Rules & Constraints
Agent rules let you define specific behaviors, boundaries, and guidelines for your AI agent. While tone controls how your agent communicates, rules control what it does and doesn't do.
What Are Agent Rules?
Rules are specific instructions that guide your agent's behavior:
- Things the agent should always do
- Things the agent should never do
- How to handle specific situations
- When to involve human support
Configuring Rules
Navigate to Agent in the sidebar to set your agent rules.
Rules Field
Enter your rules as a list of guidelines. The agent follows these in every interaction.
Example:
- Always greet customers by name when available
- Never make promises about specific delivery dates
- Offer to connect with a human for complex issues
- Include relevant policy links in responses
- Don't discuss competitor products
Rule Categories
Behavior Rules
Define what the agent should or shouldn't do:
- Always apologize for any inconvenience experienced
- Never provide legal or medical advice
- Always thank customers for their patience
- Don't make commitments you can't verify
Information Rules
Control what information the agent shares:
- Only provide pricing from official documents
- Don't share internal processes or systems
- Always cite the source document when quoting policy
- Include disclaimers for time-sensitive information
Escalation Rules
Define when to involve humans:
- Offer human assistance for refund amounts over $500
- Escalate complaints about product safety
- Connect to support for technical issues with errors
- Suggest human contact for account security concerns
Response Rules
Guide response structure:
- Keep responses under 3 paragraphs when possible
- Include a clear call-to-action when appropriate
- End responses with an offer to help further
- Use bullet points for multiple items
Writing Effective Rules
Be Specific
✗ "Be careful with money stuff"
✓ "Never confirm specific refund amounts without verification"
Be Actionable
✗ "Customers are important"
✓ "Always prioritize resolving customer concerns quickly"
Be Clear
✗ "Handle complaints appropriately"
✓ "For complaints, acknowledge the issue, apologize, and offer a solution"
Example Rule Sets
E-commerce Store
- Always include order lookup instructions when relevant
- Offer to check order status for shipping inquiries
- Never promise exact delivery dates—use estimates
- For damaged items, apologize and explain replacement process
- Refer to return policy document for return questions
- Suggest contacting support for orders over $500 with issues
- Include product care tips when discussing returns
SaaS Company
- Direct technical issues to support documentation first
- Never share pricing that isn't in the pricing document
- Offer to schedule demos for enterprise inquiries
- Explain features using benefit-focused language
- Suggest the help center for complex technical questions
- Don't compare features directly to competitors
- Include relevant documentation links in responses
Service Business
- Always confirm appointment details when discussing scheduling
- Recommend calling for same-day appointment changes
- Include service area information for location questions
- Never provide quotes—direct to booking for pricing
- Offer the cancellation policy proactively
- Suggest callback for complex service questions
Rule Priority
When rules might conflict, the agent follows:
- Safety and compliance rules first
- Customer service rules second
- Efficiency rules last
Example: If told to "keep responses short" but also "always explain the full return process," the agent will prioritize completeness for important information.
Rules vs Tone
| Rules | Tone | |-------|------| | What to do/not do | How to communicate | | Specific behaviors | General personality | | Hard constraints | Soft preferences | | Conditional logic | Overall approach |
Example Distinction
Tone: "Be friendly and helpful" Rule: "Always offer to connect with a human for unresolved issues"
The rule is specific and actionable; the tone is a general guideline.
Testing Your Rules
After setting rules:
- Identify test scenarios: What situations should rules affect?
- Send test emails: Trigger those scenarios
- Review responses: Did the agent follow rules?
- Adjust if needed: Clarify or add rules
Test Scenarios
- Ask about something rules forbid
- Request something rules require human handling
- Ask about pricing or specific numbers
- Express a complaint or concern
Common Rules by Situation
For Pricing Questions
- Only quote prices from the pricing document
- Suggest contacting sales for custom pricing
- Include "prices subject to change" disclaimer
For Complaints
- Acknowledge the customer's frustration
- Apologize for any inconvenience
- Offer a specific resolution or next step
- Escalate unresolved complaints to human support
For Technical Issues
- Ask clarifying questions to understand the problem
- Suggest common solutions from documentation
- Provide support contact for persistent issues
For Account Questions
- Never share specific account details via email
- Direct to secure account portal for sensitive changes
- Verify identity requests should go through official channels
Troubleshooting Rules
Agent not following a rule?
- Make the rule more specific
- Check for conflicting rules
- Ensure the rule is clearly stated
Agent being too rigid?
- Add flexibility with phrases like "when appropriate"
- Include exceptions in the rule
- Balance with your tone settings