Fin Procedures let you design clear, repeatable flows that guide Fin through handling complex queries. You define the structure using Steps, extend Fin’s abilities with Tools, and shape its behavior with Guidance.
Whether you’re collecting information, branching logic, connecting to external systems, or handing off to teammates, Procedures give you full control over how Fin handles a conversation from start to finish.
Note: Fin Procedures is currently in closed beta. Access is limited during the beta period and available only to select customers with a contract. Please contact your account manager to confirm eligibility and learn how to join.
Get started
To build a new Fin Procedure, navigate to Fin AI Agent > Train > Procedures in your workspace. Click + New procedure and choose your preferred creation method:
Option 1: Let AI draft your procedure
This is the fastest method if you already have a process in mind or documented.
Select Let AI draft your procedure.
Describe your process in natural language.
Optional: Paste an existing Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to help the AI refine the draft.
Choose a template (e.g., SaaS) to provide industry context.
Click Continue. The AI will analyze your documentation and conversation history to generate relevant steps.
Review the generated steps and optionally add Clarifying details (like specific account status values) to further improve the draft.
Option 2: Create from scratch
Use this method if you want to build the logic manually from the ground up.
Select Create from scratch.
Name your procedure and enter the editor to begin adding steps manually.
Tell Fin when to trigger the procedure
At the top of the editor, you'll find the When to use this procedure section. This is the command center for Fin’s intent recognition. You must complete two parts to ensure Fin triggers accurately.
1. Write the trigger logic
In the main composer field, describe exactly when this procedure should (and should not) start. A strong trigger includes specific criteria and exclusions.
Example of high-quality trigger logic:
Trigger this task when a customer is reporting that something in the software is not working correctly or behaving unexpectedly.
Only trigger this task if the customer:
Describes a specific technical problem or error.
States a feature is broken.
Mentions a bug, glitch, or malfunction.
Do NOT trigger if:
Customer is asking "how-to" questions or needs training.
Customer is requesting a new feature.
Customer has account-related questions like password resets.
Clear, comprehensive triggers ensure Fin activates your procedure for the right customer intents and avoids firing for unrelated queries.
2. Train Fin with examples
Once you have written your logic, you must provide real-world data to the AI.
When to use: Provide examples of phrases or scenarios where this procedure is appropriate.
When NOT to use: Provide examples of similar but unrelated queries to prevent false triggers.
Note: These examples are crucial for training the AI to distinguish between a "password reset" and "general login policy info" .
Add procedure steps and tools
You build a procedure using Steps (the structure) and Tools (the data/actions).
Steps define the flow. You add them by typing / on a new line.
Tools give Fin powers (like checking APIs). You add them by typing @ inside an Instruction step.
Feature | What it does | When to use it |
Instruction | The default block. Plain natural language instructions. | For almost everything. "Ask the customer for their email." |
Condition | Adds branching logic (IF / ELSE). | When the path splits: "IF the item is broken, do X. ELSE do Y." |
Run Sub-procedure | Runs a sub-procedure. | To reuse a common flow (e.g., "Verify Identity") without rewriting it, or a complex flow you would like to hide from the main flow. |
Run Workflow | Ends the Procedure and passes the user to a Workflow. | To hand off to a visual workflow or a support ticket. |
End | Ends the Procedure immediately and passes back to Fin. | To force the conversation to stop or exit a specific logic branch. |
Connect with system | Fetches live data from connected apps (Shopify, Stripe, etc.). | Inside a step when you need to check an order status or balance. |
Read an attribute | Looks up existing customer data. | Inside a step to check a user's plan or ID. |
Update an attribute | Saves information the customer gave you into an attribute | Inside a step to remember an answer for later. |
Escalate to team | Intentionally hands the conversation over to a team or teammate. | Inside a step when the bot can't solve the issue. |
Learn more:
Add guidance
Give Fin specific guidance on how to interact with customers while running a procedure. To add guidance, open a Fin Procedure and click Guidance in the top right corner of the Instructions editor.
Choose which global guidance categories should apply to this procedure. Fin will combine all selected guidance:
Communication style
Context and clarification
Handover and escalation
Other guidances
You can also write custom guidance that apply only to this procedure. Fin will combine this with any global guidance you selected. For example: "Never bring up a refund unless a customer mentions it first."
Note:
Fin Procedures only have one set of steps, so you can only add one piece of guidance for the entire procedure.
Adding many guidances may increase latency and reduce reliability.
Test and verify the procedure
Before you set your procedure live, you must verify that it works as intended. Click the Test button at the top of the editor to access two testing methods:
Preview
The Preview tab allows you to interact with Fin as a customer would. Use this to get a feel for the tone, greeting, and general flow of the conversation.
Simulations
The Simulations tab is used to automatically test different logic paths within your instructions.
Fin's AI will automatically suggest a "Happy path" scenario to test. These are useful to get a feel of what Simulations can do.
Create Custom Simulations: Test specific edge cases by defining custom customer inputs.
Run the simulation to watch Fin execute your steps, trigger the mock API, and follow your logic.
Review the results:
Pass: The simulation passed all criteria.
Fail: The simulation failed. Click into the simulation to see exactly where Fin deviated from the instructions.
Once you are satisfied with the results, click Set live to make the procedure available to your customers.
Need more help? Get support from our Community Forum
Find answers and get help from Intercom Support and Community Experts