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OpenAI Agents Manager - Introduction

What is the OpenAI Agents Manager Plugin?​

The OpenAI Agents Manager Plugin is a powerful extension for Shopware 6 that enables you to create, configure, and manage your own AI agents. These agents can be deployed in various areas of your online store – from product consulting to customer service and content creation.

What's New in Version 2.0?

The plugin now uses the modern OpenAI Responses API instead of the deprecated Assistants API. This means: Your agents are stored completely in Shopware – you have full control without dependency on OpenAI servers!

What Can You Use Agents For?​

🛍️ Product Consultation​

Create an intelligent product advisor that helps customers with product selection, answers questions about items, and provides personalized recommendations.

Example: A customer asks: "I'm looking for a waterproof jacket for winter under €150" – Your agent searches the shop, filters by properties, and presents matching products.

🎧 Customer Service​

Automatically answer frequently asked questions: order status, delivery times, payment methods, return policies, and more.

Example: "Where is my order?" – The agent retrieves the order status (with order number + ZIP code) and informs the customer.

📝 Content Creation & Review​

Use agents in the backend to create product descriptions, review texts, or optimize content.

Example: Have an agent check your product descriptions for spelling, tone, and SEO optimization.

🔍 Knowledge Management​

Agents can learn! Through the integrated log system, agents store recurring questions and answers, building their own knowledge database.

Key Features at a Glance​

FeatureDescription
Create Custom AgentsUnlimited agents with individual settings
Local StorageAll configurations are stored in Shopware
Flexible Tool SelectionActivate only the features your agent needs
Vector StoresUpload your own documents (PDFs, text files) as knowledge source
Backend ChatTest your agents directly in the Shopware backend
Multi-ChannelDifferent agents for different sales channels
Cost ControlToken caching saves 50-90% of OpenAI costs
Log SystemComplete tracking of all conversations

How Does the System Work?​

graph TD
    A[User asks question] --> B[Agent receives request]
    B --> C{Which tools are needed?}
    C -->|Product search| D[product_search Tool]
    C -->|Shop info| E[get_meta_information Tool]
    C -->|Order status| F[get_order_status Tool]
    D --> G[OpenAI Responses API]
    E --> G
    F --> G
    G --> H[Agent creates response]
    H --> I[User receives answer]

The Process in Detail:​

  1. User asks a question (in chat, backend, or frontend)
  2. Agent analyzes the request and decides what information is needed
  3. Tools are called (e.g., product search, order status, shop information)
  4. OpenAI processes the data and creates an intelligent response
  5. Agent delivers the answer back – formatted and user-friendly

Prerequisites​

Before you can use the plugin, you need:

  • ✅ Shopware 6.7.0 or higher
  • ✅ PHP 8.2 or higher
  • ✅ An OpenAI API key (Create here)
  • ✅ OpenAI account with credits (Pay-as-you-go billing)
Important Note

The plugin works with the OpenAI API – each request incurs costs at OpenAI. The costs are very low (often just a few cents per conversation), but you should keep an eye on your OpenAI credits.

What is an "Agent"?​

An Agent is like a virtual employee with a specific task and its own knowledge.

Imagine:

  • Agent "Product Advisor": Knows all products, categories, and properties
  • Agent "Customer Service": Knows about shipping, returns, and payments
  • Agent "Content Reviewer": Checks texts for quality and SEO

Each agent has:

  • 📝 Instructions: What is their task? How should they behave?
  • 🔧 Tools: What functions are available to them?
  • 🧠 Knowledge: What files/information can they use?
  • ⚙️ Settings: Which AI model, which creativity, which verbosity?

Advantages Over the Old Version​

Old (Assistants API)New (Responses API)
❌ Agents on OpenAI servers✅ Agents locally in Shopware
❌ Dependency on OpenAI✅ Full control
❌ Complex thread management✅ Simplified structure
❌ Deprecated API✅ Modern, future-proof API
❌ Limited customization✅ Maximum flexibility

Next Steps​

Now that you understand what the plugin can do, continue with:

➡️ Getting Started - Installation and setup

➡️ OpenAI API Key - Setting up API access

➡️ Creating Your First Agent - Step-by-step guide