Working with agents

Give an agent the right context for the job

An agent can only make good decisions from the information it can use. Give it a focused role, the files and connections it needs, and the details of the task at hand. You can add context gradually—start with the smallest useful set and expand access only when the work requires it.

Choose the right kind of context

Otto combines several kinds of context. They do different jobs:

  • Instructions describe the agent's role, priorities, tone, and boundaries. Use the agent's Personality setting for guidance that should apply whenever it works.
  • Files provide stable source material such as a brief, policy, checklist, or project plan. Give the agent only the relevant, current files.
  • Connected apps provide changing information or a place to take an approved action. An app is connected to your Otto, so every agent on it can use it; say in the agent's instructions which apps the role should and should not touch, and connect only the accounts the device needs.
  • The current session contains the immediate conversation: what you asked, the details you supplied, and decisions made together. It is best for task-specific information that should not become a permanent instruction.

When to use each source

Use a durable instruction for a rule that should hold across tasks. Use a file for reference material that may be replaced when it changes. Use a connected app for live information, such as a queue or calendar. Keep one-off details in the conversation.

For example, for an agent that prepares a weekly customer update:

  1. Put its role and writing style in Personality.
  2. Give it the current product brief as a file.
  3. Connect the support app if it needs to check live tickets.
  4. Tell it in the session which week to cover and who should receive the draft.

Do not paste a secret into a prompt or file. See Privacy and credentials for safer ways to handle sensitive information.

Add or change an agent's standing guidance

  1. Open the agent from the agent list.
  2. Choose Identity.
  3. In Personality, describe who the agent is and how it should behave. Be specific about the outcome, tone, priorities, and actions it must not take.
  4. Select Save.

You can also change Agent name and What it calls you on this page. What it calls you is optional; leave it blank to use your Otto account name. Saving applies the updated identity to the agent. Your Otto must be online to edit these settings.

Keep the guidance short enough to remain clear. Prefer instructions such as “Ask before sending anything externally” or “Return a concise draft with sources” over a long description of every possible situation.

Give an agent files to use

Prepare a file with a clear name and a single purpose, then provide it when you ask for the work. Explain what the agent should do with it—for example, “use this policy as a constraint,” “compare these two versions,” or “extract the decisions.” If the source changes, provide the current version rather than leaving several conflicting copies.

Use Work with files and other context for guidance on choosing and preparing files. The agent can use a file as reference, but that does not make its contents universally true; point out which section or version governs the task.

Connect an app when information must stay current

Connect an app when the agent needs live data or needs to take an approved action. Before connecting it, decide what the agent actually needs to read or change. Review the requested access and approvals, then start with the narrowest useful permission.

A connection supplies capability and current data; it does not replace clear instructions. Tell the agent which source to prefer and what it may do with the result.

Use the session for the work in front of you

Start with the goal, then include the relevant constraints, audience, deadline, and definition of done. Mention assumptions you want the agent to make—or ask it to ask before making them. Correct an incorrect assumption in the conversation as soon as you notice it.

If a project should not inherit earlier conversation details, start a separate session. See Main sessions and separate workspaces.

Check what the agent understood

For an important task, ask the agent to summarize the instructions and sources it will use before it acts. Check that it has:

  • the right role and expected outcome;
  • the correct file or version;
  • only the necessary app access; and
  • the approval boundary for anything external or irreversible.

If the result is off course, narrow the request or update the relevant source. Do not add every possible file or connection “just in case”—irrelevant context makes the useful instructions harder to follow and may grant more access than necessary.

Common questions

Will an instruction in one conversation apply forever?

No. Conversation details are for the current session. Put guidance that should remain true in the agent's Personality setting, or capture a repeatable workflow as an approved skill. See How Otto remembers.

Can I give an agent every file and connection?

Every agent on an Otto can already use every app connected to it, so the choice you make is which accounts to connect to the device at all. For files, giving everything is usually a poor starting point: more context can make the relevant source harder to identify. Add one source at a time, and disconnect apps the device no longer needs.

Why can't I edit the agent's identity?

Identity settings are stored on the Otto and the device must be online to save them. Bring Otto online and try Save again. If the issue continues, see Troubleshooting.

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