> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.heysonara.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Instructions & Welcome Message

> Write the system prompt and welcome message that define your agent's behavior.

## System instructions

The system instructions (also called the system prompt) define your agent's personality, behavior, and conversation guidelines. This is the most important configuration for your agent.

### Writing effective instructions

Good instructions should cover:

* **Role**  - Who the agent is and what company it represents
* **Tone**  - How the agent should communicate (friendly, professional, casual)
* **Scope**  - What topics the agent can and cannot discuss
* **Guidelines**  - Specific rules for handling different scenarios
* **Actions**  - What the agent should do in certain situations (e.g., transfer to a human)

### Example instructions

```
You are a friendly customer support agent for Acme Corp, an online
electronics retailer.

Your role:
- Help customers track orders, process returns, and answer product questions
- Be concise, warm, and professional
- Always confirm the customer's order number before looking up information

Guidelines:
- If the customer asks about pricing, refer them to acme.com/pricing
- If the customer is frustrated, acknowledge their feelings before solving the issue
- Never share internal policies or discount codes
- If you can't resolve an issue, offer to transfer to a human agent

End the call by summarizing what was discussed and any next steps.
```

<Tip>
  Be specific in your instructions. Instead of "be helpful", describe exactly how your agent should handle common scenarios.
</Tip>

## Welcome message

The welcome message is what your agent says at the start of every conversation. You have three options:

| Type        | Behavior                                                         |
| ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Static**  | A fixed message you write. Plays the same text every time.       |
| **Dynamic** | AI-generated based on context. Varies with each call.            |
| **None**    | No welcome message. The agent waits for the user to speak first. |

### Static welcome message

Write a custom greeting that plays at the start of each call:

```
Hi there! Thanks for calling Acme Corp. I'm your virtual assistant.
How can I help you today?
```

### Welcome message options

* **Delay**  - Set a delay (in milliseconds) before the welcome message plays. Useful for giving the caller a moment after connecting.
* **Interruptible**  - Allow the caller to interrupt the welcome message by speaking. When enabled, the agent stops the greeting and responds to what the caller said.

<Info>
  You can click **Regenerate** to have the AI create a new dynamic welcome message based on your agent's instructions.
</Info>