Templates

Templates are like instructions you give to a new employee on their first day. They tell your agent who it is, what it knows about you, what tools to use, and what to keep an eye on. Every agent reads these files at the start of each conversation — they're how your agent remembers who you are.

What Are Templates?

Every time your agent starts a new conversation, it automatically reads these four template files before responding. This is called Session Boot — it ensures your agent never starts with amnesia. Think of these as instruction manuals that are always open on your agent's desk.

The 4 Template Files

• SOUL.md — Personality & Behavior

  This defines who your agent is. Its personality, tone of voice, behavioral rules, and how it handles memory and files. This is the single most important template — it makes the biggest difference in how your agent feels to talk to. It also contains the Session Boot sequence that tells agents to read USER.md and MEMORY.md at the start of every conversation.

  Example: "You are a professional research assistant named Ana. Always cite your sources. Be direct and avoid filler phrases."

• USER.md — Your Identity Card

  This is the first file your agent reads at the start of every conversation. It tells your agent about you — your name, email, timezone, business, contacts, and preferences. Fill this in completely — an agent without this context starts every conversation blind.

  Example: "Name: Maria Garcia. Email: maria@company.com. Timezone: America/Mexico_City. Company: TechStartup Inc."

• TOOLS.md — Tool Instructions

  This tells your agent how to use its tools and integrations. Where to find API keys, how to format outputs, what services are available. This is usually pre-configured by the platform, but you can customize it.

  Example: "Use the Brave Search API for web searches. GitHub token is stored as GITHUB_TOKEN."

• HEARTBEAT.md — Background Maintenance

  These are lightweight instructions your agent follows on a periodic schedule. Used for background tasks like flushing memory to the vector database and checking the dashboard for assigned tasks. Kept minimal to avoid unnecessary token usage.

  Example: "Flush vector memory if new notes were written. Check dashboard for assigned tasks."

Session Boot

Every time your agent starts a new conversation, it automatically runs a Session Boot sequence before responding to your first message:

1. Reads USER.md — who you are, your email, your preferences
2. Reads memory/MEMORY.md — everything the agent has learned across past sessions
3. Reads TOOLS.md — team roster, available tools, and how to use them

This happens silently — you won't see it in the chat. It ensures your agent always knows who you are and remembers what it has learned, even in a brand new conversation.

How to Edit Templates

Editing your templates is straightforward:

1. Go to Templates in the sidebar (or navigate to Dashboard → Templates)
2. You'll see four tabs — one for each template file. Click a tab to switch between them.
3. Write or paste your instructions in the editor. You can use markdown formatting (headings, bold, lists, etc.).
4. Click "Save" when you're done. To undo unsaved changes, click "Discard Changes."

User-Level vs. Per-Agent Templates

Templates work on a simple two-level system:

• User-level templates (set in the Templates page) — These apply to all your agents. If you have 3 agents, they all read the same SOUL.md, USER.md, and so on. This is the easiest way to configure your agents.
• Per-agent overrides (set in an individual agent's detail page) — These let you customize a template for one specific agent. For example, your researcher agent might need a different personality than your writer agent.

How to Set Per-Agent Overrides

1. Go to an agent's detail page (click the agent card on your dashboard)
2. Scroll down to the "Templates" section
3. Each template shows a badge: "Using default" or "Custom override"
4. Click "Customize" to create an override (it starts with a copy of the default so you don't have to start from scratch)
5. Edit the content and click "Save"
6. To go back to the default, click "Reset to Default"

Onboarding Questionnaire

When you first sign up, Autonomis walks you through a short questionnaire that automatically fills in your USER.md and adds style preferences to your SOUL.md. It covers:

• About You — Name, profession, timezone, location, routine
• Work Style — What you need help with, response style (concise or detailed), tone (casual, formal, or humorous)
• Boundaries — Topics to avoid, what needs your approval, quiet hours
• Review — Platforms you use, additional notes, and a preview of the generated templates

You can skip the questionnaire and fill in templates manually later. Everything it generates can be edited from the Templates page at any time.

Tips for Writing Good Templates

• Fill in USER.md first — This is the most impactful thing you can do. Your name, email, timezone, business, and contacts. Without it, your agent starts blind every time.
• Customize SOUL.md for personality — Instead of "be helpful," try something specific like: "You speak like a direct, no-nonsense advisor. If something is wrong, say so immediately."
• Keep USER.md current — Update it when your projects, contacts, schedule, or tools change. Your agent reads this at the start of every conversation.
• Use markdown formatting — Headings, bullet points, and bold text help your agent understand the structure of your instructions.
• Put important rules in templates, not chat — Template files are always available to your agent. Chat messages can get compressed in long conversations, but template instructions never fade.
• Use overrides for specialized agents — Your researcher agent doesn't need the same personality as your content writer. Give each one a tailored SOUL.md with role-specific instructions.

Next Steps

• → Learn more about each template file in detail
• → Add API keys and passwords your agents need
• → Start chatting with your agents