# Operating Instructions

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This feature is currently in Beta. Please reach out to Support to find out more. 
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Operating instructions define **what you want your agent to do**. This is where you provide clear, natural language prompts to guide the agent's actions.

#### Writing Effective Instructions

* Use plain language to describe the task, just like you would to a teammate.
* Include relevant field names and table names in your description.
* Be specific about what action you want the agent to take (e.g., "Find", "Summarize", "Check", "Send").

This task will be triggered based on the trigger you selected. Then it will use the instructions to complete the task, answer questions, or read documents. 

<figure><img src="https://3670244749-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F6QaGf7ZvNU2Re8mlQTaJ%2Fuploads%2FLdnms1o9QVr4fH7pVxio%2FCleanShot%202025-04-11%20at%2009.30.48%402x.png?alt=media&#x26;token=e78a702c-7e5f-498c-a14e-3b92a3dc9ba2" alt=""><figcaption><p>This is only meant to be an example of one way this could be set up</p></figcaption></figure>

Depending on what operating instructions you give your agent you will need to choose the corresponding [tools](https://docs.stackerhq.com/stacker-astra/ai-and-automations/ai-agents-beta/tools) to complete the tasks.&#x20;


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.stackerhq.com/stacker-astra/ai-and-automations/ai-agents-beta/operating-instructions.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.