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Connections
Connections are external tools and services that your agents can use — from Slack and Stripe to databases and web browsers.
What It Does
Connections link Pencel to the outside world. When you connect a service, its tools become available to your agents. An agent working on a customer report can pull data from Stripe, post a summary to Slack, and save the result to Notion — all through connections.
You manage connections under Settings → Connections. Pencel ships with a catalog of built-in integrations across several skill categories, and you can add your own through standard MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers. Installing a Solutions pack can also set up managed connections for you automatically (for example, HigherGov and Tavily for the RFP pack, or Finnhub for Stock Watch) — often with no API key to paste.
Transport Types
Every connection uses one of four transport types, depending on how the service communicates.
| Transport | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in | Pre-configured integrations from the catalog | Notion, Slack, GitHub |
| Stdio | Local process-based MCP servers | Custom CLI tools |
| HTTP | Remote HTTP MCP endpoints | Self-hosted services |
| Remote | OAuth-based remote servers | Atlassian, Slack, Stripe |
TIP
Start with built-in integrations. They require the least setup — usually just an API key or OAuth sign-in.
Skill Categories
Built-in integrations are organized into six categories so you can find what you need quickly.
| Category | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Browser | Web browsing and page interaction |
| Search | Web search and information retrieval |
| Code | Code repositories and development tools |
| Data | Databases, spreadsheets, and structured data |
| Memory | Note-taking and knowledge management |
| Custom | Your own MCP servers and tools |
Trust Levels
Each integration carries a trust level so you know who maintains it.
| Trust Level | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Verified | Official integration maintained by Pencel |
| Partner | Maintained by the service vendor |
| Community | Submitted and maintained by users |
WARNING
Community integrations are not reviewed by Pencel. Review their permissions before connecting.
Activation Modes
You control when a connection's tools are loaded into an agent's context.
| Mode | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Auto-connect | Tools always loaded for matching agents |
| When relevant | Tools loaded when the agent's task matches semantically |
| Manual | Agent must explicitly request tools via activate_tools |
Auto-connect is best for connections your agents use constantly — like a CRM or project management tool. When relevant keeps the agent focused by only surfacing tools that match the current task. Manual gives you the tightest control.
Key Properties
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Display name of the connection |
| Type | Transport type (built-in, stdio, HTTP, remote) |
| Status | Current state: connected, disconnected, error, connecting, or needs_reauth |
| Config | Connection-specific settings (URL, credentials, etc.) |
| Skill Category | Which category this connection belongs to |
| Tool Count | Number of tools available through this connection |
| Disabled Tools | Tools you have turned off for this connection |
| Auto-Approval Tools | Tools that skip the approval step when called |
| Activation Mode | When the connection's tools are loaded |
INFO
You can disable individual tools within a connection. If a Slack integration exposes 12 tools but you only want agents to read channels (not post), disable the write tools.
What's Next
- Agents — assign connections to specific agents
- Runs — see which connections an agent used during a run
- Guidelines — create rules about when and how agents use connections