> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://koreai.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to use EXECUTION.pipeline for agent routing, classification, and short-circuiting

Use `EXECUTION.pipeline` when a supervisor or routing agent needs classifier-assisted routing before the normal reasoning path decides what to do.

## Concept

`EXECUTION.pipeline` is the agent execution pipeline, not a Knowledge Base ingestion pipeline, custom operational pipeline, or workflow. It sits in the agent execution path and can classify the user's message, compare the result with known routing targets, short-circuit obvious single-intent requests, and keep ambiguous or risky requests in the normal guided reasoning path.

Use it when routing quality, latency, or tool selection depends on a fast classification pass. Do not use it to orchestrate long-running work. Durable waits, approvals, schedules, and multi-hour work belong in workflows.

The pipeline is disabled by default unless the project-level gate and effective configuration enable it. Agent-level configuration can tune or opt out of behavior, but project configuration still matters for whether the pipeline actually runs.

## Minimal working example

```yaml theme={null}
SUPERVISOR: Support_Router
GOAL: "Route support requests using classifier-assisted pipeline decisions"
PERSONA: "Concise support routing supervisor"

EXECUTION:
  pipeline:
    enabled: true
    mode: sequential
    model: "gpt-4.1-mini"
    shortCircuit:
      enabled: true
      confidenceThreshold: 0.9
    keywordVeto:
      enabled: true
      keywords: ["refund", "cancel", "fraud"]
    intentBridge:
      enabled: true
      programmaticThreshold: 0.85
      guidedThreshold: 0.5
      outOfScopeDecline: true
      multiIntentSignal: true

HANDOFF:
  - TO: Billing_Agent
    WHEN: "The user asks about invoices, balances, billing errors, refunds, or payments"
    SUMMARY: "User needs billing support"
  - TO: Technical_Support_Agent
    WHEN: "The user asks about device setup, errors, troubleshooting, or service outage"
    SUMMARY: "User needs technical support"
  - TO: General_Fallback_Agent
    WHEN: "The request is unclear, unsupported, or does not match a specialist"
    SUMMARY: "User needs clarification or general support"
```

```yaml theme={null}
AGENT: Billing_Agent
GOAL: "Resolve billing, invoice, refund, and payment questions"
PERSONA: "Billing specialist"
```

```yaml theme={null}
AGENT: Technical_Support_Agent
GOAL: "Troubleshoot device, software, and service issues"
PERSONA: "Technical support specialist"
```

```yaml theme={null}
AGENT: General_Fallback_Agent
GOAL: "Clarify unclear support requests and route users to the right next step"
PERSONA: "General support specialist"
```

## How it works

The classifier first tries to identify the user's intent category. If there is one high-confidence intent with a known category, short-circuiting can let the router choose the target without spending a full reasoning turn.

Short-circuiting is intentionally conservative. It does not fire for low-confidence results, `null` categories, multiple intents, disabled short-circuit config, or keyword-veto matches. Keyword veto is useful for words like `refund`, `cancel`, `fraud`, or sensitive tool names where you want guided reasoning or escalation to inspect the request before direct routing.

`intentBridge` controls what happens after classification:

| Tier         | Typical situation                                             | Expected behavior                                           |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| Programmatic | Classification is confident enough for deterministic handling | Route or decline according to configured policy             |
| Guided       | Classification is useful but not certain                      | Hide or prioritize routing choices while allowing reasoning |
| Autonomous   | Classifier is absent, empty, or too uncertain                 | Let the normal reasoning path decide                        |

Since none of the `HANDOFF` entries above declare `HISTORY`, each specialist now receives the full conversation history by default (the current platform default when `HISTORY` is omitted).

## Common variations

### Fast single-intent routing

Enable `shortCircuit` for high-volume support routers where users usually ask one clear thing, such as "What is my balance?" or "My device will not start."

### Sensitive keyword veto

Enable `keywordVeto` when certain words should prevent direct short-circuiting. This keeps risky requests in guided reasoning even when the classifier is confident.

### Multi-intent detection

Enable `multiIntentSignal` when users often ask for more than one thing in a single turn, such as "Cancel my subscription and refund my last payment."

### Out-of-scope decline

Use `outOfScopeDecline` when the classifier can confidently detect that a request does not belong to any supported category.

## Verification

* Test a high-confidence single-intent request and confirm the intended specialist is selected.
* Test a low-confidence or broad request and confirm it stays in guided reasoning.
* Test a multi-intent request and confirm it does not short-circuit as a single route.
* Test a veto keyword like `refund` or `fraud` and confirm short-circuiting is blocked.
* Inspect traces for classifier result, confidence, selected category, veto keywords, and final route.

## Production readiness checklist

* Routing categories are distinct and map clearly to handoff targets.
* Fallback target exists for unclear, unsupported, or no-match requests.
* Project-level pipeline configuration is enabled where the agent is deployed.
* Thresholds are tested against real utterances, not only synthetic examples.
* Sensitive keywords are reviewed by product, support, and compliance owners.
* Trace dashboards monitor classifier confidence, short-circuit rate, veto rate, fallback rate, and misroutes.

## Common mistakes

| Mistake                                      | Why it happens                     | How to avoid it                                                                               |
| -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Treating `EXECUTION.pipeline` as a workflow  | Both use the word pipeline         | Use workflows for durable orchestration; use `EXECUTION.pipeline` for agent execution routing |
| Enabling short-circuit for ambiguous routing | It looks faster                    | Keep a fallback path and use conservative confidence thresholds                               |
| Forgetting project-level enablement          | Agent config looks complete        | Verify effective runtime pipeline config, not only ABL syntax                                 |
| Missing fallback agent                       | The classifier cannot always match | Add a fallback route and test no-match requests                                               |

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom                                   | Likely cause                                                                 | What to check                                      |
| ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Pipeline config compiles but does not run | Project gate is absent or disabled                                           | Check effective project pipeline config            |
| Obvious request does not short-circuit    | Confidence below threshold, multiple intents, null category, or veto keyword | Inspect classifier trace data                      |
| Sensitive request routes too quickly      | Keyword veto is missing or disabled                                          | Add sensitive keywords and retest                  |
| Classifier invents a category             | Category is not in known routing set                                         | Confirm the route categories and fallback behavior |

## Related articles

* [How to configure EXECUTION.pipeline models, modes, thresholds, and fallbacks](/agent-platform/abl/howto/configure-agent-execution-pipeline).
* [How to design a supervisor that routes users to specialist agents](/agent-platform/abl/howto/design-supervisor-routing-agent).