A useful agent is more than a prompt attached to an API. It needs a bounded purpose, access rules and a way to evaluate whether its actions helped. Start by writing down the tasks it should and should not perform.
Separate reading from changing
Searching a knowledge base and modifying a customer record have different consequences. Give tools the narrowest practical scope and require review where the impact justifies it. Do not treat retrieved text as authority to change permissions.
Keep a clear record
Log the relevant tool action and result without exposing secrets or unnecessary personal data. Make failures visible to the operator. A polished answer should not hide an unsuccessful API call.
Evaluate real cases
Create examples from the intended workflow, including incomplete input and conflicting records. Test whether the agent asks for missing details and whether it can recover without duplicating actions.
Design a safe stopping point
Set limits on actions, time and spending. Provide a handoff to a person when uncertainty remains. The goal is dependable assistance for a defined task, not unlimited autonomy.