Guiding users with instructions
1. Guiding users with instructions
Data and examples are in place. Now let's guide users toward better questions with instructions and filters.2. The power of instructions
Instructions are guardrails you provide to Genie about how to handle questions in your space. They shouldn't just repeat what the data is; they should explain how the business uses it. Good instructions resolve ambiguity and enforce business logic, so Genie doesn't have to guess. Without them, Genie might make assumptions that don't match what your franchise owners expect. The right instructions prevent confusion and help everyone get accurate results faster.3. Types of instructions
There are four types of effective instructions. Let's compare good and bad examples for each. First, metric definitions. The good example specifies the exact formula. The bad example just says "calculate profit correctly," which is too vague for Genie. Second, synonyms. The good example maps specific business terms to the actual table name. The bad example doesn't explicitly link the terms. Third, data quality. The good example names the exact column and values to exclude. The bad example leaves Genie guessing which column to filter. Fourth, formatting standards. The good example gives precise rules. As you can see on screen, specificity is the key difference.4. Adding instructions
Let's look at where to add instructions in the interface. In the space settings, there's an Instructions section where you can add global guidance that applies to all queries. For the Bakehouse space, we'll add: "If a user asks for Revenue, always use totalPrice from the sales_transactions table and exclude any rows where paymentMethod is 'Internal/Test'." Now Genie knows exactly which column to use and which rows to filter out. No guessing. This kind of instruction makes a big difference for franchise owners and reduces follow-up questions.5. Filters for common parameters
Beyond instructions, you can create filters for common parameters. Think of filters like the sidebar on an e-commerce site. They provide UI dropdowns for specific columns like City or Date. Create a filter for high-frequency categories or fields with complex spellings, so users don't have to type them out. But for one-off logic or open-ended comparisons, like "Compare London to Paris," let users type. Filters reduce errors and speed up queries when you have a known set of valid values that users frequently need to choose between.6. Sharing your space
Once your space is configured, you'll want to share it with your team. Genie offers three permission tiers. Users get query-only access: they can ask questions and view answers, but can't change configuration. Curators can edit examples, refine instructions, and improve the overall experience. Owners have full control, including the ability to delete the space. The principle of least privilege applies here: start everyone at query-only, then promote trusted colleagues to Curator as the need arises. This keeps your space stable while still allowing collaboration on curation.7. Let's practice!
Explore how instructions shape the Genie experience and lead to more accurate answers. Let's practice!Create Your Free Account
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