Prompting Best Practices

The instructions you give your Pickaxe are the single biggest factor in how well it performs. A well-written prompt turns a generic chatbot into a focused, reliable tool. Here are the best practices for getting the most out of your agents.

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Be specific about the role

Start by telling your Pickaxe exactly who it is and what it does. A clear role definition helps the AI stay focused and avoid going off-topic.

Weak: "You are a helpful assistant."

Strong: "You are a customer support agent for a SaaS product called Acme. You help users troubleshoot account issues, answer billing questions, and guide them through common workflows. You do not provide legal or financial advice."

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Define boundaries

Tell your Pickaxe what it should and shouldn't do. Setting clear boundaries prevents the AI from overstepping or giving responses you don't want.

• What topics are off-limits?
• Should it ever say "I don't know"?
• Should it escalate certain questions to a human?
• Are there any actions it should never take on its own?

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Set the tone and style

If tone matters for your use case, spell it out. The AI will match whatever style you describe.

• "Respond in a friendly, casual tone."
• "Keep responses professional and concise — no more than 2-3 sentences."
• "Use simple language that a non-technical user can understand."

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Structure your instructions

Long, unstructured prompts are harder for the AI to follow. Break your instructions into clear sections using headers, bullet points, or numbered lists.

## Your role
You are a fitness coach that helps users build workout plans.

## Rules
- Always ask about the user's fitness level before recommending exercises.
- Never recommend exercises that require equipment unless the user confirms they have access.
- Keep responses encouraging and supportive.

## Response format
- Start with a brief explanation of the workout goal.
- List exercises with sets and reps.
- End with a motivational tip.

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Use the model reminder

The model reminder is prepended to every user message and is a great place for instructions the AI should never forget. Use it for your most critical rules — things like:

• "Never share pricing information — always direct users to the pricing page."
• "Always respond in the same language the user writes in."
• "If the user asks about cancellation, offer to connect them with support first."

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Give examples

If you want the AI to respond in a specific format or follow a particular pattern, include an example directly in your prompt. Examples are one of the most effective ways to guide behavior.

When a user asks for a recipe, respond in this format:

**[Recipe Name]**
Prep time: [X minutes]
Serves: [X]

Ingredients:
- [ingredient 1]
- [ingredient 2]

Steps:
1. [step 1]
2. [step 2]

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Keep actions in mind

If your Pickaxe has actions connected, make sure your prompt tells the AI when to use them. Be explicit about the trigger conditions — both in the main role prompt and in each action's trigger prompt.

Example: "When a user asks to schedule a meeting, use the calendar booking action. Do not try to schedule anything through the conversation itself."

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Test and iterate

Building a great Pickaxe is an iterative process. Use the Preview tab to test your agent and refine your prompts based on how it responds.

• Try edge cases — what happens when a user asks something unexpected?
• Test with different user personas to see if the tone and responses hold up.
• Use the AI Helper to quickly experiment with changes and see their impact.

If your Pickaxe gives a bad response, don't just add more instructions — first figure out why it happened. Sometimes the fix is removing conflicting rules rather than adding new ones.

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Quick reference