ConnectWise Agents Testing: Shadow Mode

Last updated: March 25, 2026

Update March 24, 2026 by Andrew Feng (Product Manager)

Overview

Introducing ConnectWise Shadow Mode - zofiQ Agentic Platform 🚀 - Watch Video

Shadow Mode is a testing feature in the zofiQ Agentic Platform that lets you see how an agent would behave on real tickets without making any changes in ConnectWise.

When Shadow Mode is enabled, the agent runs exactly as it would in production. The only difference is that nothing is written back to your PSA.

This allows you to safely validate agent behavior before allowing it to take action.

Why You Should Use Shadow Mode

If you are setting up an agent for the first time, it is important to understand how it behaves across real tickets, not just a few test cases.

Previously, this required running manual simulations one ticket at a time. That approach is slow and does not reflect real ticket volume or variability.

Shadow Mode improves this by:

  • Running continuously on real incoming tickets

  • Showing you how the agent performs across different scenarios

  • Reducing the need for manual testing

  • Helping you catch issues before they impact production

Before You Enable Shadow Mode

Shadow Mode should only be enabled after your agent is fully configured.

This includes:

  • Defining trigger conditions

  • Configuring all relevant fields and mappings

  • Setting up any SOPs or business rules

  • Validating expected behavior through initial testing (recommended)

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Eg. Board Agent Configurations setup

Shadow Mode is designed to mirror how the agent would behave in Live Mode. It does not automatically validate your setup. It executes your current configuration against real tickets exactly as written.

If your configuration is incomplete or incorrect, Shadow Mode will reflect that and produce misleading results.

To get meaningful insights, your agent should be set up as if it were ready to go live.

What Happens When You Turn On Shadow Mode

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Once Shadow Mode is enabled for an agent:

  1. The agent begins evaluating all incoming tickets that meet its trigger conditions

  2. It generates predictions and decisions just like it would in Live Mode

  3. It records those results in the Workflow Logs

  4. It does not update any fields or take any actions in ConnectWise

In practical terms, this means:

  • Tickets will remain unchanged in your PSA

  • The agent is effectively running in the background

  • You can observe its behavior without risk

What Shadow Mode Does Not Do

Shadow Mode does not:

  • Update ticket fields

  • Assign or dispatch tickets

  • Move tickets between boards

  • Add notes or comments

If you do not enable Live Mode, the agent will never take action.

Which Agents Use Shadow Mode

Shadow Mode is only available for agents that modify tickets, such as:

  • Board/Type/SubType/Item Agent

  • Company Agent

  • Contact Agent

  • Urgency Impact Priority Agent

  • Agreement Agent

  • Summary Line Agent

  • Dispatch Agent

These agents benefit from validation before going live.

Read-only agents, such as the Insights Agent or Oversight Agent do not have Shadow Mode because they do not make changes.

How to Enable Shadow Mode

You can enable Shadow Mode in two places:

Option 1: From the Agent Configuration Page

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  1. Navigate to the agent you want to configure

  2. Locate the Shadow Mode toggle (Eyeball icon)

  3. Turn the toggle on

Option 2: From the Workflow Dashboard

Screenshot 2026-03-24 at 7.02.26 PM.png

  1. Open the workflow dashboard

  2. Locate the agent in your workflow

  3. Toggle Shadow Mode on from the same area where Live Mode is controlled (Eyeball icon)

Once enabled, the agent will immediately begin evaluating incoming net new tickets that meet the agent trigger conditions

Important Safeguards

  • Shadow Mode and Live Mode cannot be enabled at the same time

  • Turning off Shadow Mode does not automatically enable Live Mode

  • Live Mode must always be enabled manually

  • Existing live agents are not affected by Shadow Mode

  • Shadow Mode is optional and can be used at any tim

How to Review Shadow Mode Results

After enabling Shadow Mode, you should review the agent’s behavior through the Workflow Logs.

Steps:

  1. Open Workflow Logs

Screenshot 2026-03-24 at 7.13.49 PM.png

  1. Select the Shadow Mode tab

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  1. Review individual ticket entries

For each ticket, you can see:

  • What the agent predicted

  • What fields it would have updated

  • The reasoning behind the decision

This is the most important step in the process. It allows you to verify that the agent is behaving as expected before going live.

How to Know When You Are Ready for Live Mode

You should consider enabling Live Mode when:

  • Shadow Mode predictions are consistently correct

  • Edge cases have been reviewed

  • Any incorrect behavior has been addressed through configuration or SOP updates

There is no automatic transition. You decide when the agent is ready.

Recommended Workflow

For new users, the recommended process is:

  1. Configure your agent

  2. Enable Shadow Mode

  3. Let it run on real tickets

  4. Review results in Workflow Logs

  5. Refine configuration as needed

  6. Enable Live Mode when confident

If you have any other questions or concerns you can reach out to support@zofiq.ai