How do you write good instructions for an agent?

Required tools

• Microsoft Copilot Studio — With permission to edit the agent.
• Examples of real inquiries — Twenty real questions from customers.

Write the instruction

1. 1.State what the agent is and who it is for

   “You answer customers’ questions about opening hours, delivery, and returns for our online store.” A specific role produces specific answers.

2. 2.Be explicit about what it should not do

   Do not offer discounts, promise delivery dates, or answer legal questions. The boundaries are more important than the tasks.

3. 3.Decide what it does when it doesn't know

   Say so and hand it over to a human. Without this instruction, it guesses, and the guess looks just as confident as a correct answer.

4. 4.Describe the tone

   Brief, polite, without emojis. The agent matches the tone better with a description than with examples alone.

Test and adjust

1. 5.Run the twenty actual questions

   Not questions you make up—actual inquiries. They are worded differently than you think.

2. 6.Test what should be rejected

   Ask for a discount. Ask about something outside the scope. If the agent still responds, the boundaries are too vague.

3. 7.Adjust one thing at a time

   If you change five things and it gets better, you won't know why. Then you won't be able to repeat it next time either.