Skip to main content

Instruction sets

Instruction sets let you create curated collections of documents that AI assistants can access in full. Unlike semantic search which returns relevant chunks, instruction sets load complete documents as context.

When to use instruction sets​

ScenarioUse instruction sets
Brand voice guidelinesPerfect
Sales playbooksPerfect
Company proceduresPerfect
Employee onboardingPerfect
Large Q&A database (100+ docs)Use Search links instead

How it works​

Your documents -> Instruction set (curated order) -> Public link -> AI reads full content
  1. Create an instruction set from your workspace documents
  2. Arrange the order with drag & drop
  3. Share the link with your team
  4. AI loads complete content - no chunking, no search
FeatureInstruction setsSearch links
Content loadingFull documentsRelevant chunks
Document limit20 documents, 100 KBUnlimited
Best forInstructions, procedures, guidelinesQ&A over large knowledge bases
How AI uses itReads everything upfrontSearches on demand
tip

Use both together! Instruction sets for core instructions, search links for reference material.

Creating an instruction set​

  1. Go to your workspace
  2. Click the Instruction Sets tab
  3. Click Create instruction set
  4. Add a name and description
  5. Select documents to include
  6. Arrange the order with drag & drop
  7. Click Create

Choosing documents​

When selecting documents, consider:

  • Order matters - AI reads documents in the order you set
  • Size limit - Total content must be under 100 KB (~128k tokens)
  • Quality over quantity - 5 focused documents work better than 20 scattered ones

Document types​

Documents can be marked as:

  • Knowledge - Regular documents, also searchable via RAG
  • Instruction - Documents only available in instruction sets, not searchable

Use the Instruction type for prompts and guidelines you don't want appearing in search results.

Using instruction sets​

Option 1: Copy and paste​

  1. Open your instruction set link
  2. Click Copy full context
  3. Paste into ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI

AI assistants with browsing capability can read the link directly:

Read the instructions at: https://api.synjar.com/s/abc123
Then help me write a marketing email.

Option 3: API integration​

For developers, fetch the content programmatically:

const response = await fetch(
  'https://api.synjar.com/s/abc123/content'
);
const { content, documents } = await response.json();

// content: Full text of all documents
// documents: Array with individual document data
What link holders CAN doWhat they CANNOT do
Read all documents in the setEdit or delete documents
Copy the contentAccess other workspaces
Share the link with othersSee documents not in the set

Best practices​

  • Review before publishing - Everything in the set becomes accessible
  • Use separate sets for different audiences - Internal vs external
  • Revoke by deleting - Delete the set when access should end

Size monitoring​

The interface shows a progress bar for your instruction set size:

StatusSizeMeaning
Green0-60%Plenty of room
Yellow60-80%Consider reviewing
Orange80-95%Near limit
Red>95%Can't add more
Token estimation

100 KB is approximately 128,000 tokens. This leaves room for user questions when using with most AI models.

Managing instruction sets​

Editing​

  1. Click on an instruction set to open it
  2. Add or remove documents
  3. Drag and drop to reorder
  4. Changes are saved automatically

Document order​

The order of documents affects how AI processes them. Generally:

  1. Put most important instructions first
  2. Group related content together
  3. End with reference material

Updating content​

When you edit a document in your workspace, the change is immediately reflected in all instruction sets that include it. No need to update the set itself.

Keyboard shortcuts​

ShortcutAction
Ctrl+S / Cmd+SSave changes
EscGo back to workspace
SpaceToggle drag mode for focused item
Arrow keysReorder when in drag mode

Use case examples​

Brand voice guidelines​

Create an instruction set with:

  1. Tone of voice document
  2. Vocabulary guidelines
  3. Example communications
  4. Do's and don'ts

Share with your marketing team. Everyone's AI writes in your brand voice.

Sales playbook​

Create an instruction set with:

  1. Product overview
  2. Pricing information
  3. Objection handling
  4. Competitive comparisons

New sales reps can ask AI about any sales scenario.

Employee onboarding​

Create an instruction set with:

  1. Company overview
  2. Team structure
  3. Common procedures
  4. FAQ

New employees get instant answers to their questions.

Troubleshooting​

"Modified by another user" error​

This appears when someone else edited the set while you had it open.

Solution: Refresh the page to see the latest changes, then make your edits again.

"Size limit exceeded" error​

The total content exceeds 100 KB.

Solutions:

  • Remove some documents
  • Use shorter documents
  • Split content into multiple instruction sets

"Document limit exceeded" error​

You've reached the 20 document limit.

Solution: Remove documents you no longer need, or create a separate instruction set.

Limits​

LimitValue
Maximum size100 KB
Maximum documents20
Sets per workspace50

FAQ​

What happens when I exceed 100 KB?​

You won't be able to add more documents. The button will be disabled and show a tooltip explaining the limit. Remove documents or use shorter ones to stay under the limit.

Can I use the same document in multiple sets?​

Yes! Documents can belong to multiple instruction sets. Changes to the original document are reflected in all sets that include it.

What's the difference between KNOWLEDGE and INSTRUCTION purpose?​

  • KNOWLEDGE documents are searchable via RAG (semantic search) AND can be added to instruction sets
  • INSTRUCTION documents are only available in instruction sets, not searchable

Use INSTRUCTION for prompts and guidelines you don't want appearing in search results.

How do I reorder documents with keyboard?​

  1. Tab to the document you want to move
  2. Press Space to enter drag mode
  3. Use Arrow Up/Down to move the document
  4. Press Space again to drop

See also​