Blog
Supercharge Your ElevenLabs Voice Agents with Custom Workflows (No-Code)
Tutorial
·
May 22, 2025
ElevenLabs voice agents offer one of the most natural and expressive ways to interact with AI. But if you want your agent to do more than just talk, like check project updates, pull customer data, or trigger actions - you need a way to connect it to the tools you use every day.
That’s where BuildShip tools come in. With just a few clicks, you can equip your voice agent with custom workflows that access APIs, fetch real-time data, and automate tasks. In this guide, we’ll walk through how to connect ElevenLabs with BuildShip to create powerful, voice-activated integrations.
ElevenLabs voice agents offer one of the most natural and expressive ways to interact with AI. But if you want your agent to do more than just talk, like check project updates, pull customer data, or trigger actions - you need a way to connect it to the tools you use every day.
That’s where BuildShip tools come in. With just a few clicks, you can equip your voice agent with custom workflows that access APIs, fetch real-time data, and automate tasks. In this guide, we’ll walk through how to connect ElevenLabs with BuildShip to create powerful, voice-activated integrations.
ElevenLabs voice agents offer one of the most natural and expressive ways to interact with AI. But if you want your agent to do more than just talk, like check project updates, pull customer data, or trigger actions - you need a way to connect it to the tools you use every day.
That’s where BuildShip tools come in. With just a few clicks, you can equip your voice agent with custom workflows that access APIs, fetch real-time data, and automate tasks. In this guide, we’ll walk through how to connect ElevenLabs with BuildShip to create powerful, voice-activated integrations.
What Are BuildShip Tools and Why Do They Matter?
BuildShip tools are custom integrations that expand what your AI agents can do. Instead of being limited to just conversation, your ElevenLabs voice agent can now:
Interact with your Google Calendar
Trigger deep research using Perplexity AI
Research competitors before sales calls
Pull data from project management tools like Linear or Jira
And much more
These integrations turn your voice agent from a simple conversational AI into a powerful assistant that can access real-world data and systems.
Setting Up Your First Tool for ElevenLabs
Let’s walk through creating a custom tool that lets your ElevenLabs voice agent fetch a changelog from Linear (you can easily adapt this for Jira or other project management tools).
Step 1: Create Your Agent in ElevenLabs
First, go to elevenlabs.io and create a voice agent. At the bottom of the configuration page, you’ll find the tools section where you’ll add your custom integration.
Step 2: Build Your Tool with BuildShip
BuildShip simplifies creating custom tools through its AI-powered workflow builder:
Describe what you want your tool to do in plain English.
Let Compass (BuildShip’s AI builder) generate a workflow for you.
Review the generated plan and click “Start Building.”
Connect your OAuth credentials for the service you’re integrating with (in this case, Linear).
Test your workflow to make sure it returns the expected data.
For the Linear changelog example, we’ll create a tool that accepts a date range and returns all the changes (new features, improvements, bug fixes) during that period.
Step 3: Connect Your Tool to ElevenLabs
Once your tool is ready in BuildShip, connect it to your ElevenLabs agent:
In BuildShip, go to the Connect tab and select ElevenLabs from the dropdown.
Copy the tool name and description.
In ElevenLabs, add a new tool and paste in the details.
Set the API URL and method (POST).
Configure the headers with your BuildShip authentication.
Add the body parameters (for example, start_date and end_date).
Save your changes.
Note: Use camelCase for your parameter names in ElevenLabs to avoid any issues.
Your Tool in Action
Once everything is set up, your ElevenLabs voice agent can answer questions like, “What happened in Linear last week?” Here’s how it works:
The agent recognizes it needs to use the Linear changelog tool.
It asks for any missing details (such as specific dates).
It calls the BuildShip API with the provided parameters.
It returns the formatted changelog information.
Example conversation:
User: “What happened in Linear last week?”
Agent: “I can help with that. I’ll need a start date and end date to generate the changelog. What dates are you looking for?”
User: “May 5th to May 9th, 2025.”
