Procedures
Author reusable, multi-step procedures for bookings, orders, claims, applications, and other customer goals.
Procedures#
A Procedure is a reusable operating playbook for a customer goal. Instead of scripting every reply, you describe the outcome you want and the steps to get there. Your agent follows the procedure whenever a matching conversation comes up: it collects details, uses the right tools, and hands off to a human when your rules say so.
Find procedures under Agent Studio > Procedures.
What a Procedure Defines#
| Part | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Trigger | When the procedure should start |
| Steps | The ordered things the agent should do or collect |
| Required details | Information the agent must gather before completing |
| Tools needed | Booking, payment, delivery, lookup, forms, or custom API tools |
| Handoff rules | When to pause the AI and bring in a human |
| Completion rules | What "done" looks like, and what to log or notify |
Procedures work best for repeated customer journeys where accuracy matters: appointment booking, paid orders, delivery requests, refund intake, quote requests, applications, and support escalations.
Procedures vs. Workflows vs. Forms#
| Concept | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Procedure | A full AI playbook for one customer goal |
| Workflow | Guided buttons, branches, and short form journeys inside chat |
| Custom Form | A reusable intake form for structured submissions |
| API Action | Calling your own system during the procedure |
These work together. A booking procedure can use a workflow to let the customer pick a service, a payment tool to collect a deposit, and a custom form to capture extra details.
Creating a Procedure#
- Go to Agent Studio > Procedures.
- Click New Procedure.
- Give it a clear name, such as "Book a haircut" or "Process a refund".
- Describe when it should run and the steps to follow.
- Link the tools it needs, such as Booking, Payment Methods & Proof Review, or a Custom Form.
- Set handoff and completion rules.
- Save and test it in Agent Studio > Test.
Example: Booking With a Deposit#
Goal: Customer wants to book an appointment that requires a deposit
Steps:
1. Ask which service and preferred date/time
2. Check availability
3. Collect the customer's name and contact details
4. Send payment instructions or a payment link
5. Confirm the booking once payment is verified
6. Notify the team and log the appointment
This single procedure combines booking and payment without requiring a separate script for every possible customer message.
Best Practices#
- One goal per procedure — keep each procedure focused on a single customer outcome.
- Be explicit about handoff — tell the agent exactly when a human should take over.
- Collect only what you need — fewer required details means fewer drop-offs.
- Use existing tools — reuse booking, payment, delivery, forms, and custom APIs instead of duplicating setup.
- Test before launch — run realistic messy customer messages in Agent Studio > Test.