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Your agent’s behavior is shaped by the instructions you give it. Better instructions = better agent. Here’s how to write them well.

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The Basics

Your agent has two main instruction files:
  • SOUL.md — who the agent is (personality, tone, core behaviors)
  • AGENTS.md — what the agent does (rules, workflows, specific tasks)
You set these up during onboarding, and you can update them anytime through chat:
“Update your instructions: always ask for the customer’s budget before generating a quote”

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What Makes Good Instructions

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Be Specific, Not Vague

“When a new lead comes in, review their info, check our pricing guide for the right tier, generate a quote based on their requirements, and draft a personalized response email for my review.”

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Include Rules and Boundaries

Tell your agent what it should and shouldn’t do:
  • “Never quote a price without checking the pricing guide first”
  • “Always get approval before sending any external emails”
  • “If you’re unsure about something, ask rather than guessing”

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Give Examples

If you want a specific output format, show your agent what it looks like:
“Format quotes like this:
  • 60 guests × 18/person=18/person = 1,080
  • 15 pizzas × 17=17 = 255
  • Tax (9.2%): $122.82
  • Total: $1,457.82”

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Define Priorities

Tell your agent what matters most:
“Priority order: (1) respond to hot leads within 5 minutes, (2) follow up on warm leads daily, (3) generate weekly pipeline reports”

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Updating Instructions

You can update your agent’s instructions in two ways:
  1. Ask in chat — “Add a new rule: always CC the manager on quotes over $5,000”
  2. Edit directly — go to Agent Settings and modify the SOUL.md or AGENTS.md content
When you tell your agent something in chat, it updates its own files. You don’t need to edit config files manually.

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Common Mistakes

Don’t overload with instructions. A focused agent with 10 clear rules outperforms one with 50 vague guidelines. Start simple, add rules as situations come up.
  • Too many rules — your agent can’t prioritize when everything is “important”
  • Contradictory instructions — “be concise” and “include all details” confuse the agent
  • No examples — telling an agent “write professional emails” means nothing without showing what “professional” looks like to you
  • Forgetting to mention edge cases — “what if the customer asks for a refund?” needs to be addressed