Skip to main content

Categorize records with AI: an AI Field Agent on a Single Select field

Use an AI Field Agent on a Single Select, Multiple Select or Status field to classify tickets, risks or requests from their text.

Written by Peter Novosel

To categorize records with AI, add an AI Field Agent to a Single Select, Multiple Select or Status field and write a prompt that references the text to classify. The agent maps its answer to the field's existing options, so add the options first and give each one a description that says when to pick it.

Plan Availability

Team, Professional and Enterprise (the plans with SmartSuite AI on the pricing page); the 14-day free trial runs on Professional.

Permissions

Workspace Administrators enable AI Field Agents and manage connections in AI Control Center. Solution Managers configure the agent on the field. Members run it from Grid view, the record page or a Record Details widget.

Platform

Web.

Related Reading

AI Field Agents: configure, run and troubleshoot
​Single Select Field
​AI Field Agents
​Automation Action: AI Workflow Agent.

What do I need?

  • AI Field Agents enabled for the workspace, and a connection enabled for AI Field Agent on this solution (the SmartSuite Trial connection with 100 free requests counts).

  • A table with the text to classify, for example a Description field on a Support Tickets or Risks table.

  • A Single Select field for one category per record, a Multiple Select field for several, or a Status field when the category drives a workflow.

How do I set it up?

  1. Open the Single Select field's settings and add the options, one per category: for example Billing, Access, Bug, Feature request. Add a short description to each option that says when it applies; the descriptions are sent to the model with the prompt.

  2. Select the AI Field Agent tab and turn on Enable AI Field Agent.

  3. Write the prompt and insert the field to classify, for example: Read {{Description}} and choose the one category that fits best. Billing covers invoices and payments; Access covers sign-in and permissions; Bug covers something broken; Feature request covers anything new. Answer with the category only.

  4. Under Connection, choose the connection to run on.

  5. Turn on Run Automatically so new and edited records are classified as soon as the description changes.

  6. Click Update Field.

Tip: on a Status field, the agent moves the record into the matching status. Keep the options it may choose to the first stage of the workflow, such as New, Triage or Needs review.

How do I check the results?

  1. Open Grid view. A classified record shows the category with the AI indicator, and the record's activity history shows Updated by AI.

  2. Run the agent by hand on a few existing records from Grid view, the record page or a Record Details widget. Automatic runs happen only when a referenced field changes, so records created before the agent keep their current value until you run it or edit the description.

  3. Correct a wrong category by editing the field. The activity history then shows your name, and the AI indicator is removed.

  4. Refine the option descriptions and the prompt when a category is picked wrongly more than once.

How do I classify inside an automation instead?

When the category should be set as part of a larger flow, use the AI Workflow Agent action instead. Give it a Custom output of type Single Select and an Instruction that lists the options word for word. The automation then writes the value with an Update Record action. SmartSuite's own example is an automation that categorizes an incoming email as Sales or Support.

Frequently asked questions

Can the agent pick more than one category?

Yes, on a Multiple Select field. The agent maps its answer to the field's existing options and can select several.

Does the category update when the description changes?

Yes, when Run Automatically is on. The agent runs whenever a referenced field changes and writes the new category; the activity history records each run.

Will my existing records be classified?

Not on their own. Automatic runs happen only when a referenced field changes, so run the agent by hand on existing records or edit the referenced field.

Can I keep a person in control of the category?

Yes. Leave Run Automatically off and run the agent by hand when you review a record, or add a second Single Select field for the reviewed category and keep the AI field as a suggestion.

Last verified 24 Oct 2026.

Did this answer your question?

Related Articles