> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://boundbot.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Bots

> Create and tune the assistants that reply across your channels.

export const BrowserWrapper = ({src, alt, title, description, height = '280px', caption, imgStyle = {}, children, imagePadding = '0px'}) => {
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<BrowserWrapper src="../images/bots-d.png" alt="Bots dashboard in BoundBot" imagePadding="10px" />

A bot is the AI assistant assigned to one or more channels. Each bot has its own name, welcome message, **system prompt**, **bot image**, and **Enable AI replies** setting.

## Create a bot

Open [**Bots**](https://www.boundbot.com/dashboard/bots) and click **Add Bot**. BoundBot creates a starter bot for you during onboarding, but you can add more bots as your use cases grow.

Common reasons to create multiple bots:

* one bot for sales and another for support
* one bot per brand or product line
* one bot per channel strategy

## Configure the essentials

For each bot, review these fields:

* **Bot image**: optional avatar shown in supported chat surfaces
* **Name**: the assistant name customers see
* **Welcome message**: the first message for new conversations
* **System prompt**: the instruction set that shapes tone, boundaries, and behavior
* **Enable AI replies**: turn automated AI responses on or off

## Write a strong system prompt

Your prompt should tell the bot:

* who it represents
* what kinds of questions it should answer
* what it must never invent
* how to handle missing information
* when to escalate or ask clarifying questions

Good prompts are direct and operational. Keep them grounded in real policies, product facts, and process rules.

## Use Pro Mode when quality matters more than cost

On Pro and Business, you can enable **Pro Mode** for a bot. It uses a higher-accuracy model and increases AI reply cost from `10` credits to `30` credits for that bot.

The current dashboard exposes the **Pro Mode** toggle in the usage panel. Turn it on for higher-stakes support or sales conversations, and leave it off when you want to maximize reply volume from the same credit pool.

<Tip>
  **Pro Tip:** Define an **escalation path** in your bot’s instructions so it knows when to offer a human handoff. For example, tell the bot to say something like “Would you like to speak with a team member?” when the user is stuck, repeats the same question, or asks for a person. That keeps conversations from dead-ending and improves satisfaction.
</Tip>

## Test before you go live

After updating a bot:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Playground" icon="flask-conical">
    Open [**Playground**](https://www.boundbot.com/dashboard/playground) to run a live test conversation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check reply quality" icon="message-circle">
    Check the reply tone, accuracy, and suggested next steps.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm edge behavior" icon="shield-check">
    Confirm the bot still behaves well when information is missing.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Plan limits

Bot count is tier-based:

* Free: 1 bot
* Starter: 3 bots
* Pro: 10 bots
* Business: unlimited

**Pro Mode** is available on Pro and Business.

See [Plans and limits](/reference/plans-and-limits) for the full matrix.

## Advanced: Shaping your Bot's Persona

Beyond the **system prompt** and **Enable AI replies** settings, you can shape how your bot feels to customers:

* **Tone & voice**: In the **system prompt**, state the personality clearly (e.g., “friendly and concise,” “formal and technical”). Use a few example phrases so the bot stays consistent across channels.
* **Handling frustration**: Instruct the bot to acknowledge when the user is confused or upset, avoid repeating the same answer, and offer the **escalation path** (e.g., “I can connect you with the team”) instead of looping.
* **Language style**: Specify formality, use of jargon, sentence length, and whether the bot should use emojis or abbreviations. Align this with your brand and the channel (e.g., more casual on social, more formal in email-style flows).

## Related pages

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Knowledge base" icon="book-open-text" href="/guides/knowledge-base">
    Improve answer quality with FAQs, files, websites, products, and MCP tools.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Playground" icon="flask-conical" href="/guides/playground">
    Test the bot before you expose it to real customer traffic.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Channels overview" icon="messages-square" href="/channels/overview">
    Assign the bot to the right customer-facing channel for the job.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Plans and limits" icon="badge-dollar-sign" href="/reference/plans-and-limits">
    Check how many bots your current plan allows.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>