Instructions Training Context

Create custom instructions that guide your AI assistant's behavior. Instructions can be system-level (always active) or context-specific (triggered by conditions).

Overview

Instructions provide guidance to your AI about:

• How to behave in specific scenarios
• What information to prioritize
• How to handle edge cases
• Product-specific guidance
• System-level rules

Instruction Types

System Instructions

Always Active: Applied to all conversations regardless of context.

Use Cases:

• General behavior guidelines
• Company-wide policies
• Universal rules and boundaries
• Default response patterns

Example:

Always be professional and courteous. Never make promises we can't keep. 
Escalate to human if customer is frustrated.

Product Instructions

Context-Specific: Applied when discussing products.

Use Cases:

• Product-specific guidance
• Pricing rules
• Availability information
• Product recommendations

Example:

When discussing Widget A, emphasize its durability and 5-year warranty. 
Always mention the free shipping offer.

Behavior Instructions

Scenario-Specific: Applied in specific situations.

Use Cases:

• Handling complaints
• Processing returns
• Scheduling appointments
• Qualifying leads

Example:

If customer mentions budget under $100, recommend Starter Package. 
If budget over $500, recommend Premium Package.

Priority System

Instructions have priority levels that determine application order:

• Higher priority: Applied first, can override lower priority
• Lower priority: Applied after higher priority instructions
• Same priority: Applied in creation order

Priority Best Practices

1. System instructions: Lowest priority (base behavior)
2. Product instructions: Medium priority (product-specific)
3. Behavior instructions: Highest priority (scenario-specific)

Creating Instructions

Required Fields

• Title: Descriptive name for the instruction
• Content: The actual instruction text
• Type: System, Product, or Behavior
• Priority: Priority level (0-100, higher = more important)

Instruction Content

Write clear, actionable instructions:

Good Examples:

• "Always confirm customer's email before sending information"
• "If customer asks about pricing, provide range and mention consultation"
• "For technical questions, reference product documentation first"

Bad Examples:

• "Be helpful" (too vague)
• "Do stuff" (not actionable)
• "Remember things" (unclear)

How Instructions Affect AI

During Conversations

Instructions are:

1. Loaded based on context
2. Sorted by priority
3. Combined into AI prompt
4. Applied during response generation

Instruction Application

• System instructions: Always included
• Product instructions: Included when discussing products
• Behavior instructions: Included when scenario matches

Override Behavior

Higher priority instructions can:

• Override lower priority instructions
• Modify default behavior
• Add specific rules
• Change response patterns

Character Counting

What Counts

Character count includes:

• Instruction title
• Instruction content
• All instruction text

Managing Usage

To optimize character usage:

• Keep instructions concise
• Remove redundant instructions
• Combine similar instructions
• Delete unused instructions

Best Practices

1. Be Specific: Clear, actionable instructions work best
2. Use Priority Wisely: Higher priority for important rules
3. Keep Current: Update instructions as business changes
4. Test Thoroughly: Verify instructions work as expected
5. Organize Well: Use clear titles and descriptions
6. Monitor Impact: Review how instructions affect responses

Instruction Examples

System-Level

You are a helpful assistant for [Company Name]. Always:
- Use the customer's name when known
- Confirm important details
- Offer to schedule a call if appropriate
- Be professional and friendly

Product-Specific

When discussing [Product Name]:
- Emphasize [key feature]
- Mention [special offer]
- Reference [documentation link]
- Never discuss [sensitive topic]

Behavior-Specific

If customer mentions [condition]:
- Respond with [specific action]
- Ask about [relevant question]
- Provide [specific information]
- Escalate if [criteria met]

Troubleshooting

Instructions Not Applied

• Check instruction type matches context
• Verify priority is set correctly
• Ensure instruction is active
• Review instruction content for clarity

Conflicting Instructions

• Review priority levels
• Ensure instructions don't contradict
• Test instruction combinations
• Adjust priorities as needed

Character Limit Issues

• Keep instructions concise
• Remove redundant instructions
• Combine similar instructions
• Upgrade plan for higher limits

Next Steps

• View Overview for general training context information
• Learn about Products for product data management
• Learn about Documents for document uploads
• Learn about Website for website crawling