--- title: Hero AI Companion Configuration slug: turbine-user-guide/hero-ai-companion-configuration docTags: createdAt: 2026-10-21T03:48:25.165Z --- :::hint{type="note"} **New Turbine User Guide topic for 26.5.0** — Publish under **Hero AI**, as a sibling of [Hero AI Companion](https://docs.swimlane.com/hero-ai-companion). The left-nav label and the page heading are **Hero AI Companion Configuration**. Add rows on [Hero AI](docId\:swZ8uETVmVoOJwGm_xNK-) and [Hero AI Companion](docId\:crQKFVnGpCz_wJ8xtHDs7). ::: Choose which Turbine tools and external MCP tools Hero AI Companion may call. This allowlist applies to Companion chat only. It does not control [Hero AI Native Action](docId\:C4CKmT7fHXgjBtlXxOOC2) tools or [Turbine MCP Servers](docId:1GuWPaTvmLDeuHgPxq14r). In the chat header, the wrench icon opens **Hero AI Context & Tools** so users can see what is allowed. ## When to Use Hero AI Companion Configuration Use this page when you need to control what Companion is allowed to run in chat. | **Situation** | **Use this topic** | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Analysts in Companion should run selected tenant components or AI agents | Yes. Allow those items on **Turbine Tools**. | | Companion should call a remote knowledge, documentation, or vendor MCP | Yes. Register the server on [External MCP Servers](External%20MCP%20Servers.md), then allow tools on **External Tools**. | | Companion should ask before it runs a tool | Yes. Leave **Requires User Confirmation** on, or turn it off only for tools that may run unattended. | | A playbook Hero AI Native Action should call tools during a run | No. Add tools on the action **Tools** tab. See [Hero AI Native Action](Hero%20AI%20Native%20Action.md). | | Cursor or Claude should run Turbine components | No. Use [Turbine MCP Servers](Turbine%20MCP%20Servers.md). | ## How Companion Configuration Helps | **Benefit** | **How it helps** | | --------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Limit what Companion can run | Companion calls only the Turbine and External tools you allow. Users can open **Hero AI Context & Tools** to see that list. | | Keep chat results focused | The page recommends no more than 15 tools. A smaller allowlist reduces unused tools in the conversation. | | Require a check before a tool runs | **Requires User Confirmation** asks the user before Companion executes that tool. Newly allowed tools start with confirmation on. | | Separate chat tools from playbook tools | This allowlist does not change Native Action **Tools**. A playbook can use a different set than \[Hero AI Companion]\(docId\:crQKFVnGpCz\_wJ8xtHDs7). | | Mix tenant tools and remote MCP tools in chat | Allow tenant components on **Turbine Tools** and remote MCP tools on **External Tools** after you register the server. | ## Quick Path | **Step** | **Action** | | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | If Companion needs a remote MCP, register it on [External MCP Servers](External%20MCP%20Servers.md) first. | | 2 | Open **HERO AI** > **Hero AI Companion Configuration**. | | 3 | Select **Select a Tool**. Allow Turbine tools, External tools, or both. Stay near the 15-tool recommendation. | | 4 | Leave **Requires User Confirmation** on unless the tool may run without asking. | | 5 | Open Companion, select the wrench, and confirm the tools appear. Ask something that needs one allowed tool. | ## Choose Your Path | **Goal** | **Where to go** | | ----------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Decide whether this allowlist is the right path | [When to Use Hero AI Companion Configuration](docId\:HWf3nd5zKrakaCFF3p99R) | | Complete the first run | [Quick Path](docId\:HWf3nd5zKrakaCFF3p99R) | | Allow a Turbine tool | [Allow Turbine Tools](docId\:HWf3nd5zKrakaCFF3p99R) | | Allow a tool from a remote MCP server | [Allow External MCP Tools](docId\:HWf3nd5zKrakaCFF3p99R) | | Require confirmation before a tool runs | [Require User Confirmation](docId\:HWf3nd5zKrakaCFF3p99R) | | Register the remote server first | [External MCP Servers](External%20MCP%20Servers.md) | | Use Companion after tools are allowed | [Hero AI Companion](Hero%20AI%20Companion.md) | ## Prerequisites - A role that can administer Hero AI - **Hero AI Companion Configuration** visible under **HERO AI** in the **ADMINISTRATOR** rail If the item is missing, ask an administrator to enable Companion tools for the tenant. ## Open Hero AI Companion Configuration 1. In the left navigation, open **HERO AI**. 2. Open **Hero AI Companion Configuration**. The page heading is **Hero AI Companion Configuration**. The header has **Search** and **Select a Tool**. When MCP capabilities are on, **External MCP Servers** and **Turbine MCP Servers** appear as siblings under **HERO AI**. When no tools are allowed, the page shows the empty state. After you allow tools, the page lists them. Tabs show a count (for example, **Turbine Tools 16** and **External Tools 41**). **Turbine Tools** uses columns **Name**, **Description**, and **Requires User Confirmation**. Each of those rows has a vertical-ellipsis menu. **External Tools** groups tools by MCP server. Each server row shows **N/M Tools** (allowed / discovered). In **Hero AI Context & Tools**, each external tool label is **\{server name}/\{tool name}**. Use the **MCP Server** filter (placeholder **All**) when more than one server has allowed tools. The header control is **Select a Tool**. ## Page Layout | **Element** | **What you see** | | ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Info banner | **For optimum results, we recommend adding only the tools you need, up to maximum of 15.