Tool Parameters and Placeholders
Parameters become the tool JSON schema. Each parameter has a name, description, string/number/boolean type, and optional required flag.
Parameters define the data a tool call is allowed to receive. Their names and types form the JSON schema sent to OpenAI, while their descriptions tell the model what each value means. Marking a value Required changes whether the model must supply it; it does not prove that the value is true, authorized, correctly formatted, or safe.
First, list the minimum arguments the operation genuinely needs. The useful result comes later when you confirm errors are understandable and no unintended action occurs, because configuration values matter only when their effect can be seen in retrieval, a generated reply, visitor access, or the connected service.
What this feature does and when to use it
Section titled “What this feature does and when to use it”Use parameters for values the visitor or model must supply at call time; use fixed configuration for destinations and permissions.
Use this feature in the following situations:
- An action needs visitor-specific values such as name, email, topic, quantity, or consent.
- A tool is called with missing or wrongly shaped arguments and its schema needs clarification.
- An email template needs approved parameter placeholders in its subject, body, CC, or Reply-To.
Where to find it
Section titled “Where to find it”Before you begin
Section titled “Before you begin”- SmartSite Assistant is installed and activated.
- You are signed in with an account that can manage WordPress options.
Set it up step by step
Section titled “Set it up step by step”- List the minimum arguments the operation genuinely needs.
- Add a normalized parameter name and precise description.
- Choose string, number, or boolean.
- Mark it Required only when execution cannot proceed safely without it.
- For email tools, insert supported {name} placeholders in Subject, Body, CC, or Reply-To.
- Save and test with valid, missing, wrong-type, and hostile-looking inputs.
- Confirm errors are understandable and no unintended action occurs.
Fields, controls, and important values
Section titled “Fields, controls, and important values”Parameters tell the AI exactly what information a tool needs from the conversation. Clear names, types, descriptions, and required flags help the model build usable arguments instead of guessing. They can improve whether a tool call succeeds, but they are not validation: the receiving code must still reject malformed, unauthorized, or dangerous values before reading data or taking action.
| Field, control, or status | What SmartSite Assistant does with it | How to use it and why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Parameter name | Key supplied in the model tool-call arguments. | Define “Parameter name” around the smallest input the operation genuinely needs. This helps the AI form a relevant call without supplying unnecessary context, while server-side validation remains responsible for rejecting unsafe or unauthorized values. |
| Description | Tells the model what value to provide and any format expectation. | “Description” needs plain language suited to where it appears. Explain the real scope without marketing claims, then read it in context; model-facing descriptions may influence behavior, while visitor-facing copy mainly improves understanding and prompt quality. |
| Type | string, number, or boolean. | “Type” can influence when the model calls a tool or what context the call returns. Inspect the entire output—not just the friendly answer—and make the implementation safe before exposing the definition to normal conversations. |
| Required | Adds the parameter to the JSON schema required list. | “Required” influences how tool arguments are assembled, not whether those arguments should be trusted. Test missing, valid, malformed, and repeated values so a fluent model-generated call cannot bypass business rules. |
| {parameter} placeholders | Substituted only in email Subject, Body, CC, and Reply-To templates. | “{parameter} placeholders” tells the model what kind of argument the tool expects. A clear schema can reduce malformed calls, but the receiving implementation must still check format, authorization, and safe use before it reads data or performs an action. |
| Webhook configuration | Arguments are query parameters for GET or a JSON body for POST; placeholders are not substituted in URL/headers. | “Webhook configuration” must match the receiver’s HTTPS address or request contract exactly. Test with synthetic data in a controlled destination and examine authentication plus the returned body; transport success alone does not prove the intended action finished. |
How to confirm it is working
Section titled “How to confirm it is working”After saving Tool Parameters and Placeholders, repeat the final test with clean context. That distinction matters because WordPress can store a valid value even when remote processing, access rules, caching, or delivery prevents it from influencing the real experience.
Practical example
Section titled “Practical example”An email tool can require name, email, and topic, allow an optional message, and use {topic} in the subject.
Recommended practice
Section titled “Recommended practice”- Change one part of Tool Parameters and Placeholders at a time and keep a short record of the previous value and test result.
- Use synthetic arguments and inspect the complete raw result before letting the model call the tool in visitor conversations.
Important warnings
Section titled “Important warnings”Common problems and focused checks
Section titled “Common problems and focused checks”| Problem | What to check and what to do next |
|---|---|
| Tool Parameters and Placeholders is missing or does not match this guide. | Confirm the plugin is active and the account can manage WordPress options. Keep the tool disabled while comparing its schema, arguments, implementation result, and any side effect. |
| A change on Tool Parameters and Placeholders does not produce the expected result. | Keep the exact notice and test case, then review the browser console and WordPress/PHP log. Keep the tool disabled while comparing its schema, arguments, implementation result, and any side effect. |
Screen reference
Section titled “Screen reference”- Capture
- Show a fictional contact-request parameter list with name/email/topic required and message optional, plus a safe subject template.
- Show
- Parameter rows, types, Required toggles, template fields
- Viewport
- Desktop, 1440 × 900
- Annotate
- Use numbered callouts only for controls referenced in the procedure.
- Redact
- OpenAI keys, tokens, secrets, personal information, private URLs, IP addresses, and conversation text