Agent: “Here’s the changelog from May 5th to May 9th, 2025:
New Features:
Sales agent tools
Product agent tools
Marketing agent tools
OpenAI and agent templates
Livestream and community improvements
Improvements:
User onboarding enhancements
Node and workflow improvements
UX refinements
Bug Fixes:
Fixed issue where unshipped tools could be added
Added clear warnings to prevent setup confusion”
Advanced Configuration Options
When setting up your tools, you have several options to customize:
Wait for Output
By default, your agent waits for the tool to return data before responding. This works well for quick API calls. For longer operations, you can set “wait for output before responding” to false. This lets your agent acknowledge the action without waiting for it to finish.
Customizing Your Agent
ElevenLabs also offers many ways to tailor your agent:
System prompts to guide behavior
First message configuration
Choice of large language model (LLM)
Voice customization
Embedding options for web integration
Practical Applications for BuildShip Tools with ElevenLabs
Combining ElevenLabs voice agents with BuildShip tools opens up a world of possibilities:
Customer Service: Create agents that look up order status, process returns, or schedule appointments - all while maintaining a natural voice conversation.
Personal Productivity: Build voice assistants that manage your calendar, summarize emails, or prepare meeting briefs using relevant data from your tools.
Sales Enablement: Equip your sales team with voice agents that research prospects, pull competitive info, or update CRM records during calls.
Development Workflows: Create voice interfaces for checking build status, reviewing recent commits, or getting project updates from tools like Linear or Jira.
For a full step-by-step tutorial, check out this video guide.
Getting Started with Your Own Integration
Ready to boost your ElevenLabs voice agents? Here’s how to begin:
Map out your current workflows and spot where voice-activated tools could save time.
Identify which data sources or APIs would add the most value.
Use BuildShip to create your custom tools—either from the community library or by generating your own.
Connect these tools to your ElevenLabs voice agents.
Test thoroughly and refine based on real-world use.
Often, the best tools come from recognizing repetitive tasks in your daily work that voice automation can simplify.
Conclusion
By combining ElevenLabs’ advanced voice technology with BuildShip’s flexible integrations, you can build voice agents that do much more than just chat. These enhanced agents can access your data, trigger workflows, and deliver useful insights through natural voice interaction.
With BuildShip tools and ElevenLabs, voice agents become true helpers that expand what you can do and help you make smarter decisions.
What will you create with your newly empowered voice agents?
What Are BuildShip Tools and Why Do They Matter?
BuildShip tools are custom integrations that expand what your AI agents can do. Instead of being limited to just conversation, your ElevenLabs voice agent can now:
Interact with your Google Calendar
Trigger deep research using Perplexity AI
Research competitors before sales calls
Pull data from project management tools like Linear or Jira
And much more
These integrations turn your voice agent from a simple conversational AI into a powerful assistant that can access real-world data and systems.
Setting Up Your First Tool for ElevenLabs
Let’s walk through creating a custom tool that lets your ElevenLabs voice agent fetch a changelog from Linear (you can easily adapt this for Jira or other project management tools).
Step 1: Create Your Agent in ElevenLabs
First, go to elevenlabs.io and create a voice agent. At the bottom of the configuration page, you’ll find the tools section where you’ll add your custom integration.
Step 2: Build Your Tool with BuildShip
BuildShip simplifies creating custom tools through its AI-powered workflow builder:
Describe what you want your tool to do in plain English.
Let Compass (BuildShip’s AI builder) generate a workflow for you.
Review the generated plan and click “Start Building.”
Connect your OAuth credentials for the service you’re integrating with (in this case, Linear).
Test your workflow to make sure it returns the expected data.
For the Linear changelog example, we’ll create a tool that accepts a date range and returns all the changes (new features, improvements, bug fixes) during that period.
Step 3: Connect Your Tool to ElevenLabs
Once your tool is ready in BuildShip, connect it to your ElevenLabs agent:
In BuildShip, go to the Connect tab and select ElevenLabs from the dropdown.
Copy the tool name and description.
