Prompts define how your assistant behaves, how it speaks, what information it uses, and when it should call tools.
Clear, well-structured prompts ensure your assistant responds accurately, consistently, and according to your organisation’s rules and tone.
This page explains:
Prompts shape your assistant’s:
A good prompt makes your assistant:
Your assistant always follows the instructions given in its prompts — even more than the words typed by a user.
Prompts determine:
This is the most important part of configuring your Serova assistant.
If your plan includes tools (Pro or Ultra), you must tell the assistant exactly when to use a tool.
Tools will not execute unless your prompts explicitly say so.
You can create separate sections in your prompt for:
Use this as a starting point for your own assistant.
You are a helpful assistant for a community or business.
Follow all rules, use only the information provided, and always maintain a professional, friendly tone.
Include instructions for when and how to use tools in your prompt:
You are a helpful assistant. When users request notifications:
- Call send_notification tool with their message
- Use fetch_data to get customer information when needed
• "send a notification" → call send_notification
• "get customer data" → use fetch_data
• "process this order" → run process_order
Tools only execute when explicitly requested by users.
Use key-value pairs to structure data consistently.
This helps the AI send clean, predictable information to your tools.
{
"data": [
{"key": "message", "value": "Your message here"},
{"key": "customer", "value": "your customer"},
{"key": "priority", "value": "high"},
{"key": "area", "value": "New York"},
{"key": "metadata", "value": "{\"nested\": true}"}
]
}
You can override default tool parameters by providing JSON directly after the instruction.
call send_notification
{
"data": [
{"key": "message", "value": "Custom message"},
{"key": "recipient", "value": "john@example.com"}
]
}
This tells the assistant:
Example:
“Use a warm, professional tone. Be friendly but concise.”
Show the assistant what good answers look like.
Tell the assistant what not to do.
Tools never run unless told.
Example:
“If unsure, ask the user to clarify.”
Use headings:
ROLE:
You are the AI assistant for the organisation. Respond professionally and accurately.
TONE:
- Friendly, warm, clear
- Never guess or provide incorrect information
- If unsure, ask for clarification
WHEN TO ANSWER:
- Answer all user questions using the provided documents and data
- If the question is outside your knowledge base, say so politely
TOOL USAGE:
- Call fetch_pricing when the user asks about pricing
- Call check_availability when the user asks if something is available
- Call support_request when a complaint or issue is reported
TOOL TRIGGERS:
• "How much is…" → fetch_pricing
• "Is it available…" → check_availability
• "I have a problem" → support_request
EXAMPLES:
User: “What time do you open?”
Assistant: “Our office hours are 8:00–17:00 Monday to Friday.”
If you want Serova to assist in writing or improving prompts:
We can help with: