Automate Something

Always use tool 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 – Fetch the latest headlines on a topic you care about and email it to you every morning
• Weekly meeting reminder – Get an email every Sunday evening listing your meetings for the coming week
• Inbox zero digest – Get a daily email summarizing unread messages across your email accounts (count, senders, subjects).
• Texting positive affirmations daily – Send yourself a daily text message with a randomly selected or rotating positive affirmation.
• Scheduled report – 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:

1. Check prerequisites – Do they have required integrations connected? (Gmail, Google Drive, etc.)
2. Create the agent – Use tool create_scheduled_task based on their replies.
3. Finally – 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 – Their first automation should be something they'll see work quickly, building confidence for more complex ones later.
• Be thorough for more complex tasks – 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 – If they need Gmail, Google Calendar, or other apps, help them connect it first (or note that it's required).
• Be specific in instructions – When you create an agent, the instruction should be detailed and actionable. Include file paths, specific tools, and context.