How to create Visito API keys and custom tools

Open Tools → Build. This admin-only surface has API Keys, WhatsApp Templates, and Tool calls tabs. The API docs link opens the developer reference.

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API Keys

API keys provide tenant-scoped machine-to-machine access.

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Create a key

1. Select Create API key.
2. Enter a recognizable name.
3. Choose one or more scopes.
4. Optionally set an expiration.
5. Create the key and copy the raw value.

The raw key is shown only once. Store it in a secret manager. Available scopes cover channel reads, conversation reads/writes, handoff creation, custom tools, tool logs, and WhatsApp templates. To disable a credential, select Revoke and confirm. Revocation is irreversible.

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WhatsApp Templates

This tab audits WhatsApp template request processing. Filter by:

• accepted
• replayed
• rejected
• publish failed

Use search to find a specific request. Open a row when logs are available to review its request and processing result.

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Tool calls

Custom tools let the assistant call your backend for tenant-specific actions.

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Definitions

Select New definition and configure:

• Function-style name
• GET or POST method
• HTTPS endpoint
• Timeout
• Description of when the assistant should use it
• JSON Schema for parameters
• No auth, bearer token, or API-key header
• Active, Read only, and Playground access

Saved secrets are never displayed again. Leave the secret blank while editing to keep the current value.

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What a customer conversation looks like

For a tool named get_order_status, a successful conversation follows this sequence:

1. The customer asks, “Where is order A-1003?”
2. The assistant calls the tool with { "order_number": "A-1003" }.
3. Your backend returns structured order data.
4. Playground shows Action completed: get order status. A live Conversations timeline shows the compact operator receipt Action completed.
5. The assistant turns the tool result into a natural customer reply.

The action receipt and raw tool output are operator-only. Customers receive the assistant’s final response, not the receipt. For a complete request, response, receipt, and final-message example, see Custom AI Tools.

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Activity logs

Open Activity logs to inspect tool, status, endpoint, response status, duration, request, redacted headers, response, and error details. If a receipt shows Action failed, open its activity log before retrying. Confirm whether the failure came from invalid arguments, authentication, timeout, a non-2xx backend response, or malformed output. Do not assume that a mutating action completed. Each tool-call attempt consumes one credit, separately from any completed AI response. See how Visito credits work for counting examples.