Creating procedures for auto assist

Auto assistis an AI-powered assistant that understands the contents of submitted tickets and makes suggestions to your agents on how to solve them.


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Summary: ◀▼
Create procedures to teach auto assist how to handle ticket types, use actions, macros, help center articles, and ticket fields, then test and refine them so it suggests the right next steps to agents. You can tailor procedures by brand or condition, include manual instructions when needed, and keep them clear, short, and consistent for better ticket resolution.




Auto assist is an AI-powered assistant that understands the
contents of submitted tickets and makes suggestions to your agents on how to solve
them.
Procedures are the sets of written steps that auto assist should follow when making
suggestions. You can think of defining procedures as similar to explaining to a new
agent how a specific problem should be solved within your company.
This article describes how to write procedures for auto assist so that it makes the right
suggestions to agents in a ticket.
This article contains the following topics:

Understanding procedures
Creating a procedure
Testing a procedure
Best practices for creating effective procedures
Example procedure

Related articles:

Turning on and configuring auto
assist
Viewing and managing procedures for auto
assist



Understanding procedures


Procedures are essential and should be used as your primary
knowledge source for auto assist. To learn more, see About auto assist.
Procedures define what auto assist should do when solving a customer request. You can
write procedures as step-by-step instructions for an agent or as though you're
engineering a prompt for a large language model (LLM).
While procedures define what auto assist should do, communication guidelines are used
separately to define the tone and writing style of the suggested replies that auto
assist presents to agents.
Procedures can be written in a single language, and auto assist automatically adapts
its suggestions to the language of the ticket conversation. You can write procedures
in all Zendesk Support languages.
To help auto assist make the right suggestions, you can link the following directly
in your procedures:

Standard actions
Custom actions
Action flows

Macros, if they're available to all
agents

Agent instructions, which tell agents
how to manually perform steps that auto assist can't
Public help center articles or other procedures Keep in mind that your help
center can't be restricted to only signed-in
users.

Certain ticket fields, which can be referenced directly

To learn more about the help center content and ticket fields that can be used in
procedures, review the following:

About ticket fields in procedures


The following table lists the standard ticket fields that auto assist can access
or modify:









Standard Field
Read
Update




Assignee Email
Yes
No


Assignee Name
Yes
No


Brand
Yes
No


Priority
Yes
Yes


Requester Email
Yes
No


Requester Name
Yes
No


Status
Yes
Yes


Subject
Yes
No


Tags
Yes
Yes, but can't remove


Type
Yes
Yes




The following table lists the custom ticket field types that auto assist can
access or modify:









Custom Field Type
Read
Update




Checkbox
Yes
Yes


Date
Yes
Yes


Decimal
Yes
Yes


Drop-down
Yes
Yes


Lookup Relationship
No
No


Multi-line Text
Yes
No


Number
Yes
Yes


Regex
Yes
Yes


Text
Yes
No




You can write procedures in plain language that reference these ticket fields and
auto assist will use this information to suggest the best responses. For
example, you can leverage ticket fields in auto assist procedures in the
following ways:

Brand-aware procedures
Select the correct refund duration from an existing procedure based
on the ticket brand (for example, Brand X is 20 days, but Brand Y is
30 days).
Use the account verification procedure for Brand X because the
ticket brand is X.


Email confirmation
If the requester’s email address is example@acme.com, proceed with
the refund process.





About help center content in procedures


You can insert the following help center content in a procedure:


Articles: You can insert public, published articles in a procedure.
When you insert an article, you can choose which locale will be used. For
auto assist to use inserted help center articles in procedures, your help
center can't be restricted to only signed-in
users. By inserting an article in a procedure, you're telling
auto assist that the content of the article is important in the context
of the procedure.
For example, a customer's order must
be verified before approving a refund. You can enter a step to gather
information from an article with the following wording:
"Before
approving the refund, verify if the customer's order is meeting the
requirements listed in <inserted article>"
Keep in mind that
auto assist can't comprehend images, URLs, or videos in articles. If an
article relies on this type of content, then auto assist won't be able
to understand the full picture.
It's recommended to keep your help
center articles up to date so that auto assist can make the most
accurate suggestions.


