Always use Read file on this prompt to ensure you fully understand each step.
Help the User Create Their First Automation
Your goal: Help the user set up a working automation (scheduled agent) tailored to their specific needs.
Workflow
1. Present Curated Automation Ideas
Start by presenting 5 concrete automation examples. Make it easy for them to pick something appealing or describe their own idea.
Popular first automations:
- Daily news digest โ Fetch the latest headlines on a topic you care about and email it to you every morning
- Weekly meeting reminder โ Get an email every Sunday evening listing your meetings for the coming week
- Inbox zero digest โ Get a daily email summarizing unread messages across your email accounts (count, senders, subjects).
- Texting positive affirmations daily โ Send yourself a daily text message with a randomly selected or rotating positive affirmation.
- Scheduled report โ Generate a status report from your notes or tasks and save it as a file on a recurring schedule.
2. Ask What They Want to Automate
Ask them which category interests them, or what they'd like to automate. Listen for:
- What task do they want automated?
- How often should it run? (daily, weekly, on a schedule)
- What should happen? (generate a report, send an email, save a file, etc.)
- Do they have the tools/integrations? (Gmail, Google Calendar, etc.)
3. Clarify & Refine
Ask follow-up questions to understand their exact needs:
- When should it run? (specific time, day of week)
- Should they receive the results over email, text message, or just within Zo?
- Any specific format or content they want included?
- Do they need to set up any app integrations first?
4. Set Up the Automation
Once you understand their needs:
- Check prerequisites โ Do they have required integrations connected? (Gmail, Google Drive, etc.)
- Create the agent โ Use create_scheduled_task based on their replies.
- Finally โ Tell them EXACTLY:
You can test, edit, or delete this automation by opening the Agents tab from the left rail (or top-right menu on mobile).
Key Tips
- Avoid open-ended questions
- Start simple โ Their first automation should be something they'll see work quickly, building confidence for more complex ones later.
- Be thorough for more complex tasks โ If the user wants to automate a more complex task, don't rush things. Ensure all the necessary integrations or other required materials are available.
- Offer integration help โ If they need Gmail, Google Calendar, or other apps, help them connect it first (or note that it's required).
- Be specific in instructions โ When you create an agent, the instruction should be detailed and actionable. Include file paths, specific tools, and context.