---
sourceDocument: Australia Build workflows
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/build-workflows

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Build workflows

ft:clusterId :

    - crworkflow

bundleId :

    - crworkflow

workflow :

    - Creator


---

# Guidelines for writing AI agent instructions

# Guidelines for writing AI agent instructions {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Australia
* 
* Updated March 12, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Review the guidelines to write affective instructions for the AI agents to complete your Agentic Playbooks activity.
{#guidelines-agent-instruction__table_urm_mwq_ygc__entry__2}

| Guideline | Description |
|-|-|
| Provide step-by-step instructions | Break down complex operations into individual steps. If you need to perform operations like count, high, or low, write each operation out, step by step. |
| Verify that all columns can be queried | Check the Knowledge Graph to confirm that the columns can be queried |
| Use specific column names | * Make sure column names are correct in your instruction. * If agent doesn't understand the column value that you're giving, try to give an example. For example, if an agent returns a sys_id instead of a number, you could tell the agent to Retrieve Incident numbers like INC000081. {#guidelines-agent-instruction__ul_p54_5xq_ygc} |
| Write conversationally | Write instructions in plain English. |
| Use meaningful names and labels for activities and other nodes | Rename tables and other nodes for clarity. For example, if a table named abcd contains employee data, rename it to Employees. Note: This is especially important if you are using custom Knowledge Graph for the workflow. |
| Test and revise instructions | Test your instructions and check for accurate AI agent behavior for your use cases. |
| Emphasize critical steps | Highlight important steps to ensure they are not skipped. Use keywords like Mandatory, Required, or Important. |
| Specify query operations | Using the keyword Query helps our data gathering AI agent to pick the more effective Knowledge Graph over the AI search. |
| Custom agents | To maintain accuracy, add a maximum of 5-6 custom agents to an activity. |
[Table 1. Guidelines for effective AI Agent instructions]

{#guidelines-agent-instruction__table_urm_mwq_ygc}