
Reuse the same lookup multiple times
You can authorize the same lookup tool more than once in Knowledge Hub. Each source keeps its own Name, description, and input mappings so the AI Agent can choose the right variant (for example, pending vs cancelled order searches). When you select a lookup that is already configured, the picker shows how many other sources already use it. The Sources table shows each instance under its custom Title.Two sources with the same tool, description, and inputs are blocked. A valid
variant needs a unique Name and a different description or input mapping.
When to authorize lookups
Authorize a lookup when:- It retrieves non-sensitive data (project names, status lists)
- You want fully autonomous AI operation
- The lookup supports frequently used actions
- It retrieves sensitive customer data
- You want Human Agents to review each usage
- You’re still evaluating the integration
Configuration
See also
- Access levels: control data sharing and visibility
- AI actions: configure actions that modify data
- MCP: connect custom MCP servers
- Context Variables: declare context variables and customize lookup inputs
- Security & verification: the trust model behind input customization