Update README.md

* fix(manager_llm): handle coworker role name case/whitespace properly

- Add .strip() to agent name and role comparisons in base_agent_tools.py
- Add test case for varied role name cases and whitespace
- Fix issue #1503 with manager LLM delegation

Co-Authored-By: Joe Moura <joao@crewai.com>

* fix(manager_llm): improve error handling and add debug logging

- Add debug logging for better observability
- Add sanitize_agent_name helper method
- Enhance error messages with more context
- Add parameterized tests for edge cases:
  - Embedded quotes
  - Trailing newlines
  - Multiple whitespace
  - Case variations
  - None values
- Improve error handling with specific exceptions

Co-Authored-By: Joe Moura <joao@crewai.com>

* style: fix import sorting in base_agent_tools and test_manager_llm_delegation

Co-Authored-By: Joe Moura <joao@crewai.com>

* fix(manager_llm): improve whitespace normalization in role name matching

Co-Authored-By: Joe Moura <joao@crewai.com>

* style: fix import sorting in base_agent_tools and test_manager_llm_delegation

Co-Authored-By: Joe Moura <joao@crewai.com>

* fix(manager_llm): add error message template for agent tool execution errors

Co-Authored-By: Joe Moura <joao@crewai.com>

* style: fix import sorting in test_manager_llm_delegation.py

Co-Authored-By: Joe Moura <joao@crewai.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: Devin AI <158243242+devin-ai-integration[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Joe Moura <joao@crewai.com>

README.md

@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ First, install CrewAI:
 ```shell
 pip install crewai
 ```
-
 If you want to install the 'crewai' package along with its optional features that include additional tools for agents, you can do so by using the following command:
 
 ```shell
@@ -93,6 +92,22 @@ pip install 'crewai[tools]'
 ```
 The command above installs the basic package and also adds extra components which require more dependencies to function.
 
+### Troubleshooting Dependencies
+
+If you encounter issues during installation or usage, here are some common solutions:
+
+#### Common Issues
+
+1. **ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'tiktoken'**
+   - Install tiktoken explicitly: `pip install 'crewai[embeddings]'`
+   - If using embedchain or other tools: `pip install 'crewai[tools]'`
+
+2. **Failed building wheel for tiktoken**
+   - Ensure Rust compiler is installed (see installation steps above)
+   - For Windows: Verify Visual C++ Build Tools are installed
+   - Try upgrading pip: `pip install --upgrade pip`
+   - If issues persist, use a pre-built wheel: `pip install tiktoken --prefer-binary`
+
 ### 2. Setting Up Your Crew with the YAML Configuration
 
 To create a new CrewAI project, run the following CLI (Command Line Interface) command:

pyproject.toml

@@ -8,27 +8,38 @@ authors = [
     { name = "Joao Moura", email = "joao@crewai.com" }
 ]
 dependencies = [
+    # Core Dependencies
     "pydantic>=2.4.2",
     "openai>=1.13.3",
+    "litellm>=1.44.22",
+    "instructor>=1.3.3",
+    
+    # Text Processing
+    "pdfplumber>=0.11.4",
+    "regex>=2024.9.11",
+    
+    # Telemetry and Monitoring
     "opentelemetry-api>=1.22.0",
     "opentelemetry-sdk>=1.22.0",
     "opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-proto-http>=1.22.0",
-    "instructor>=1.3.3",
-    "regex>=2024.9.11",
-    "click>=8.1.7",
+    
+    # Data Handling
+    "chromadb>=0.5.23",
+    "openpyxl>=3.1.5",
+    "pyvis>=0.3.2",
+    
+    # Authentication and Security
+    "auth0-python>=4.7.1",
     "python-dotenv>=1.0.0",
+    
+    # Configuration and Utils
+    "click>=8.1.7",
     "appdirs>=1.4.4",
     "jsonref>=1.1.0",
     "json-repair>=0.25.2",
-    "auth0-python>=4.7.1",
-    "litellm>=1.44.22",
-    "pyvis>=0.3.2",
     "uv>=0.4.25",
     "tomli-w>=1.1.0",
     "tomli>=2.0.2",
-    "chromadb>=0.5.23",
-    "pdfplumber>=0.11.4",
-    "openpyxl>=3.1.5",
     "blinker>=1.9.0",
 ]
 
@@ -39,6 +50,9 @@ Repository = "https://github.com/crewAIInc/crewAI"
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 tools = ["crewai-tools>=0.17.0"]
+embeddings = [
+    "tiktoken~=0.7.0"
+]
 agentops = ["agentops>=0.3.0"]
 fastembed = ["fastembed>=0.4.1"]
 pdfplumber = [

src/crewai/tools/agent_tools/base_agent_tools.py

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import logging
 from typing import Optional, Union
 
 from pydantic import Field
@@ -7,6 +8,8 @@ from crewai.task import Task
 from crewai.tools.base_tool import BaseTool
 from crewai.utilities import I18N
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 class BaseAgentTool(BaseTool):
     """Base class for agent-related tools"""
@@ -16,6 +19,25 @@ class BaseAgentTool(BaseTool):
         default_factory=I18N, description="Internationalization settings"
     )
 
