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Connector tools are operations exposed by a connected system or provider. They appear in Agent Builder under By Connector, in AI step tool selectors, and on each connector’s Tools tab. The exact list is workspace-specific. Static provider tools are known ahead of time, while MCP and app connectors can discover tools from the connected service.

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Connector sources

If a connector is not connected, its tools may still be visible for planning but runs will stop with a connection or authorization requirement until setup is complete.

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NetSuite MCP tools

NetSuite MCP is the main connector-backed tool source for ERP work. Its discovered tools use ns_* names.
For NetSuite writes, pin ns_getRecordTypeMetadata and the write tool on a dedicated write node. Keep draft, review, wait, and final response nodes read-only, and put an approval gate before the write path.

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Provider tools

LLM provider tools are built-ins supplied by the provider connector. Provider tools are managed from the provider connector, alongside the model configuration. See Connecting an LLM provider.

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Slack, business app, and MCP tools

Slack and other OAuth app connectors expose tools after the workspace is connected. Custom MCP servers expose tools through discovery. Common connector-backed actions include:
  • Sending a Slack or Teams message.
  • Drafting or sending email through a mail connector.
  • Reading or updating spreadsheet rows.
  • Creating or updating CRM records.
  • Calling an internal MCP server operation.
Because these tool sets can change when a connector discovers new tools, use the connector Tools tab or er_agent_builder_tool_list when you need the current workspace-specific list.

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Selecting connector tools in Agent Builder

For a production agent, prefer explicit pinning.
1

Find the tool

Use the connector Tools tab or er_agent_builder_tool_list to search by connector, capability, or tool name.
2

Pin the tool on the right node

Add it from the step’s tool selector so the agent uses the reviewed connector action instead of discovering tools broadly.
3

Set the node policy

Use pinned tools for ERP, accounting, deterministic lookup, production, and write-capable flows.
4

Document the call contract

In the node instructions, name the expected tool order, required inputs, output handoff, and approval requirement.

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Write policy

Connector tools can be set to Allow, Require approval, or Deny from the connector’s Tools tab. For setup and policy controls, see Connectors overview and Managing NetSuite: tools & write policy.

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Next steps

Tools by Erstan

Review built-in first-party tools.

Connectors overview

Connect systems and manage tool policies.

NetSuite tools & policy

Control NetSuite tool access and approval behavior.

Choosing AI steps

Decide whether connector tools belong in an action step or a tool-enabled AI step.