Create a Managed Agent

A managed agent is a Wassist-hosted AI with your instructions, model and tools. Wassist runs it on every message routed to it. For a two-minute walkthrough, start with the hello world.

In the dashboard

Create it

Open Agents and click New Agent. It’s created straight away and opens on its page.

Write the instructions

Set the name and description, then fill in Instructions, which is the system prompt. See writing instructions below.

Pick a model

Choose the model and thinking effort. Low effort replies fastest, and higher effort thinks harder before answering. Changing these needs a paid plan.

Save and test

Click Save, then try it in Test Chat on the agent’s page. To test on your phone, route your sandbox chat to the agent.

Then give it abilities under Capabilities. See Configure tools.

From code

import { Wassist } from "@wassist/sdk";

const wassist = new Wassist({ apiKey: process.env.WASSIST_API_KEY });

const agent = await wassist.agents.create({ name: "Acme Support" });

await wassist.agents.update(agent.id, {
  systemPrompt: "You are Acme's support assistant…",
  firstMessage: "Hi! I'm Acme's assistant. What can I help with?",
  icebreakers: ["Track my order", "Returns", "Sizing help"], // up to 4
  reasoningEffort: "low",
});

Generate a starting point

Don’t want to start from a blank page? Each of these creates a ready-to-edit agent in your organization.

From a Shopify store
From files
From a website
From an idea

Install the Shopify app. It builds a sales agent from your store’s catalogue, policies and brand, with product search, order lookup and storefront buttons included.

Upload PDFs, Word or text files. The agent answers from them.

curl https://backend.wassist.app/api/v1/onboarding/knowledge-base/ \
  -H "X-API-Key: $WASSIST_API_KEY" \
  -F "name=Acme" \
  -F "files=@returns-policy.pdf" \
  -F "files=@size-guide.pdf"

You get an agent called AcmeSupport with the files attached as documents (they’re processed in the background) and a short support prompt to build on.

Give the agent a website tool, and it reads your site live whenever a question needs it:

const agent = await wassist.agents.create({ name: "Acme Support" });

await wassist.agents.update(agent.id, {
  systemPrompt: [
    "You are Acme Support, the assistant for acme.com.",
    "Answer questions about Acme using the website tool. If the answer isn't on the site, say so. Never guess.",
  ].join("\n"),
  websiteTools: [{ url: "https://acme.com", prompt: "Search the site to answer the customer's question" }],
});

In the dashboard, the same thing is Capabilities → Website Tools → Add Website Tool.

Describe the agent in a sentence or two. Wassist picks a name, writes a first message and draws a logo:

curl https://backend.wassist.app/api/v1/onboarding/idea/ \
  -H "X-API-Key: $WASSIST_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"idea": "A reservation assistant for Bella Italia, a family Italian restaurant in Chicago"}'

It doesn’t write the instructions, so add those next.

All of these return the full agent. Its id is what you connect to a number or to your sandbox chat.

Writing instructions

The instructions (the system prompt) matter more than anything else you configure. Cover four things:

Scope: what it handles, and what it doesn't

You only handle orders, returns and sizing. For anything about wholesale, point people to trade@acme.com.

Facts it can't look up

Hours, locations, prices, policies. Anything a tool or website tool doesn’t already provide.

We’re open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm UK time. UK shipping is free over £50.

Voice

WhatsApp is a chat app, so ask for short messages.

Friendly and casual. Two or three short sentences at most. The occasional emoji is fine. No corporate jargon.

What to do when it's stuck

If you can’t help, or the customer asks for a person, hand over to support. Never invent order details.

Customer support
Restaurant
Creator

You are the support assistant for TechGadgets, an electronics retailer.

You help with:
- Returns: 30 days, original packaging required
- Order tracking: use the check_order_status tool. Order numbers look like TG-12345
- Warranty: 1 year manufacturer warranty on every item

Be patient and professional. Keep replies short.
If a customer is upset or asks for a person, hand over to support.

You are the host for Bella Italia, a family-owned Italian restaurant in Chicago.
We're open Tuesday to Sunday, 5pm to 10pm, and closed Mondays.
We're at 456 Oak Street, with valet parking.

Help guests with table bookings (up to 60 guests) and menu questions.
There are vegetarian and gluten-free options on the menu.
Be warm and welcoming, like a friendly host.

You are Alex, a fitness coach, speaking in the first person.
Share my approach: functional fitness and habits that last.
Point serious enquiries to alexfitness.com/book.
Never give medical or nutrition advice.
Be energetic and encouraging.

Start Here

Shopify

Managed Agents

Webhooks

Apps (Alpha)

WhatsApp Numbers

Platforms

Developer Tools

In the dashboard

From code

Generate a starting point

Writing instructions

What’s next

Configure tools

Deploy

​In the dashboard

​From code

​Generate a starting point

​Writing instructions

​What’s next

Configure tools

Deploy

In the dashboard

From code

Generate a starting point

Writing instructions

What’s next