> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.casaconect.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Working with the agent on a matter

> Hand a matter to the agent, follow its work on the activity timeline, answer its questions and approve what it drafts.

Assigning a matter to the agent is like handing a file to a capable colleague. The agent reads the matter, works out what is needed, drafts into the project's vault, and comes back when it needs you. It never delivers anything to the client by itself. A person always does that.

## Hand a matter to the agent

Assign the matter to the **Agent** from the assignee property, or when you create the matter. The agent opens a conversation on the matter and starts work. While it works it:

* reads the matter's description, linked documents and linked conversations
* drafts documents into the project's vault and links them as references
* adds notes to the matter
* moves the status to **In Review** when there is something for you to check, or to **Done** when nothing further is needed
* routes any correspondence through the linked email conversations, where replies wait for [approval](/inbox/approvals)

<Note>
  If the agent could not be started you see *"Matter created, but the Agent could not be started. Assign it again from the matter."* The matter itself is safe. Assign it again.
</Note>

You can also work with the agent on a matter directly. The composer on a matter reads *"Ask the agent to work on this matter…"* and offers quick actions:

| Quick action             | What it asks the agent to do                                                                       |
| :----------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Apply template**       | Restructure the description into the matter's [template](/matters/templates)                       |
| **Populate**             | Fill the deliverable from linked documents and conversations. See [Populate](/workflows/populate). |
| **Summarize status**     | Summarize where the matter stands and what is still missing                                        |
| **Update conversations** | Send an update through every linked conversation, with each reply drafted for your approval        |

## Follow the activity timeline

Every matter has an **Activity** timeline. It merges two records, newest first: what happened on the matter itself, and what happened in the email conversations linked to it. You see one story without opening each conversation.

Entries read as plain sentences, for example *"Marta handed this to the Agent"*, *"Agent is working…"*, *"Agent finished"*, *"Agent briefed the conversation with Notaría López"*, and *"Agent reported back to matter CC-42"*.

Work in progress carries a state:

| State               | Meaning                                                        |
| :------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Queued**          | Waiting to start                                               |
| **Working…**        | The agent is running now                                       |
| **Draft ready**     | A reply or document is waiting for your review                 |
| **Needs an answer** | The agent has asked a question                                 |
| **Sent**            | An approved reply has gone out                                 |
| **Reported back**   | Work in a conversation has finished and reported to the matter |
| **Failed**          | The run stopped with an error                                  |
| **Dismissed**       | A person dismissed the item                                    |

### How a matter and its conversations talk to each other

A matter and an email conversation are separate threads of work. When work on a matter needs something from a conversation, such as asking the client for a missing document, the agent **briefs** that conversation. When the conversation has a result, it **reports back** to the matter. Both hand-offs appear on the timeline, so you can follow work across threads.

## Answer the agent's questions

When the agent needs a decision, it raises a question and the timeline shows **Needs an answer**. Select **Answer**, type your reply and the agent continues with it. If several questions are open, **Next** moves through them.

A question can only be answered once. If a colleague answered first, you are told the question is no longer open.

## Review and approve

When the agent has drafted replies in linked conversations, the matter offers **Approve all drafts** to send them together. If any of them cannot be sent you see *"Some drafts could not be sent — check each one"* and can open them one at a time.

The agent run panel on a matter shows how long the agent worked, **What was added**, and buttons to **Open in editor**, **Approve** or **Request review**. To steer the next run, write in *"Tell the Agent what to do next…"*.

<Tip>
  Read [Permission levels](/agent/permission-levels) to decide how much the agent may do before it checks with you.
</Tip>