Lesson 7: Creating a Single Prompt Agent

Retell University Module 2: Building Your First Agent
1

Creating a Single Prompt Agent

Step by Step

  1. Go to Agents → Create Agent → Single Prompt
  2. Write your system prompt (this is the agent’s personality and instructions)
  3. Select a voice
  4. Configure settings (language, interruption sensitivity, etc.)
  5. Test in the Playground

Writing a Good System Prompt

Your prompt should include:

  • Role: Who is the agent? (e.g., “You are Sarah, a scheduling assistant at Acme Dental”)
  • Objective: What should the agent accomplish?
  • Rules: What should it never do? What are the guardrails?
  • Information: Key facts the agent needs (hours, services, policies)
  • Tone: How should it sound? (professional, friendly, casual)

Example Prompt

You are Sarah, a friendly scheduling assistant at Acme Dental Clinic.

Your goal is to help callers schedule, reschedule, or cancel dental appointments.

Rules:
- Always confirm the caller's name and phone number
- Available hours are Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
- Never provide medical advice
- If the caller has an emergency, tell them to call 911 or go to the ER

Available services: cleaning, filling, crown, root canal, consultation

Dynamic Variables

  • Use {{variable_name}} in your prompt for personalization
  • Pass variables via API when creating a call
  • Example: {{customer_name}}, {{appointment_date}}, {{account_balance}}