** This is a recommendation. The page does not block a larger allowlist. The banner appears only while the allowlist is empty. | | Learn more link | **Learn more about tool use in AI** | | Tool count | **0 Tools Selected** on the empty state. After you add tools, the tab labels show the count. | | Tabs | **Turbine Tools** and **External Tools**, each with a count | | List columns | On **Turbine Tools**: **Name**, **Description**, and **Requires User Confirmation**. On **External Tools**: servers with **N/M Tools**. | | Empty-state heading | **Start by Selecting a MCP Server Tool** | | Empty-state CTA | **Select a Tool** | :::hint{type="note"} If the tool list cannot load, a toast titled **Companion configuration** shows **Unable to load Companion tool configuration. Try again.** ::: ## Allow Turbine Tools 1. Open **Hero AI Companion Configuration**. 2. Select **Select a Tool**. 3. Open the **Turbine Tools** tab. 4. Select one or more tools. 5. Select **Add Tool(s)**. The dialog title is **Add a Tool to Hero AI Companion**. Footer buttons are **Close** and **Add Tool(s)**. **Add Tool(s)** stays unavailable until you select at least one tool. The tooltip is **No Tools Selected**. Newly allowed tools require confirmation before Companion runs them, unless you change that setting. :::hint{type="note"} If no tenant components exist, the dialog states **No Turbine tools are available to add. Create components in Solution Builder first.** ::: ## Allow External MCP Tools 1. Register the remote server on [External MCP Servers](docId\:wtnSkvjA7nAmCbc1mpLZg). 2. Open **Hero AI Companion Configuration**. 3. Select **Select a Tool**. 4. Open the **External Tools** tab. 5. Select a server. The row shows **N/M Tools**. 6. Select **Add N Tool(s)** to allow the tools on that server. The dialog title is **Add a Tool to Hero AI Companion**. **External Tools** lists servers, not a flat tool table. Selecting a server enables **Add N Tool(s)** (for example, **Add 3 Tool(s)**). Footer buttons are **Close** and **Add N Tool(s)**. :::hint{type="note"} If no remote tools are registered yet, the dialog states **No external tools are available to add. Register MCP servers and discover tools first.** ::: ## Require User Confirmation On the tool list, **Requires User Confirmation** is a toggle. The column help text is **This setting will require Hero AI to ask for confirmation prior to executing this tool**. Newly allowed tools have the toggle on. Turn it off if Companion may run that tool without asking the user. ## Remove a Tool 1. On the tool list, open the vertical-ellipsis menu for the row. 2. Select **Remove Tool**. 3. Confirm **Remove tool from Companion?** 4. Select **Remove Tool**, or select **Cancel**. If **Search** returns no rows on **Turbine Tools**, the page states **No Turbine tools match your search.** ## What You See After Setup | **Where** | **What you see** | | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | This page | Tabs show counts such as **Turbine Tools** and **External Tools**. External tools are grouped by server as **N/M Tools**. | | Companion wrench | **Hero AI Context & Tools** lists the allowlist. If it is empty, the dialog states **There are no tools configured for Hero AI Companion usage**. | | Companion chat | Hero AI may call an allowed tool. If **Requires User Confirmation** is on, Companion asks before it executes that tool. | | Playbook Native Action | No change. Add tools on the action **Tools** tab if the playbook must call them. | ## Limits | **Limit** | **What it means** | | -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | About 15 tools | The banner recommends no more than 15. The page does not block a larger list. | | Confirmation on by default | Newly allowed tools require confirmation until you turn the toggle off. | | Chat only | This list does not control Native Action tools or Turbine MCP. | ## Troubleshoot Companion Configuration | **What you see** | **What to do** | | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | The rail item is missing | Ask an administrator to enable Companion tools for the tenant. | | **Unable to load Companion tool configuration. Try again.** | Reload the page and try again. | | **No Turbine tools are available to add.** | Create components in Solution Builder first. | | **No external tools are available to add.** | Register a server and finish discovery on [External MCP Servers](External%20MCP%20Servers.md). | | The wrench shows no tools | Allow at least one tool on this page. Saving an External MCP server is not enough. | ## See Also - [Hero AI Companion](docId\:crQKFVnGpCz_wJ8xtHDs7) - [External MCP Servers](docId\:wtnSkvjA7nAmCbc1mpLZg) - [Turbine MCP Servers](docId:1GuWPaTvmLDeuHgPxq14r) - [Hero AI](docId\:swZ8uETVmVoOJwGm_xNK-)