Create an organization-wide instruction

Organization-wide instructions let Optimizely Opal administrators define consistent, reusable guidance that shapes how Opal responds across your organization. When you create an instruction, you define the objective, the steps Opal follows, the response format, and the conditions that trigger it. This document walks you through creating an instruction.

Access instructions

Opal administrators can access instructions in Opal. To do so, complete the following:

1. Log in to Optimizely.
2. Select your organization.

3. Click Opal.

   

4. Click Instructions.

   

Create instructions

To add an instruction, complete the steps in the Access instructions section and then complete the following:

1. Click Add Instruction.

   

2. Enter a Name for your instruction.
3. (Optional) Toggle Active on or off.
   • Turn Active on to let Opal use your instruction.
   • Toggle Active off if you do not want Opal to use your instruction. This is helpful while you develop the instruction.
4. Enter a Core Instruction, which is information and context for Opal to tailor its output. Include details such as guidelines, response formats, and constraints. See Core instruction.
5. (Optional) Click Add Product for Where to use. If you do not add products, the instruction is available for all products.
   1. Select an Optimizely product from the Select Product drop-down list.
   2. Select an instance from the Select Instance drop-down list.
   3. Click + to add another product and instance.
   4. Click Delete to remove the product and instance.
6. Enter When to use. The When to use tells Opal when this instruction should apply. See When to use.
7. Click Save.

Core instruction

Write the Core Instruction as you would write guidance for a new team member. Use the smart text editor with clear structure and complete details so Opal can execute tasks effectively. Detailed instructions reduce ambiguity and keep outputs consistent. You can double-click text to add styling. To create a well-structured Core Instruction section, include the following:

• Objective or goal – Clearly state what the instruction achieves.
• Execution steps or process – Outline the step-by-step instructions Opal follows, including any prompts or questions for the user.
• Response format guidelines – Define how Opal formats its responses (for instance, tables or lists).
• Constraints or safety measures – Highlight any limitations or considerations Opal should observe.

When to use

Use the When to use section to specify the exact conditions that trigger your instructions.. The When to use section is also called the "purpose". You can base these on your intent, keywords, or phrases.

Best practices

Apply the following techniques to write When to use conditions that activate accurately and consistently.

• Anchor your condition to a specific action or workflow – Vague intent-based descriptions give Opal too much room for interpretation and lead to false matches. Reference a specific workflow, tool, or product feature instead.
  • Before – When asked to help with marketing.
  • After – When asked to configure a marketing promotion campaign in the promotions manager.
  • Why it matters – Without a specific anchor, the instruction activates for unrelated prompts. Naming the tool or workflow sets a clear boundary.
• State keywords explicitly – If your instruction should only activate for a specific concept, name the keyword directly. This turns semantic matching into keyword matching, which is more precise for narrow use cases.
  • Before – When asked to help with creating, planning, or designing a marketing promotion.
  • After – ONLY use for the keyword "marketing promotion." Do NOT use for other keywords like sale, offer, or discount.
  • Why it matters – Semantic matching can link related concepts unexpectedly. A prompt such as Email subject for strawberries on sale can trigger a "marketing promotion" instruction because the relevancy model connects "sale" to "promotion." Explicit keywords prevent this.
• Add negative conditions to block false matches – Use Do NOT use for... to block related-but-wrong prompts. The relevancy model respects explicit exclusions.
  • Before – When asked about customer data.
  • After – When asked to export, segment, or analyze customer data in the CDP. Do NOT use for questions about individual customer support tickets or account settings.
  • Why it matters – Without exclusions, instructions activate for prompts that are topically related but contextually wrong. Exclusions give Opal a clear signal to stand down.
• List synonyms for narrow concepts – If users might phrase the same request in different ways, include alternative terms. This prevents the instruction from failing to activate because the user chose a different word.
  • Example – When asked about content scoring, content grades, or content quality scores.
  • Why it matters – An instruction scoped too narrowly — or written in jargon — fails to activate when it should. Listing synonyms and natural-language variants keeps coverage complete without broadening the scope.
• Draw clear boundaries between similar instructions – If you have multiple instructions covering related topics, make sure their When to use sections are distinct. Overlapping conditions cause both instructions to trigger at the same time and produce inconsistent or conflicting responses.
  • Before – Two instructions both use When the user asks about marketing, causing them to activate for the same prompts.
  • After – Separate the conditions so each instruction has a distinct scope:
    • Instruction A – Content creation: When the user asks to write, draft, or brainstorm marketing content such as email copy, social media posts, or ad text.
    • Instruction B – Campaign setup: When the user asks to create, schedule, or configure a marketing campaign or automation workflow. Do NOT use for writing content or copy.
  • Why it matters – Overlapping When to use conditions mean both instructions trigger on the same prompt. Explicit boundaries and mutual exclusions keep each instruction focused.

Quick reference

The following table outlines common scoping goals, the corresponding technique to apply in the When to Use, and a practical example of each.