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When to use Fin Guidance vs. Procedures

Learn the difference between using Fin Guidance and Fin Procedures to customize how conversations are handled.

Written by Beth-Ann Sher
Updated over a week ago

Fin Guidance helps you shape how Fin responds, but it’s important to use it for the right scenarios. This guide explains when to use Guidance, when to use Procedures, and how they work together.


Start with content first

Before using Fin Guidance or Fin Procedures, make sure your support content is:

  • Clear and up to date.

  • Structured in a way Fin can easily use.

  • Written in a customer-friendly tone.

Fin always generates answers from your content first. Guidance should only be used to refine or structure those answers further.


Use Fin Guidance for targeted adjustments

Fin Guidance is best for small, specific changes to how Fin communicates.

You can configure Guidance in Fin AI Agent > Train > Guidance to influence how answers are phrased at the moment they’re generated.

Use Guidance when you want to:

  • Adjust tone or wording.

  • Add or remove specific phrases.

  • Override behaviour in a narrow scenario.

  • Use Content Guidance to target specific content to relevant use cases.

Example

If your content says “contact support,” Fin may include that in its answer. But since the customer is already in a conversation, this can be confusing.

You can add Guidance to:

  • Prevent Fin from telling customers to contact support.

  • Reinforce that the current chat or email is already being used for support.

This is a focused, single-purpose use case, which is exactly what Guidance is designed for.


Avoid using Guidance for multi-step responses

Fin Guidance should not be used to deliver:

  • Step-by-step instructions.

  • Multi-part workflows.

  • Conditional logic (e.g. “If the customer says X, then do Y and Z”)

Why this matters

Guidance is applied while Fin is generating an answer, not after.

This means:

  • Only part of your instructions may be included.

  • Steps may appear out of order or be skipped.

  • Responses can feel inconsistent.

This often leads to a worse customer experience.


Use Procedures for structured, multi-step flows

When a response requires clear steps or a guided flow, use a Procedure instead.

You can set this up in Fin AI Agent > Train > Procedures.

Procedures are designed to:

  • Deliver step-by-step instructions reliably.

  • Handle more complex scenarios and logic.

  • Ensure consistency across responses.

Example

If a customer needs to:

  1. Complete step one

  2. Then step two

  3. Then step three

A Procedure ensures every step is delivered clearly and in order—every time.


How Guidance and Procedures work together

Use this framework when deciding what to use:

  1. Content → Answer the question clearly and accurately.

  2. Guidance → Refine how the answer is phrased (specific tweaks).

  3. Procedures → Handle complex or multi-step interactions.


Key takeaway

  • Use Guidance for precise, targeted behavior changes.

  • Use Procedures for structured, step-by-step experiences.

  • Always start by improving your content first.

Using each tool for the right job helps Fin give clearer, more consistent answers and leads to a better customer experience.


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