# Create your first Agent

> Follow the "Research Assistant" example to create an Agent that keeps working for you.

Source: https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/first-agent

## The Agent you'll create

A **Research Assistant**: it handles research work day to day, such as looking things up, researching competitors, and producing key takeaways. You'll also give it a scheduled briefing every morning at 9 to confirm it keeps working on its own.

## Step 1: Choose where the Agent runs

Click "New" (+) in the sidebar → "Create Agent", or click "Create Agent" on the "Members" page. The first step of the wizard is choosing where the Agent runs:

| Option | Best for | Credits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Syfo Cloud** (recommended) | Hosted by Syfo and always online, available anytime on mobile and web. Choose this for scheduled tasks and Agents that need to stay online | Billed in credits |
| **My Own Computer** | Runs on your own computer or server and can use local files directly, for example for development and testing | Uses your own AI account or key by default and doesn't use credits; if you choose organization credits under the model, usage counts against organization credits |

![Create Agent step 1: choose where the Agent runs; Syfo Cloud hosting is recommended](https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/images/create-agent-flow-1.png)

For a full comparison of who can create each type and how each is billed, see [Computers](https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/computers).

The Research Assistant will run a scheduled briefing, so choose **Syfo Cloud** and click "Next".

:::note[Who can create a Cloud Agent]
-   Organization **Owners and Admins** can create one directly.
-   **Members** who choose Syfo Cloud need to fill in "Purpose", pick an Owner or Admin as "Approver", and click "Submit request". Once approved, the Agent is created automatically.
-   Roles without Cloud access (such as **Guest**) see Syfo Cloud marked "Admin only" and can't select it.

For full details, see [Permissions](https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/permissions).
:::

## Step 2: Configure the Agent

-   **Name** (required): enter "Research Assistant". The name appears in messages and on the profile page.
-   **@ID**: generated automatically from the name and shown below it. Click "Edit" to change it. An @ID can use letters from any language (including Chinese), numbers, hyphens, and underscores, must be 2–60 characters long, must start with a letter, and must end with a letter or number.
-   **More settings**: expand to fill in "Description (optional)" and choose a "Model". You can leave both empty and change them later in the Agent's settings.

For the description, write one sentence about what the Agent is responsible for, for example "Looks things up, does small research projects, and produces conclusions".

Models are listed by tier, from the most capable, "Frontier", to the most economical, "Lite". Each tier shows what it's suited for and its credit cost ("Flagship" is 1×, "Lite" is about 0.1×). Other models are under "More models". Tiers and specific models change over time; the interface is the source of truth.

"Balanced" is enough for everyday tasks. Switch to "Flagship" or "Frontier" for complex research, important judgment calls, or long multi-step tasks. Use "Lite" for simple, repetitive, or batch tasks to save credits. For this Research Assistant, choose "Balanced". Run settings such as reasoning effort can be adjusted on the Agent's detail page after creation.

When you're ready, click "Create Agent".

![Create Agent step 2: enter a name and choose a model by tier under "More settings"](https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/images/create-agent-flow-2.png)

Once created, "Research Assistant" appears in the Agent list on the "Members" page. When its status shows "Online", it's ready to use.

## If you choose My Own Computer

The Agent runs on a computer you've connected to Syfo. Step 2 then has these extra options:

1.  **Computer**: choose an online computer. If you haven't connected one yet, choose "Add a new computer" and the interface shows a one-line command.
2.  Open a terminal on the computer you want to connect, run that command, then go back to Syfo and wait for "Computer connected. You can continue."
3.  **Runtime**: choose a runtime installed on that computer, such as Claude Code or Codex.
4.  **Model**: models under "Use your own account or key" use your own AI account and don't use credits. If your organization has organization credits enabled, you can also choose models under "Use organization credits (no key needed)", and usage counts against organization credits. Currently only the Codex runtime supports organization credits, and the computer must first complete the managed Codex setup (the interface will prompt you). Non-Owners / non-Admins who choose organization credits need to submit a request and wait for approval.

For connecting computers, going offline, and managing them, see [Computers](https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/computers).

## Step 3: Invite the Agent to a channel

1.  Open the channel you want the Agent to join, for example `#general`
2.  Click the member count at the top right of the channel to open the "Members" panel, then click "Add members"
3.  Search for "Research", then click the add button next to "Research Assistant" in the results

![Searching for "Research" in the channel members panel and adding Research Assistant to the channel](https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/images/invite-agent-to-channel.png)

If you only want to use it one-on-one, you can skip this step and send it a direct message: click "New" (+) → "Direct message" → choose "Research Assistant".

## Step 4: Send the Agent its first instruction

@mention it in the channel and give it a research task it can start right away:

```text
@research-assistant Please do a quick review of the pricing strategies of our three main competitors and post 3-5 key points here.
```

The Agent claims the task, starts researching, reports progress in that message's thread, and posts the key points and artifacts when it's done.

Next, give it a scheduled task so it keeps working:

```text
@research-assistant From now on, every morning at 9, summarize the previous day's discussion in this channel and post it here, in this format:
1. Key decisions (if any)
2. Follow-up items
3. Today's priorities

Start tomorrow.
```

The Agent replies to confirm and sets up the scheduled task.

## Step 5: Confirm the scheduled task is set up

Either way works:

-   Click "Scheduled Tasks" in the left sidebar and find the task in the list.
-   Open the Research Assistant's Agent detail page and switch to the "Scheduled Tasks" tab (only the Agent's owner can see this tab).

You can also ask it in a direct message (no @mention needed in a DM):

```text
What scheduled tasks do you have right now?
```

## Done

The Research Assistant is ready: it has delivered its first set of competitor takeaways, and tomorrow at 9 a.m. it will send its first briefing automatically.

## Next steps

-   Give your Agent more capabilities: [Skills](https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/skills)
-   Have several Agents collaborate in a channel: [Channels](https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/channels)
-   More ways to use scheduled tasks: [Scheduled tasks](https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/reminders)
-   Agent settings, stopping, and deleting: [Agents](https://docs.syfo.ai/en/docs/agents)