> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.peoplelogic.dev/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.peoplelogic.dev/guides/getting-started-with-the-talent-agent-sdk/advanced/externalize-agent-settings-with-spel.md).

# Externalize agent settings with SPEL

In addition to hardcoding your Agent properties within the annotation, we also support setting those through your application.properties file.  To set this up, just replace your @PeoplelogicAgent annotation with something similar:

```java
@PeoplelogicAgent(value="hrCoordinator", name = "${peoplelogic.agent.HRCoordinatorAgent.name}",
        tools = {"hr-coordinator-tools", "${peoplelogic.agent.HRCoordinatorAgent.tools:}"},
        persona = "${peoplelogic.agent.HRCoordinatorAgent.persona}", title = "${peoplelogic.agent.HRCoordinatorAgent.title}",
        avatar = "${peoplelogic.agent.HRCoordinatorAgent.avatar}", bio = "${peoplelogic.agent.HRCoordinatorAgent.bio}", shortBio = "${peoplelogic.agent.HRCoordinatorAgent.shortBio}")
public interface HRCoordinatorAgent extends WorkerAgent { }

```

Each of the values inside the strings like `${peoplelogic.agent.HRCoordinatorAgent.name}`  are properties.  Just replace HRCoordinatorAgent in the string with the simple name of your Agent (SampleAgent for example) and include the whole property in `application.properties`.  It will get picked up on startup of the SDK.


---

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