Knowledge and AI

Use the universal AI assistant safely

Ask clear read questions in plain language, review drafted write actions carefully, and know when a human check is still required.

5 min read · Updated Mar 18, 2026 · Managers and staff with assistant access

The universal assistant is best used as a fast helper, not as an auto-pilot.

Start with read questions, then treat any drafted write action as something a person still needs to review before approval.

Quick facts

Start here

  • Read questions can answer from live app data when the assistant has access to that area.
  • Write actions require confirmation before they change live records.
  • Good prompts are short, specific, and include the record, date range, or location when possible.
  • Managers can review assistant sessions and action history in AI Assistant Review.

Step 1: Use the assistant for clear read questions

Ask one concrete question at a time

Open the universal assistant from the app shell.

Ask direct questions like schedule checks, recipe lookups, task status, or analytics summaries.

  • Good example: Which wholesale orders are still unpaid this week?
  • Good example: Show me the cost trend for our sourdough recipe.
The universal assistant works best when you ask a short, specific question tied to a real workflow or record.

Step 2: Review write confirmations before approving

Treat the draft as a review step, not a final action

If the assistant proposes a write, read the summary, payload preview, and warnings before you approve it.

Approve only when the affected records, dates, and locations are clearly the ones you intended.

Write confirmation exists so a human can stop the wrong update before live data changes.

Know the limits

  • Verify important financial, payroll, or inventory answers manually when the result would carry real risk.
  • Do not assume the assistant understood a vague prompt. Tighten the question if the answer feels broad or unclear.
  • Managers can audit usage, write plans, and action events in AI Assistant Review.
Managers can use the review page to audit assistant behavior and investigate write activity later.