Procedures: You can insert published procedures in a procedure. When
you insert a procedure within a procedure, you're telling auto assist to
follow the steps in the linked procedure. For example, say that a customer
indicated they want to upgrade their subscription plan. You can enter a
step that links to a specific procedure based on some conditions with
the following wording:
"If the customer indicated they want to
upgrade their subscription plan, follow step X of &lt;inserted
procedure>"


You can insert up to four pieces of help center content into a procedure. For
example, add a mix of articles and procedures, such as three articles and one
procedure.




Creating a procedure

Admins can create procedures for auto assist. Alternatively, you can review, edit,
and publish AI-generated procedures when they're
available.


Tip: If you already have internal documentation
that explains how your agents should solve certain customer requests, use that
content as a starting point for auto assist procedures.

To create a new procedure

In Knowledge admin, click Manage articles
( ) in the sidebar, then select Procedures.
Click Create procedure. Alternatively, click the drop-down arrow next
to Create procedure and select Use example. This populates the
procedure Name and content fields with text that you can update as
needed.

In the Name field, enter a descriptive name for the procedure. This
name is used by auto assist to help connect the customer’s conversation to
the right procedure. The procedure name appears only in Knowledge admin, not
in the Agent Workspace for the agent.

To associate the procedure with specific brands, open the right-hand
Settings panel, click Selected brands, then choose the brands
you want to associate the procedure with.
By default, your
procedure is automatically associated with all of your brands.

Click below the name field and enter the content for your procedure. You can
do the following:

Add specific custom actions or action flows


Click Insert action ( ) in the toolbar or enter a forward slash (/),
then select a standard action, a custom action, or an action flow.
Action flows appear as an option only if your account has at least one
action flow configured with a run on demand trigger.

Note: Auto assist can suggest up to four actions at a time in most cases.
See Auto assist action limits to
learn more.

If you insert a standard action, specify the value you want auto
assist to update the ticket or field to. See Standard actions for auto
assist to learn more.
If you insert a custom action or action flow, click the menu icon
next to its name then select either Agent-approved action or
Pre-approved action. If the same custom action is
inserted in a procedure more than once, then that action can use
only one execution mode in the procedure: agent approved or
pre-approved. If you mark it as both agent-approved and
pre-approved, then the action defaults to the agent-approved
execution type.
See Understanding pre-approved
actions for auto assist to learn more.


If no actions or action flows exist, click Manage actions to
create an action or action flow.

The action or action flow is inserted into the procedure. You can hover
to view what tasks it will perform.



Add a macro


Type a forward slash (/) and select Macros from the
menu.

Click a macro to insert it into the procedure. Macros must be active
and available to all agents to be inserted into a procedure.
If no active macros exist, you can click Manage macros to
create or update a
macro.
Note: Auto assist can only perform certain standard and custom
actions. If the macro you insert includes an action
auto assist can't perform, such as starting a side conversation,
then the action won't be completed.


The macro is inserted into the procedure. You can hover over the macro to
preview it.


Add steps for agents to follow manually


Click the Insert agent instructions ( ) icon.

In the Instructions for agent text block, enter the steps the
agent should follow.
See Creating instructions for
agents in auto assist procedures.




Add help center content


Type a forward slash (/) and select Help center content
from the menu.

Select an article from the Published articles list, or click
the Published procedures tab and select a procedure.


Click Insert to add the published procedure or
article.
See About help center content in procedures.




(Optional) Use the editing toolbar at the top of the page to add headings, bold
and italic text, and bulleted and numbered lists. Currently, you can’t include
images in procedures.
To publish your procedure, click the drop-down arrow next to Save draft
and select Publish.
In the window that appears, click Publish. Published procedures are
automatically available for auto assist to use.





Testing a procedure

You should always test your procedure before letting auto assist suggest replies or
actions in a real-world setting.
To test a procedure


Limit the agents who can interact with auto
assist to only those groups or agents who are performing the testing.

Create a messaging or email ticket
with the agent_copilot_enabled tag. Email tickets must be created from an
email that's not associated with any agents in your Zendesk account, as auto
assist doesn't respond to agent comments.

Try to solve the ticket with auto assist’s
help.

If you’re testing an integration between auto assist and
Shopify, you can place test orders on your Shopify
store.


If auto assist isn’t offering the suggestions you want, update the procedure to
be clearer and more concrete.
Repeat steps 1–4 as needed until auto assist is offering the suggestions you
want. Creating good procedures is an iterative process and might take a few
rewrites.