In ElevenLabs, add a new tool and paste in the details.
Set the API URL and method (POST).
Configure the headers with your BuildShip authentication.
Add the body parameters (for example, start_date and end_date).
Save your changes.
Note: Use camelCase for your parameter names in ElevenLabs to avoid any issues.
Your Tool in Action
Once everything is set up, your ElevenLabs voice agent can answer questions like, “What happened in Linear last week?” Here’s how it works:
The agent recognizes it needs to use the Linear changelog tool.
It asks for any missing details (such as specific dates).
It calls the BuildShip API with the provided parameters.
It returns the formatted changelog information.
Example conversation:
User: “What happened in Linear last week?”
Agent: “I can help with that. I’ll need a start date and end date to generate the changelog. What dates are you looking for?”
User: “May 5th to May 9th, 2025.”
Agent: “Here’s the changelog from May 5th to May 9th, 2025:
New Features:
Sales agent tools
Product agent tools
Marketing agent tools
OpenAI and agent templates
Livestream and community improvements
Improvements:
User onboarding enhancements
Node and workflow improvements
UX refinements
Bug Fixes:
Fixed issue where unshipped tools could be added
Added clear warnings to prevent setup confusion”
Advanced Configuration Options
When setting up your tools, you have several options to customize:
Wait for Output
By default, your agent waits for the tool to return data before responding. This works well for quick API calls. For longer operations, you can set “wait for output before responding” to false. This lets your agent acknowledge the action without waiting for it to finish.
Customizing Your Agent
ElevenLabs also offers many ways to tailor your agent:
System prompts to guide behavior
First message configuration
Choice of large language model (LLM)
Voice customization
Embedding options for web integration
Practical Applications for BuildShip Tools with ElevenLabs
Combining ElevenLabs voice agents with BuildShip tools opens up a world of possibilities:
Customer Service: Create agents that look up order status, process returns, or schedule appointments - all while maintaining a natural voice conversation.
Personal Productivity: Build voice assistants that manage your calendar, summarize emails, or prepare meeting briefs using relevant data from your tools.
Sales Enablement: Equip your sales team with voice agents that research prospects, pull competitive info, or update CRM records during calls.
Development Workflows: Create voice interfaces for checking build status, reviewing recent commits, or getting project updates from tools like Linear or Jira.
For a full step-by-step tutorial, check out this video guide.
Getting Started with Your Own Integration
Ready to boost your ElevenLabs voice agents? Here’s how to begin:
Map out your current workflows and spot where voice-activated tools could save time.
Identify which data sources or APIs would add the most value.
Use BuildShip to create your custom tools—either from the community library or by generating your own.
Connect these tools to your ElevenLabs voice agents.
Test thoroughly and refine based on real-world use.
Often, the best tools come from recognizing repetitive tasks in your daily work that voice automation can simplify.
Conclusion
By combining ElevenLabs’ advanced voice technology with BuildShip’s flexible integrations, you can build voice agents that do much more than just chat. These enhanced agents can access your data, trigger workflows, and deliver useful insights through natural voice interaction.
With BuildShip tools and ElevenLabs, voice agents become true helpers that expand what you can do and help you make smarter decisions.
What will you create with your newly empowered voice agents?
What Are BuildShip Tools and Why Do They Matter?
BuildShip tools are custom integrations that expand what your AI agents can do. Instead of being limited to just conversation, your ElevenLabs voice agent can now:
Interact with your Google Calendar
Trigger deep research using Perplexity AI
Research competitors before sales calls
Pull data from project management tools like Linear or Jira
And much more
These integrations turn your voice agent from a simple conversational AI into a powerful assistant that can access real-world data and systems.
Setting Up Your First Tool for ElevenLabs
Let’s walk through creating a custom tool that lets your ElevenLabs voice agent fetch a changelog from Linear (you can easily adapt this for Jira or other project management tools).
Step 1: Create Your Agent in ElevenLabs
First, go to elevenlabs.io and create a voice agent. At the bottom of the configuration page, you’ll find the tools section where you’ll add your custom integration.
