Edit

Add agent tools in Foundry backed by connector actions in Azure Logic Apps (preview)

Applies to: Azure Logic Apps (Standard)

Note

This capability is in preview, might incur charges, and is subject to the Supplemental Terms of Use for Microsoft Azure Previews.

This guide shows how to add tools powered by Azure Logic Apps to your agents in Microsoft Foundry. These tools use connector actions that run in Azure Logic Apps and let you integrate agents with specific Microsoft and non-Microsoft services, systems, apps, and data sources so you don't have to write any code. Tools include single or multiple actions provided by the connector that you choose. You then package these tools by creating Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers as tool providers.

For more information, see:

Prerequisites

Limitations and known issues

  • Foundry portal

    • The experience to add an agent tool powered by Azure Logic Apps is currently available only in the preview Foundry portal, not in classic Foundry portal.

    • You can select only one connector to use for your agent tool.

    • This release supports only managed connectors for Microsoft and non-Microsoft services and products that don't use OAuth 2.0 authentication.

      Managed connectors are hosted and run on shared clusters in multitenant Azure.

    • In the Select a tool window, after you select one or multiple filters, you can't clear your selections. To clear the filters, return to the Tools page and start over with Connect a tool.

  • Azure portal

    • Some connectors that you select might not show any available actions.

    • In the MCP server registration wizard, after you select a connector and the actions you want, you can't change or delete the selected connector to choose a different one.

1: Add tools for your agent

Follow these steps to add one or multiple tools for your agent in Microsoft Foundry. These tools are provided by an MCP server that you create.

  1. In the classic Foundry portal, open your project, and go to your agent.

  2. On the Foundry title bar, select New Foundry.

    Screenshot shows classic Foundry title bar with unselected New Foundry option.

    The classic Foundry portal changes to the preview Foundry portal.

    Screenshot shows preview Foundry portal.

  3. Under Your recent work, select your agent.

    Screenshot shows Your recent work section with selected agent.

  4. On the Foundry sidebar, select Tools.

    Screenshot shows Foundry sidebar with Tools selected.

  5. On the Tools page, select Connect a tool.

  6. In the Select a tool window, select Catalog.

    Screenshot shows Select a tool window with Catalog tab selected.

  7. On the Catalog tab, select Registry > Logic app connectors.

    Screenshot shows Catalog tab with Registry list open and Logic app connectors selected.

  8. Select the connector you want by following these steps:

    1. In the search box, enter the name for the connector with the actions you want.

      This example selects the RSS connector.

    2. From the results, select the matching connector, then select Create.

      For example:

      Screenshot shows search box with rss entered with RSS connector and Create button selected.

      This action opens Azure portal and shows the home page for the Register an MCP server with Azure Logic Apps wizard.

  9. Continue to the next section so you can create your MCP server and set up your tools in the Azure portal.

2: Create the MCP server and tools for your agent

You can continue with these steps only after you finish the steps from the preceding section.

  1. In the Azure portal, on the Register an MCP server with Azure Logic Apps wizard home page, in the Project details section, provide the following information:

    Property Required Value Description
    MCP server name Yes <mcp-server-name> The name to use for the MCP server.
    Description Yes <mcp-server-description> The description about the MCP server's role, purpose, and tasks that the server can perform. This description helps your agent more accurately identify and choose the appropriate server and tools to use.
    Logic app Yes* <Standard-logic-app-resource> *This property value depends on whether you have any Standard logic app resources linked to Foundry resources.

    - None: The Azure portal creates a Standard logic app for your MCP server to use.

    - One: The Azure portal automatically selects this Standard logic app for your MCP server to use.

    - Multiple: Open the list, and select a logic app for your MCP server to use.

    For example:

    Screenshot shows MCP server details section in wizard.

  2. In the Tools section, set up the connection for your chosen connector:

    1. In the Connectors section, on the connector row, select the edit button (pencil icon).

      Screenshot shows MCP wizard with Connectors section and edit button selected.

    2. On the Edit connection pane, follow the prompt, which varies based on the connector, for example:

      1. For connectors that don't require authentication, select Create new.

      2. For connectors that require authentication, select Sign in.

      For the example RSS connector, you're prompted to select Create new.

  3. If the Add actions pane doesn't appear, under Tools, in the Actions section, select Add.

    Screenshot shows MCP wizard with Actions section and Add selected.

  4. On the Add actions pane, find and select one or more connector actions to include as tools in your MCP server.

    This example selects the RSS action named List all RSS feed items.

  5. When you're ready, select Save.

    The Actions section shows the selected actions that power the tools that your MCP server provides. By default, any parameters for these actions use an LLM as the input source. You can change this input source to user-provided, based on your scenario's needs.

  6. To help an agent, LLM, or MCP client choose the correct tool and pass correctly sourced inputs to tool parameters, review and update each tool's setup by following these steps:

    1. In the Actions section, select either the tool name or the edit button (pencil) for that tool.

    2. On the Edit: <tool-name> pane, provide the following information:

      Section Description
      Description Describes the purpose for the action-backed tool to help an agent or LLM determine when to use the tool. A default description exists, but you can customize the text for your needs.

      The default text comes from the connector's API Swagger description, for example, Actions - RSS.
      Default parameters Lists any parameters required to run the tool. For each parameter, the input source options are Model and User. By default, the model (LLM) provides the inputs. If you select User, the appropriate UX appears for you to provide the input source. For more information, see Learn how parameter values resolve at runtime.
      Optional parameters Select any other parameters that you want to include for the tool.

      The following example shows the description and parameters for the List all RSS feed items tool:

      Screenshot shows Edit pane for an example tool.

    3. When you're done, select Save changes.

  7. When you're done reviewing or updating each tool, select Register.

    Screenshot shows finished Tools section and Register selected.

  8. Wait for the notifications that Azure successfully registered your MCP server.

    After registration completes, the Azure portal returns to your agent in the Foundry portal. Try testing your agent tool using the chat window in your agent's playground.

Learn how parameter values resolve at runtime

This section describes the options for how your MCP server sources input parameter values for action-backed tools. You can either keep the model as the default source, or you can provide hardcoded static values for all interactions.

  • Model-provided inputs

    By default, the model passes in parameter values at runtime based on the conversation between the agent and the end user. These values are dynamic and unknown until runtime.

  • User-provided inputs

    You specify the parameter values during development. These values are typically hardcoded and stay the same across all interactions between the agent loop and the end user.