+    def sanitize_agent_name(self, name: str) -> str:
+        """
+        Sanitize agent role name by normalizing whitespace and setting to lowercase.
+        Converts all whitespace (including newlines) to single spaces and removes quotes.
+
+        Args:
+            name (str): The agent role name to sanitize
+
+        Returns:
+            str: The sanitized agent role name, with whitespace normalized,
+                 converted to lowercase, and quotes removed
+        """
+        if not name:
+            return ""
+        # Normalize all whitespace (including newlines) to single spaces
+        normalized = " ".join(name.split())
+        # Remove quotes and convert to lowercase
+        return normalized.replace('"', "").casefold()
+
     def _get_coworker(self, coworker: Optional[str], **kwargs) -> Optional[str]:
         coworker = coworker or kwargs.get("co_worker") or kwargs.get("coworker")
         if coworker:
@@ -25,11 +47,27 @@ class BaseAgentTool(BaseTool):
         return coworker
 
     def _execute(
-        self, agent_name: Union[str, None], task: str, context: Union[str, None]
+        self,
+        agent_name: Optional[str],
+        task: str,
+        context: Optional[str] = None
     ) -> str:
+        """
+        Execute delegation to an agent with case-insensitive and whitespace-tolerant matching.
+        
+        Args:
+            agent_name: Name/role of the agent to delegate to (case-insensitive)
+            task: The specific question or task to delegate
+            context: Optional additional context for the task execution
+            
+        Returns:
+            str: The execution result from the delegated agent or an error message
+                 if the agent cannot be found
+        """
         try:
             if agent_name is None:
                 agent_name = ""
+                logger.debug("No agent name provided, using empty string")
 
             # It is important to remove the quotes from the agent name.
             # The reason we have to do this is because less-powerful LLM's
@@ -38,31 +76,49 @@ class BaseAgentTool(BaseTool):
             # {"task": "....", "coworker": "....
             # when it should look like this:
             # {"task": "....", "coworker": "...."}
-            agent_name = agent_name.casefold().replace('"', "").replace("\n", "")
+            sanitized_name = self.sanitize_agent_name(agent_name)
+            logger.debug(f"Sanitized agent name from '{agent_name}' to '{sanitized_name}'")
+
+            available_agents = [agent.role for agent in self.agents]
+            logger.debug(f"Available agents: {available_agents}")
+
             agent = [  # type: ignore # Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "list[BaseAgent]", variable has type "str | None")
                 available_agent
                 for available_agent in self.agents
-                if available_agent.role.casefold().replace("\n", "") == agent_name
+                if self.sanitize_agent_name(available_agent.role) == sanitized_name
             ]
-        except Exception as _:
+            logger.debug(f"Found {len(agent)} matching agents for role '{sanitized_name}'")
+        except (AttributeError, ValueError) as e:
+            # Handle specific exceptions that might occur during role name processing
             return self.i18n.errors("agent_tool_unexisting_coworker").format(
                 coworkers="\n".join(
-                    [f"- {agent.role.casefold()}" for agent in self.agents]
-                )
+                    [f"- {self.sanitize_agent_name(agent.role)}" for agent in self.agents]
+                ),
+                error=str(e)
             )
 
         if not agent:
+            # No matching agent found after sanitization
             return self.i18n.errors("agent_tool_unexisting_coworker").format(
                 coworkers="\n".join(
-                    [f"- {agent.role.casefold()}" for agent in self.agents]
-                )
+                    [f"- {self.sanitize_agent_name(agent.role)}" for agent in self.agents]
+                ),
+                error=f"No agent found with role '{sanitized_name}'"
             )
 
         agent = agent[0]
-        task_with_assigned_agent = Task(  # type: ignore # Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "Task", variable has type "str")
-            description=task,
-            agent=agent,
-            expected_output=agent.i18n.slice("manager_request"),
-            i18n=agent.i18n,
-        )
-        return agent.execute_task(task_with_assigned_agent, context)
+        try:
+            task_with_assigned_agent = Task(
+                description=task,
+                agent=agent,
+                expected_output=agent.i18n.slice("manager_request"),
+                i18n=agent.i18n,
+            )
+            logger.debug(f"Created task for agent '{self.sanitize_agent_name(agent.role)}': {task}")
+            return agent.execute_task(task_with_assigned_agent, context)
+        except Exception as e:
+            # Handle task creation or execution errors
+            return self.i18n.errors("agent_tool_execution_error").format(
+                agent_role=self.sanitize_agent_name(agent.role),
+                error=str(e)
+            )