Best practices for creating effective procedures

When creating procedures, follow these best practices:


Write short, easy-to-follow steps. Phrase your steps as straightforward
commands that an agent would take. For example: "Ask the customer to watch this
video: &lt;link&gt;" Avoid prompts such as "Find the item the customer asked for
and share the link with the customer" (auto assist can’t autonomously search
your help center or website).

Address the agent perspective. Procedures should be written as if you’re
talking to an agent. If you copy existing content from customer-facing help
center articles, update them to reflect agent-focused considerations and
actions.

Include feedback steps. Help auto assist gather necessary customer input
to move on to the next step. For example: "Ask the customer if &lt;an
action> worked."

Include actions where possible. Add a standard or custom action that auto
assist can execute if the agent approves. For example: "Add book to cart."

Include existing macros. Add macros that are available to all agents so
that auto assist can suggest macros. You can add one macro per procedure step.
Avoid adding other actions in the same step as a macro.

Be consistent with terminology. Always use the same terms for your
products and services. That is, avoid using different words to refer to a single
product or service.

Include conditions if necessary. If you have different procedures based
on some condition (for example, subscribers vs. non-subscribers), include that
information in the procedure. For example: “Greet the customer, ask if they’re a
subscriber, and wait for their answer before proceeding.”

Test and learn. If auto assist isn’t offering the suggestions you want,
update the procedure to be clearer and more concrete. See Testing a procedure.




Example procedure

The example procedure below tells agent copilot how to help a customer select the
right car for them.


Title

Advising customer how to select a car



Content

Step 1: Understand the customer's needs
Begin by asking questions to understand the customer's requirements:

What is the primary use for the car (commuting, family vehicle, off-roading,
etc.)?
What is their budget for purchasing a car?
Do they have any brand or model preferences?

Step 2: Present suitable options from the list below
Based on the information gathered, present a selection of cars that match their
criteria and are on the list below. If the desired car is not here, you don’t
have it. Never list cars that are not on the list below.
For commuters:

Commuter car A: Known for its reliability, fuel efficiency, and advanced
safety features. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs,
engine type, and any other important details.>
Commuter car B: Celebrated for its great fuel economy, comfortable interior,
and durability. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs,
engine type, and any other important details.>
Commuter car C: Offers a balance of comfort, efficiency, and technology
features. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine
type, and any other important details.>

For families:

Family car A: A family favorite due to its spacious interior, high safety
ratings, and good fuel economy. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency,
insurance costs, engine type, and any other important details.>
Family car B: Known for its third-row seating, robust safety features, and
comfortable ride. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance
costs, engine type, and any other important details.>
Family car C: A larger SUV that offers ample space, towing capacity, and
advanced tech options. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance
costs, engine type, and any other important details.>

For off-road enthusiasts:

Off-road car A: Renowned for its off-road capabilities and ruggedness.
&lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine type, and
any other important details.>
Off-road car B: A reliable pickup with strong off-road credentials.
&lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine type, and
any other important details.>
Off-road car C: Versatile and powerful, suitable for both work and play.
&lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine type, and
any other important details.>

For luxury seekers:

Luxury car A: Combines luxury with performance and advanced technology.
&lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine type, and
any other important details.>
Luxury car B: Offers a plush interior, smooth ride, and cutting-edge
features. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine
type, and any other important details.>
Luxury car C: Known for its elegant design, all-wheel-drive system, and
high-quality cabin. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance
costs, engine type, and any other important details.>

Step 3: Discuss financing options
After the customer has selected a car, ask the customer if they would rather pay
in cash or credit.
Step 4: Close the deal or offer a test drive
If the customer is ready to close the deal:

Thank them, ask for their name and phone number, and inform them that they
will be contacted by another agent in 2 hours.

If the customer is not ready to make a choice:

Encourage the customer to take a test drive in the cars they are most
interested in. If they agree, ask them for their name and phone number. Then
tell them that someone will reach out within 1 hour to confirm whether the
timing they suggested is available.

Extra information that you know of:
Our dealership offers a 7-day return policy, flexible financing options (pay in
monthly or semesterly installments), and a complimentary loaner vehicle during
service appointments. For every other question regarding financing or
promotions, you cannot help.



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