Web Search
What is Web Search?
Web Search is an optional capability that lets your agent search the web during a conversation. When enabled, the agent can autonomously decide to search the web when it determines that the user’s question requires information not available in your Salesforce data.
Unlike standard tools (which query your Salesforce data), web search reaches out to the public internet. The agent receives search results and uses them to formulate an informed response, citing sources where appropriate.
Each web search performed by the agent adds a fixed credit surcharge on top of the normal token-based credit usage. These surcharges are tracked separately on each credit transaction.
Enabling Web Search
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Open the Agent Definition
Navigate to the REDAAI Agent Definition record for the agent you want to configure.
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Enable Allow Web Search
Check the Allow Web Search checkbox on the Agent Definition.
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Save
The agent can now perform web searches in conversations. No additional tool assignment is needed — web search is injected automatically when enabled.
Web search is disabled by default on all agents. You must explicitly enable it per agent.
How It Works
- A user asks a question that requires external information (e.g. “What are the latest property tax rates in Dubai?”)
- The agent determines that a web search would help answer the question
- The agent performs a search, receives results, and reads relevant pages
- The agent synthesizes the information into a response, citing sources
The agent decides when to search based on the question context. You do not need to instruct users to ask for web searches — the agent uses its judgment.
Credit Cost
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Each web search performed | Fixed surcharge, tracked separately from token usage |
| Normal token usage | Standard credit calculation (unchanged) |
| Total for a message with web search | Token credits plus a surcharge for each search performed |
The surcharge is recorded in the Tool Surcharge Credits field on each Credit Transaction record, so you can track web search costs separately from token costs.
Configuring Max Searches Per Turn
You can limit how many web searches the agent performs in a single conversation turn. This is configured via the Web Search Max Uses setting in the REDA AI Admin panel (Platform Settings).
| Setting | Default | Range | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Search Max Uses | 5 | 1 and up — no ceiling | Maximum number of web searches per conversation turn |
There is no upper limit on this setting. REDA AI raises anything below 1 to 1 and otherwise takes the number as given — 50 means fifty searches in a single turn. Every search costs credits, so a typo here multiplies the cost of every reply that agent produces. (Compare Max Tools, which is deliberately capped at 100 for exactly this reason.) Set it deliberately and keep it small.
A lower value reduces credit consumption but may limit the agent’s ability to research complex questions. A higher value allows more thorough research at a higher credit cost.
Per-agent override. An individual agent can carry its own Web Search Max Uses value on its Agent Definition. Leave it blank and the agent uses the org-wide default above; set it to give one research-heavy agent more searches, or to cap a high-volume customer-facing agent below the org default, without changing anything for the rest. See Configuring Agent Settings.
When to Enable Web Search
- Agents that answer questions about regulations, market trends, or current events
- Support agents that need to reference external documentation or public resources
- Research-oriented agents where users expect real-time external data
- External Widget agents — each guest conversation with web search costs more credits. Monitor usage.
- High-volume agents — the per-search surcharge adds up quickly with many conversations
- Data-only agents — if the agent only needs to query your Salesforce data, web search is unnecessary
Monitoring Web Search Usage
You can track web search usage through:
- Credit Transactions — the Tool Surcharge Credits field shows the surcharge amount for each conversation turn. A value greater than 0 indicates web searches were performed.
- Credit Period reports — monitor overall credit consumption to detect unexpected spikes from web search usage
- Conversation transcripts — review conversations to see what the agent searched for and how search results were used
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Web search is automatically available when you enable Allow Web Search on the Agent Definition. It does not appear in the tool assignment list — it is injected automatically.
Yes. Use Guardrail prompts to guide the agent’s search behavior. For example: “Only search the web for regulatory or legal questions. For product questions, use Salesforce data only.”
Yes. Web search works on Internal, External Widget, Community, and API channels. The credit surcharge applies regardless of channel.
The agent uses its judgment to decide when a web search is helpful. If you want to restrict this, add a Guardrail prompt like: “Only perform web searches when the user explicitly asks for external or current information.”
Create a report on the REDAAI Credit Transaction object. The Tool Surcharge Credits field contains the web search surcharge for each transaction. Sum this field to see total web search costs over a period.
Next Steps
Learn about File Upload capabilities, or review How Credits Work to understand the full credit model including surcharges.