src/crewai/translations/en.json

@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@
     "tool_usage_error": "I encountered an error: {error}",
     "tool_arguments_error": "Error: the Action Input is not a valid key, value dictionary.",
     "wrong_tool_name": "You tried to use the tool {tool}, but it doesn't exist. You must use one of the following tools, use one at time: {tools}.",
-    "tool_usage_exception": "I encountered an error while trying to use the tool. This was the error: {error}.\n Tool {tool} accepts these inputs: {tool_inputs}"
+    "tool_usage_exception": "I encountered an error while trying to use the tool. This was the error: {error}.\n Tool {tool} accepts these inputs: {tool_inputs}",
+    "agent_tool_execution_error": "Error executing task with agent '{agent_role}'. Error: {error}"
   },
   "tools": {
     "delegate_work": "Delegate a specific task to one of the following coworkers: {coworkers}\nThe input to this tool should be the coworker, the task you want them to do, and ALL necessary context to execute the task, they know nothing about the task, so share absolute everything you know, don't reference things but instead explain them.",

tests/crew_test.py

@@ -391,6 +391,71 @@ def test_manager_agent_delegating_to_all_agents():
     )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.vcr(filter_headers=["authorization"])
+def test_manager_agent_delegates_with_varied_role_cases():
+    """
+    Test that the manager agent can delegate to agents regardless of case or whitespace variations in role names.
+    This test verifies the fix for issue #1503 where role matching was too strict.
+    """
+    # Create agents with varied case and whitespace in roles
+    researcher_spaced = Agent(
+        role=" Researcher ",  # Extra spaces
+        goal="Research with spaces in role",
+        backstory="A researcher with spaces in role name",
+        allow_delegation=False,
+    )
+    
+    writer_caps = Agent(
+        role="SENIOR WRITER",  # All caps
+        goal="Write with caps in role",
+        backstory="A writer with caps in role name",
+        allow_delegation=False,
+    )
+
+    task = Task(
+        description="Research and write about AI. The researcher should do the research, and the writer should write it up.",
+        expected_output="A well-researched article about AI.",
+        agent=researcher_spaced,  # Assign to researcher with spaces
+    )
+
+    crew = Crew(
+        agents=[researcher_spaced, writer_caps],
+        process=Process.hierarchical,
+        manager_llm="gpt-4o",
+        tasks=[task],
+    )
+
+    mock_task_output = TaskOutput(
+        description="Mock description",
+        raw="mocked output",
+        agent="mocked agent"
+    )
+    task.output = mock_task_output
+
+    with patch.object(Task, 'execute_sync', return_value=mock_task_output) as mock_execute_sync:
+        crew.kickoff()
+
+        # Verify execute_sync was called once
+        mock_execute_sync.assert_called_once()
+
+        # Get the tools argument from the call
+        _, kwargs = mock_execute_sync.call_args
+        tools = kwargs['tools']
+
+        # Verify the delegation tools were passed correctly and can handle case/whitespace variations
+        assert len(tools) == 2
+        
+        # Check delegation tool descriptions (should work despite case/whitespace differences)
+        delegation_tool = tools[0]
+        question_tool = tools[1]
+        
+        assert "Delegate a specific task to one of the following coworkers:" in delegation_tool.description
+        assert " Researcher " in delegation_tool.description or "SENIOR WRITER" in delegation_tool.description
+        
+        assert "Ask a specific question to one of the following coworkers:" in question_tool.description
+        assert " Researcher " in question_tool.description or "SENIOR WRITER" in question_tool.description
+
+
 @pytest.mark.vcr(filter_headers=["authorization"])
 def test_crew_with_delegating_agents():
     tasks = [

tests/test_manager_llm_delegation.py

@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from crewai import Agent, Task
+from crewai.tools.agent_tools.base_agent_tools import BaseAgentTool
+
+
+class TestAgentTool(BaseAgentTool):
+    """Concrete implementation of BaseAgentTool for testing."""
+    def _run(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Implement required _run method."""
+        return "Test response"
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("role_name,should_match", [
+    ('Futel Official Infopoint', True),                    # exact match
+    ('  "Futel Official Infopoint"  ', True),             # extra quotes and spaces
+    ('Futel Official Infopoint\n', True),                 # trailing newline
+    ('"Futel Official Infopoint"', True),                 # embedded quotes
+    (' FUTEL\nOFFICIAL   INFOPOINT ', True),             # multiple whitespace and newline
+    ('futel official infopoint', True),                   # lowercase
+    ('FUTEL OFFICIAL INFOPOINT', True),                   # uppercase
+    ('Non Existent Agent', False),                        # non-existent agent
+    (None, False),                                        # None agent name
+])
+def test_agent_tool_role_matching(role_name, should_match):
+    """Test that agent tools can match roles regardless of case, whitespace, and special characters."""
+    # Create test agent
+    test_agent = Agent(
+        role='Futel Official Infopoint',
+        goal='Answer questions about Futel',
+        backstory='Futel Football Club info',
+        allow_delegation=False
+    )
+
+    # Create test agent tool
+    agent_tool = TestAgentTool(
+        name="test_tool",
+        description="Test tool",
+        agents=[test_agent]
+    )
+
+    # Test role matching
+    result = agent_tool._execute(
+        agent_name=role_name,
+        task='Test task',
+        context=None
+    )
+
+    if should_match:
+        assert "coworker mentioned not found" not in result.lower(), \
+            f"Should find agent with role name: {role_name}"
+    else:
+        assert "coworker mentioned not found" in result.lower(), \
+            f"Should not find agent with role name: {role_name}"