> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.artific.nl/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.artific.nl/en/for-administrators/assistants/settings.md). # Assistant settings The main configuration screen for an assistant: who it is, how it writes, and what it is allowed to do. Reached through **AI assistants → Assistants → ⋮ → Settings**, or the **Settings** button on the chat screen. The screen is grouped into sections. Everything on it is saved together with the **Save** button at the bottom. ## Personality This section decides what the assistant is and how it behaves. It carries more weight than any other setting on the page. | Setting | What it does | | ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Name** | The assistant's display name, shown everywhere including the chat window. | | **Short description** | One line describing what the assistant is for. Appears on the overview card. | | **Instructions for AI** | The written brief that shapes every answer. | ### Writing Instructions for AI This is the single highest-leverage field in the platform. Treat it as an induction note for a new colleague who is competent but knows nothing about your organisation. Cover, in plain language: * **Role.** Who the assistant is and who it is helping. * **Scope.** What it should answer, and what it should refuse or redirect. * **Sources.** Whether it must answer only from the attached documents, or may use general knowledge as well. Be explicit. This is a common cause of disappointment. * **Behaviour when unsure.** What to do when the answer is not in the documents. "Say you do not know and point the user to " is far better than leaving it open. * **Format.** Short answers, bullet points, always cite the policy name, and so on. Write in full sentences and be specific. Vague instructions produce vague assistants. ## Messages | Setting | What it does | | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Opening message** | The greeting the assistant sends when a conversation starts. | | **Tone of voice** | Applies one of your organisation's saved writing styles. See [Tone of voice](/en/for-administrators/tone-of-voice.md). | | **Creativity** | How much variation the assistant allows itself, on a five-step scale: **Minimum**, **Low**, **Medium**, **High**, **Maximum**. | ### Choosing a creativity level | Level | Use it for | | ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Minimum** / **Low** | Factual work: policy answers, support, anything where the same question should get the same answer. | | **Medium** | The general-purpose default. | | **High** / **Maximum** | Brainstorming, drafting marketing copy, generating options. | For a knowledge assistant, lower is almost always better. High creativity makes an assistant more likely to fill gaps with plausible-sounding invention. ## General | Setting | What it does | | ------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Theme** | The visual style of the chat window. See [Themes](/en/for-administrators/assistants/themes.md). | | **Model** | Which AI model powers the assistant. | | **Chat with an employee (Direct Chat add-on)** | Lets a user ask to be handed over to a colleague mid-conversation. | | **Allow file upload in chat messages** | Gives users a paperclip button so they can attach documents to a question. | | **Allow image upload in chat messages** | Lets users attach images. Requires a model that can read images, and requires file upload to be on as well. | | **Allow assistant to query tables in documents** | Lets the assistant read tabular data inside documents rather than only the prose. | | **Authentication needed** | Requires the person chatting to be signed in. Relevant mainly for assistants embedded on a website. | | **Show references** | Adds a **Sources used** block under answers, showing which documents the answer came from. | | **Assistant visible to users** | The on/off switch. While it is off, the assistant is greyed out on the overview and cannot be used. | | **Enable Projects** | Lets users create projects with this assistant. See [Projects](/en/for-everyone/projects.md). | | **Allow users to set personal instructions** | Lets each user add their own standing instructions for this assistant. | | **Enable voice (beta)** | Lets users hold a spoken conversation instead of typing. | | **Mask personal data** | Removes personal data from messages before the assistant processes them. | {% hint style="success" %} Turn **Show references** on for any assistant that answers from documents. Being able to see which document an answer came from is what turns a plausible answer into a trustworthy one, and it is the fastest way for users to spot when something is out of date. {% endhint %} ### Choosing a model The **Model** field opens a picker listing the models available to your organisation. Each is tagged with what it can do: | Tag | Meaning | | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Fast** | Optimised for speed. Good for high-volume, straightforward questions. | | **Multimodal** | Can interpret images as well as text. Required for image upload. | | **Supports tools** | Can use tools and connectors, and is required for Direct Chat. | | **Supports memory** | Can use the memory feature. | If you pick a model that cannot do something you have switched on, the screen tells you so directly, with a **Select a different model** shortcut. Watch for: * **Model does not support tools and direct chat**: your tools and handover will not work. * **Model does not support memory**. * **Model does not support the image search tool**: image search in the knowledge base will not function for this assistant. {% hint style="info" %} Which models appear in the picker depends on your organisation's plan and configuration. Your account manager can tell you what is available to you. {% endhint %} ### Settings that may cost extra Switching on **Chat with an employee (Direct Chat add-on)** or **Enable voice (beta)** raises a confirmation: *Additional costs may apply*. Both are add-ons. Turning them off again never prompts. Contact your account manager before enabling them if you are not sure about the commercial side. ## Chat widgets | Setting | What it does | | ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Email canvas** | Adds an e-mail composition panel inside the chat, so a user can turn an answer into a drafted message without leaving the conversation. | ## Saving **Save** stores everything on the page. If a colleague changed the same assistant while you had the screen open, you get a **Settings have changed** dialog offering a link to the current version and an **Overwrite** button. Read the current version before overwriting. The other person's changes are lost otherwise. ## Deleting an assistant At the bottom of the page, **Delete this assistant** removes it permanently. {% hint style="danger" %} Deletion cannot be undone, and any chat widget embedded on a website using this assistant stops working immediately. You must type the assistant's exact name to confirm. {% endhint %} ## Next * [Advanced settings](/en/for-administrators/assistants/advanced-settings.md): access restrictions, session limits, answer review and fallbacks. * [Sub-agents](/en/for-administrators/assistants/sub-agents.md): letting one assistant delegate to another.