Zoho Zia Agents supports multi-agent architectures where a master agent coordinates a group of specialist sub-agents to handle complex, cross-system workflows. This approach is particularly valuable when a task requires different tools, permissions, or reasoning styles that would be unwieldy to combine in a single agent.

How Multi-Agent Architecture Works

A multi-agent setup consists of a Master Agent and one or more Sub-Agents. The master agent acts as the sole point of contact for users, receiving requests and deciding which sub-agent should handle each part of the task. Sub-agents then work independently to complete their specialised portions.

• Sub-agents communicate only through the master agent; they never interact directly with users or with one another.
• Each sub-agent has its own isolated permissions and guardrails, which enables tighter security controls across the workflow.
• The master agent typically has no tools or knowledge base of its own; its role is pure coordination.

Single Agent vs. Multi-Agent: When to Use Each

Practical Use Cases

• Customer support: Coordinating ticket history, billing data, policy lookups, and refund processing across multiple systems in a single interaction.
• Sales qualification: Enriching leads, applying scoring criteria, retrieving pricing, and creating CRM tasks as a connected workflow.
• Travel booking: Managing searches, travel policies, user profiles, validation, payment, and post-booking changes across specialist agents.
• Account monitoring: Aggregating usage data, support tickets, revenue metrics, and risk signals into a unified view.

Setting Up a Multi-Agent Workflow

Configure the Master Agent

1. Open Multi Agent. Navigate to the Multi Agent section and select Create Multi Agent.
2. Set the basics. Provide a name, description, vendor, model, role, and coordination instructions for the master agent.
3. Save. Click Update to confirm the master agent configuration.

Add Sub-Agents

1. Select Add Sub Agents. Click the option below the Master Agent node in the workflow view.
2. Choose agents. Browse your available agents and select the ones to include.
3. Confirm. Click Add to attach them to the workflow.

Validate and Deploy

Click Mark as Ready to trigger the platform's validation of all sub-agent connections. Resolve any flagged issues before continuing. When deploying from the details page, the platform re-validates all sub-agent configurations as a final check before going live.

Testing a Multi-Agent Workflow

Use realistic, complex prompts that require several sub-agents to collaborate. Verify that delegation follows the expected sequence and that the final output is coherent. The Observability tab lets you trace each sub-agent call and pinpoint exactly where any failures occurred.