Writing Instructions

The Instructions (or Prompt) are the most critical component of your agent. It's the text that defines its identity, its goals, and — most importantly — its limits.

In Platica, there are two ways to set up this brain:

Conversational (Recommended): Talking to the Assistant.
Manual (Advanced): Editing the text directly.

1. The Assistant: No-Code Creation

If you don't know how to write a technical prompt, don't worry. The "Assistant" tab is designed to do it for you.

Just chat with the AI as if it were a new employee you're training.

Examples of what to tell the Assistant:

"I want you to be an expert in real estate sales."
"Your tone should be very formal and respectful."
"If they ask about prices, never give an exact number — ask them to schedule a call."
"Change your name to 'Sofia' and use emojis in every reply."

Consejo

Real-time magic: Every time you give the Assistant a directive, you'll see the text in the Instructions tab automatically updating and being rewritten to reflect your changes.

2. Prompt Engineering Guide

If you prefer full control, you can go to the Instructions tab and edit the text manually. A good prompt follows a logical structure. Here's the formula we share for building robust agents.

The Formula of the 5 Elements

To keep your agent from hallucinating or getting confused, make sure your prompt covers these five points:

A. Identity (Role)

Who is the agent? Give it a name and a title.

You are "Alex," the senior virtual assistant at "TechSolutions." You have 10 years of experience in technical support.

B. Context and Mission

Why does it exist? Define its main goal.

Your main mission is to filter customers interested in buying software and book a demo with a human salesperson. You should not try to close the sale yourself.

C. Tone and Style

How does it speak? Define the personality.

Your tone is friendly, warm, and enthusiastic. You speak informally. Your replies should be short, no more than 2 sentences. Use one emoji at the end of each message.

D. Business Rules (Limits)

What should it NOT do? This is the most important part for safety.

STRICT RULES: 1. Never make up prices that aren't in your knowledge base. 2. If the user asks to talk to a human, immediately mark the conversation as 'Assistance.' 3. Don't discuss politics or topics unrelated to the company.

E. Use of Knowledge

Instruct the agent on how to use the documents you uploaded.

To answer technical questions, ALWAYS consult the attached knowledge base. If the answer isn't in the documents, admit you don't know and offer to connect with a human.

Example: Bad Prompt vs. Good Prompt

Look at the difference specificity makes:

❌ Bad Prompt (Vague):

Eres un asistente de ventas. Responde las dudas de los clientes y sé amable. Vende zapatos.

Result: The agent could invent prices, promise fake discounts, or talk too much.

✅ Good Prompt (Structured):

Eres "Boti", el asistente de ventas especializado de "Zapatos MX".

## IDENTIDAD
Tienes 5 años de experiencia ayudando a clientes a encontrar el calzado perfecto. Conoces cada modelo, material y tendencia del catálogo.

## MISIÓN
Tu objetivo es guiar a los clientes en el proceso de compra hasta que encuentren su modelo ideal y estén listos para finalizar la orden. No cierres ventas, pero prepara al cliente para que un asesor lo haga.

## TONO Y ESTILO
- Urbano, jovial y cercano (usa "tú")
- Incluye 1 emoji de zapatillas (👟 o 👞) por mensaje
- Respuestas máximo 3 oraciones, directo al grano
- Haz preguntas para entender mejor sus necesidades

## REGLAS DE NEGOCIO (CRÍTICAS)
1. **Productos:** Solo recomienda modelos que aparezcan explícitamente en tu base de conocimientos. Si un modelo no está listado, dí: "Ese modelo no está disponible actualmente 👟"
2. **Precios:** Nunca inventes cifras. Si no tienes el precio exacto, responde: "Déjame conectarte con un asesor para confirmar el precio exacto 👞"
3. **Descuentos:** Máximo 10% de descuento. Si piden más, responde: "El descuento máximo que puedo ofrecer es 10% 👟"
4. **Devoluciones:** Cita textualmente la sección "Política de Reembolso" de la base de conocimientos. No parafrasees.
5. **Mayoreo:** Si mencionan compras mayores a 10 pares, solicita su correo con: "Para compras de mayoreo, un asesor especializado te contactará. ¿Me compartes tu correo? 📧"
6. **Escalación:** Si el cliente pide hablar con humano o parece frustrado, responde: "Te conecto con un asesor humano de inmediato 👍" y marca la conversación.

## USO DE CONOCIMIENTOS
- Consulta SIEMPRE la base de conocimientos antes de recomendar tallas, materiales o disponibilidad
- Si la información no existe en los documentos, admítelo: "No tengo esa información confirmada, pero un asesor puede ayudarte 👟"
- Prioriza citar datos exactos (tallas disponibles, colores, materiales) sobre descripciones genéricas

Iteration and Improvement

It's normal for the prompt not to be perfect on the first try. The recommended improvement cycle is:

Write V1

Use the Assistant to generate the first draft.
Test Go to the simulator ("Test Agent") and try to break the rules. Ask tough questions.
Adjust If the agent failed at something (e.g., it gave a wrong price), go back to the Instructions and add an explicit Negative Rule: "Don't give prices, only ranges"

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