> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.braintrust.ti.trilogy.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Hiring Your First Expert

> Find an expert, hire it, configure access, and start chatting in Google Chat.

<Info>
  **What hiring does:** Creates your private copy of an expert and opens a DM in Google Chat. Your credentials and conversation history are isolated from other users who hire the same expert.
</Info>

## Step 1: Find an Expert

Open the marketplace: [braintrust.ti.trilogy.com/experts](https://braintrust.ti.trilogy.com/experts)

* **Verified** view (default): reviewed experts.
* **All Experts** view: full catalog, including community-created experts.

<Frame caption="Expert Marketplace">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/devfactory/TEteLc1zUJOxCu2V/images/marketplace-browse.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=TEteLc1zUJOxCu2V&q=85&s=e3b48ff3b9b1fe5a2b79099d214feb41" alt="Expert Marketplace" width="2048" height="1150" data-path="images/marketplace-browse.png" />
</Frame>

## Step 2: Review the Expert Page

Before hiring, check:

* What it does (description/about)
* Which tools it uses
* Example outputs/images

### Take a Guided Tour

Every expert page — the marketplace listing at [braintrust.ti.trilogy.com/experts](https://braintrust.ti.trilogy.com/experts) and each single-expert detail page — has a **Need Help?** button in the top corner. Click it to open the help menu, which has two entries:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Need Help?">
    Click the **Need Help?** button in the top corner of the page.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Page tour or Getting Started">
    * **Page tour** launches an interactive walkthrough that highlights the key areas of the current page in sequence. On a single-expert page it highlights the expert overview card first, then the actions.
    * **Getting Started** reopens the first-run getting-started guidance.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Frame caption="Need Help? menu on an expert detail page">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/devfactory/NwLL_BJmKMxWmh0_/images/expert-need-help-menu.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=NwLL_BJmKMxWmh0_&q=85&s=db4b7a2dac009621c28c1b4ce0adce65" alt="Need Help? menu open on an expert detail page, showing Page tour and Getting Started" width="1280" height="900" data-path="images/expert-need-help-menu.png" />
</Frame>

<Tip>
  The Page tour is page-aware: the marketplace listing and the single-expert detail page each have their own tour, so launch it from the page you want to learn.
</Tip>

<Info>
  The tour highlights elements in place (such as the expert overview card) and you can dismiss it at any time. It does not change any expert configuration.
</Info>

## Step 3: Click Hire Expert

On the expert page, click **Hire Expert**.

<Frame caption="Hire Expert button on the expert page">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/devfactory/TEteLc1zUJOxCu2V/images/hire-expert-button.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=TEteLc1zUJOxCu2V&q=85&s=46917047de1e59817836c46f4a373298" alt="Hire Expert button on the expert page" width="2048" height="1152" data-path="images/hire-expert-button.png" />
</Frame>

After hiring:

1. Your private expert copy is created.
2. A DM opens in Google Chat.
3. The button changes to **Open in Chat**.

<Check>
  **Success:** The expert now appears in your hired list and has an active DM.
</Check>

## Step 4: Configure (If Prompted)

If you see **Configure** or **Reconfigure**:

1. Click **Configure**.
2. Complete each required service (OAuth/API key/token/etc).
3. Continue until all items show checkmarks.

<Tip>
  Need detailed credential help? See [Connecting Tools and Integrations](/experts/configuring-agent-tools).
</Tip>

## Step 5: Open in Chat

Click **Open in Chat** and send a first test message.

Suggested first prompt:

> "What can you help me with?"

<Frame caption="Open in Chat button after hiring">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/devfactory/TEteLc1zUJOxCu2V/images/open-in-chat-button.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=TEteLc1zUJOxCu2V&q=85&s=edda735063719f37113f227a3b002193" alt="Open in Chat button on a hired expert page" width="2048" height="1151" data-path="images/open-in-chat-button.png" />
</Frame>

## What You Get When You Hire

* A private DM with this expert.
* Your own isolated credentials/configuration for connected tools.
* Independent usage from other users who hire the same expert.

## Manage Later

From the expert page you can:

* **Open in Chat**
* **Configure/Reconfigure**
* **Set Triggers**
* **Remove** (permanent for your copy)

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Talking to Your Expert" icon="message" color="#007AFF" href="/experts/talking-to-your-agent" arrow={true}>
    Learn prompt patterns that produce better results.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add to Group Spaces" icon="users" color="#34C759" href="/experts/getting-braintrust-into-google-chat" arrow={true}>
    Share your expert with your team.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Set Up Automations" icon="clock" color="#FF9500" href="/automation/triggers" arrow={true}>
    Run recurring workflows automatically.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Troubleshooting" icon="wrench" color="#5856D6" href="/reference/troubleshooting" arrow={true}>
    Fix common hire/configuration issues.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>