Working with the agent
Set up the agent
The agent has the same capabilities whichever path you choose — what differs is where the model runs and how you authenticate. Pick BYOK for provider control, built-in for zero setup, or MCP to drive Recense from Claude or ChatGPT.
The three paths #
- BYOK
- Your API key, calls go directly from your browser to the provider. Best for individual users who want provider and model control.
- Hosted
- Recense-managed agent, no key required. Best for teams who want zero-setup AI with usage metering.
- MCP
- External assistant (Claude Code, Claude Desktop, ChatGPT) controls your session. Best for users who want AI assistant integration from their desktop app or IDE.
What the agent can do #
- Describe the dataset structure, variables, and metadata.
- Build and modify tables on the canvas.
- Apply filters, weights, and measures.
- Interpret results and explain statistical output.
- Assist with text coding workflows.
One behaviour model #
The in-app agent and MCP tools act on the same session. Prompts, tools, and visible state stay aligned regardless of which path you use.
Before you start #
- Sign in so your plan and access level can be resolved.
- Open a dataset before expecting useful AI output.
- For MCP workflows, keep the Recense browser tab open — the AI assistant needs to connect to your live session.
Detailed setup #
- BYOK setup — add your own Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, or Fireworks key.
- Hosted agent — use the built-in agent with no key management.
- MCP setup — connect Claude Code, Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, or custom clients.