Table of Contents
In TerpAI, Data & File Tools help when you need the agent to compute an accurate answer by running code on data, files, calculations, or charts. Artifacts help when you need the agent to create a polished, editable deliverable, such as a report, draft, or code file. Use Data & File Tools for analysis, Artifacts for presentation, and both together when a workflow involves analyzing something first and then turning it into reusable content.
The Core Distinction
Data & File Tools is about computing the right answer. The agent writes and runs actual code (Python) in a sandbox and returns the result.
Artifacts are about presenting a deliverable. The agent produces a substantial, editable piece of content (document, report, code file) in a dedicated side panel you can iterate on—no code execution involved.
NOTE: This is just enabled on certain agents where identified. When ONEchat goes live, it will be user-selectable.
Comparison Table
|
Category |
Data & File Tools |
Artifacts |
|
Core job |
Compute — run code to get an accurate result |
Present — create/refine a deliverable |
|
Best for |
Data analysis, math, charts, file processing |
Documents, reports, drafts, code files |
|
Output |
The result of a computation |
A persistent, editable content object |
|
Pairs well with |
Chat with File |
Any content-creation workflow |
A Good Concrete Example
Picture an analyst working with an uploaded utilization spreadsheet:
- “What’s the average length of stay by department, and chart the readmission trend?” — Data & File Tools.
This needs real math against real data. LLMs are unreliable at arithmetic “from memory,” so you want deterministic computation, not a plausible guess. - “Now draft a one-page summary report of those findings that I can revise section by section.” — Artifacts.
The goal here is a polished, editable deliverable you’ll keep refining (“shorten this,” “add a disclaimer,” “make it a table”) without scrolling back through chat.
That single workflow is actually the best illustration of when to toggle both on: Data & File Tools gets the numbers right, Artifacts turns them into a clean, reusable document.
Quick Decision Rule
- Toggle Data & File Tools when the task hinges on getting an accurate answer through computation—data analysis, calculations, charts, parsing uploaded files.