Step 2: Build Your Tool with BuildShip
BuildShip simplifies creating custom tools through its AI-powered workflow builder:
Describe what you want your tool to do in plain English.
Let Compass (BuildShip’s AI builder) generate a workflow for you.
Review the generated plan and click “Start Building.”
Connect your OAuth credentials for the service you’re integrating with (in this case, Linear).
Test your workflow to make sure it returns the expected data.
For the Linear changelog example, we’ll create a tool that accepts a date range and returns all the changes (new features, improvements, bug fixes) during that period.
Step 3: Connect Your Tool to ElevenLabs
Once your tool is ready in BuildShip, connect it to your ElevenLabs agent:
In BuildShip, go to the Connect tab and select ElevenLabs from the dropdown.
Copy the tool name and description.
In ElevenLabs, add a new tool and paste in the details.
Set the API URL and method (POST).
Configure the headers with your BuildShip authentication.
Add the body parameters (for example, start_date and end_date).
Save your changes.
Note: Use camelCase for your parameter names in ElevenLabs to avoid any issues.
Your Tool in Action
Once everything is set up, your ElevenLabs voice agent can answer questions like, “What happened in Linear last week?” Here’s how it works:
The agent recognizes it needs to use the Linear changelog tool.
It asks for any missing details (such as specific dates).
It calls the BuildShip API with the provided parameters.
It returns the formatted changelog information.
Example conversation:
User: “What happened in Linear last week?”
Agent: “I can help with that. I’ll need a start date and end date to generate the changelog. What dates are you looking for?”
User: “May 5th to May 9th, 2025.”
Agent: “Here’s the changelog from May 5th to May 9th, 2025:
New Features:
Sales agent tools
Product agent tools
Marketing agent tools
OpenAI and agent templates
Livestream and community improvements
Improvements:
User onboarding enhancements
Node and workflow improvements
UX refinements
Bug Fixes:
Fixed issue where unshipped tools could be added
Added clear warnings to prevent setup confusion”
Advanced Configuration Options
When setting up your tools, you have several options to customize:
Wait for Output
By default, your agent waits for the tool to return data before responding. This works well for quick API calls. For longer operations, you can set “wait for output before responding” to false. This lets your agent acknowledge the action without waiting for it to finish.
Customizing Your Agent
ElevenLabs also offers many ways to tailor your agent:
System prompts to guide behavior
First message configuration
Choice of large language model (LLM)
Voice customization
Embedding options for web integration
Practical Applications for BuildShip Tools with ElevenLabs
Combining ElevenLabs voice agents with BuildShip tools opens up a world of possibilities:
Customer Service: Create agents that look up order status, process returns, or schedule appointments - all while maintaining a natural voice conversation.
Personal Productivity: Build voice assistants that manage your calendar, summarize emails, or prepare meeting briefs using relevant data from your tools.
Sales Enablement: Equip your sales team with voice agents that research prospects, pull competitive info, or update CRM records during calls.
Development Workflows: Create voice interfaces for checking build status, reviewing recent commits, or getting project updates from tools like Linear or Jira.
For a full step-by-step tutorial, check out this video guide.
Getting Started with Your Own Integration
Ready to boost your ElevenLabs voice agents? Here’s how to begin:
Map out your current workflows and spot where voice-activated tools could save time.
Identify which data sources or APIs would add the most value.
Use BuildShip to create your custom tools—either from the community library or by generating your own.
Connect these tools to your ElevenLabs voice agents.
Test thoroughly and refine based on real-world use.
Often, the best tools come from recognizing repetitive tasks in your daily work that voice automation can simplify.
Conclusion
By combining ElevenLabs’ advanced voice technology with BuildShip’s flexible integrations, you can build voice agents that do much more than just chat. These enhanced agents can access your data, trigger workflows, and deliver useful insights through natural voice interaction.
With BuildShip tools and ElevenLabs, voice agents become true helpers that expand what you can do and help you make smarter decisions.
What will you create with your newly empowered voice agents?
