Add-on | AI agents - Advanced |
Generative procedures are AI-generated procedures that help power the decision-making capabilities of agentic AI agents. Instead of building scripted conversation flows in the dialogue builder, you can simply enter your business policies and let the AI agent generate a procedure to map out the best path to resolution.
This article contains the following topics:
- About generative procedures
- Creating generative procedures
- Best practices for creating generative procedures
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About generative procedures
Generative procedures give agentic AI agents the freedom to determine the best way to resolve a customer’s issue in line with your business policies. Generative procedures require less setup and maintenance from you than scripted dialogues do.
Each generative procedure is tied to a specific use case. When that use case is triggered during a conversation with a user, the AI agent follows the associated procedure to resolve the issue.
Also, generative procedures power multilingual AI agents. You can write a procedure once, in a single language, and it can serve all the languages your AI agent supports.
Creating generative procedures
Client admins and client editors can create a generative procedure from within a use case.
For helpful advice, see Best practices for creating generative procedures.
To create a generative procedure
- In AI agents - Advanced, use the AI agent drop-down field to select the AI agent you want to create a generative procedure for.
- In the left sidebar, select Content > Use cases.
- Click the use case you want to create a procedure for.
- Under Reply method, make sure Use procedure when use case is
triggered is selected.Tip: For more information about this setting, see Configure whether a use case uses a dialogue or generative procedure (EAP).
- On the Procedure tab, click Create procedure.
- On the Create procedure screen, enter a free-text description of how
the AI agent should solve a customer’s issue when this use case is
triggered.
List the steps required to solve this task as you would with a human agent.
Click the plus icon (+) to insert actions, API integrations, and parameters. - Click Create procedure.
An AI-generated procedure map appears, showing you exactly what logic the AI agent will follow and what steps it will take during a conversation to solve a customer’s issue for this use case.
- If necessary, make adjustments to the text of the procedure and click
Update draft. Repeat as necessary until the procedure map looks the way you expect.Note: You cannot edit the procedure map directly.
- Click Publish procedure.
Best practices for creating generative procedures
When creating generative procedures, follow these best practices:
Best practices | Examples and explanation | |
Do’s | Be direct and imperative. | Write instructions as direct commands (for example, “Check if the customer…”). This helps the AI agent follow a clear flow of actions without confusion. |
Set clear conditions and actions. |
Whenever there’s a conditional (“If… then…”), specify precisely what to do if the condition is met or not met. Clearly define under what circumstances to move to the next step. | |
Use consistent terminology. |
Refer to the same items (for example, plans, billing types, policies) by the same name each time. This prevents the AI agent from mixing up terms or synonyms. |
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Provide contextual examples, if helpful. | If a step involves a common scenario, provide an example of how to respond or what the result should look like. This can reduce ambiguity. | |
Anticipate edge cases. |
Include instructions for what happens if data is missing, incomplete, or contradictory. Decide in advance what the AI should do or ask in these cases. | |
Maintain a polite and empathetic tone, if applicable. |
When the AI agent interacts with customers, specify how to acknowledge or reassure them. Provide example phrases, such as, “I understand your concern.” | |
Update procedures regularly. | As policies or plans change, update the procedures. Outdated procedures can lead to errors in AI agent responses. | |
Don’ts |
Don’t use ambiguous language. |
Phrases such as “Handle it if you think it’s necessary” or “Take the best action” are too vague. Always specify exactly what “handling” or “best action” means in context. |
Don’t mix multiple instructions in one step. | If a step contains more than one major action, break it into separate steps. This keeps the procedure straightforward. | |
Don’t assume common knowledge. | Avoid references to policies or information not included in the procedure. If it’s important, include or summarize it within the text. | |
Don’t leave data validation as an afterthought. |
If certain conditions or data points are essential for a decision, specify the validation or check in the instructions. For example, “Verify that the requested plan is valid before proceeding.” |
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Don’t overcomplicate the workflow. |
Keep the steps concise and focused. Overly complex branching can confuse the AI agent or lead to error. |
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