FAQ¶

Frequently asked questions about Functional AI.

Can't find your answer?

Jump to section: Getting Started · Account & Billing · Assistants · Knowledge Bases · Integrations · Configuration · Usage & Limits · Troubleshooting

Getting Started¶

How do I create my first chatbot?¶

Follow these steps:

Sign in to your Functional AI account
Click "Create Assistant" in the dashboard
Enter a name for your assistant
Select your use case (BASIC for general, ECOMMERCE for shopping)
Write initial instructions describing what your assistant should do
Click Create
Go to the Chat tab to test your assistant immediately

See Your First Assistant for a detailed walkthrough.

What do I need to get started?¶

Minimum requirements:

An email address (to create an account)
A web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
No coding experience needed

That's it. You can create and test an assistant in under 5 minutes.

How long does setup take?¶

Creating an assistant: 2-3 minutes
Testing basic functionality: 5 minutes
Adding a knowledge base: 5-10 minutes
Deploying to a website: 5 minutes
Total time to a live chatbot: 15-30 minutes

Can I try it for free?¶

Yes! The Basic tier includes 1,000 messages per month at no cost. This is sufficient for:

Testing and learning the platform
Small personal projects
Light website traffic

No credit card required to start.

Do I need technical skills?¶

No. The platform is designed for non-technical users. You can:

Create and customize assistants without coding
Upload documents without file conversion
Deploy to websites using a simple copy-paste embed code
Monitor conversations with a simple dashboard

Advanced users can create custom function templates if desired.

General Questions¶

What is Functional AI?¶

Functional AI is a platform for creating and deploying AI-powered chatbots. You can build assistants, connect them to knowledge bases, and deploy them across multiple channels including websites, Shopify stores, and social media.

Do I need coding experience?¶

No. Functional AI is designed for users without technical backgrounds. You can create and deploy assistants using the dashboard interface. Advanced users can create custom functions if desired.

What AI models power the assistants?¶

Functional AI uses state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs). The specific models may vary and are optimized for conversational AI applications.

Account & Billing¶

Visit the Functional AI website
Click "Sign Up" or "Get Started"
Enter your email and create a password
Verify your email
Start using the platform

What payment methods do you accept?¶

We accept major credit and debit cards. Enterprise customers may have invoice options available.

Can I try before I buy?¶

Yes! The Basic tier provides 1,000 messages per month to test the platform before upgrading to a higher plan.

How do I cancel my subscription?¶

Go to Account settings
Navigate to Subscription
Click Cancel Subscription
Confirm cancellation

Your access continues until the end of the billing period.

Will I lose my data if I downgrade?¶

Your data is retained, but you may lose access to resources exceeding the lower tier's limits. Review your usage before downgrading.

Assistants¶

How many assistants can I create?¶

Depends on your tier:

Basic: 2 assistants
Medium: 6 assistants
Pro: 20 assistants

What's the difference between an Assistant and a Store?¶

Assistant: Your AI chatbot. It has a personality, instructions, and can be deployed to websites or Shopify.
Store: A knowledge base containing your documents. An assistant searches stores to find relevant information when answering questions.

Think of it this way: the Assistant is the brain, the Store is the library it reads from.

What does "making an assistant public" mean?¶

When you make an assistant public:

It gets a unique share link anyone can use
It can be embedded on websites
It can be deployed to integrations like Shopify
You can monitor all conversations

Private assistants can only be accessed by you. You must make an assistant public before sharing it or embedding it anywhere.

Can I change my assistant's name?¶

No. Assistant names cannot be changed after creation. Choose carefully when naming your assistant.

What's the best temperature setting?¶

Use Case	Temperature
Customer support	0.2-0.4
General Q&A	0.5-0.7
Creative content	0.8-1.0

Start with 0.5-0.7 and adjust based on response quality.

How do I make my assistant smarter?¶

Write detailed, specific instructions
Add relevant knowledge bases
Connect appropriate function templates
Test and refine based on conversations

Knowledge Bases¶

What files can I upload?¶

Documents (PDF, Word, TXT, Markdown, PowerPoint), JSON data files, and code files (Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, and more). See File Formats Reference for the complete list.

Why isn't my assistant using my uploaded documents?¶

Check these items: 1. Did you click "Finish Upload" after uploading? 2. Is the store connected to the assistant? 3. Is the content relevant to the question? 4. Try asking more specific questions

How long does processing take?¶

Processing time depends on file size and type. Most files process within seconds to a few minutes. Large files may take longer.

Can I update files in a knowledge base?¶

You cannot edit files directly. To update: 1. Delete the old file 2. Upload the new version 3. Click "Finish Upload"

Integrations¶

How do I add the chatbot to my website?¶

Make your assistant public
Go to Sharing tab
Copy the embed code
Add it to your website before </body>

See Website Embed for details.

I installed from Shopify - what do I do now?¶

After installing the Functional AI app on Shopify:

Open the app from your Shopify admin
You'll see a default assistant was created automatically
Go to the "Chat" tab and test it
(Optional) Customize the assistant's personality and instructions
(Optional) Upload product documents to your store for better recommendations
The widget appears automatically on your storefront

See Shopify Setup Wizard for detailed steps.

Check these items:

Is the app installed? (Check Shopify admin > Apps)
Is the widget enabled in settings?
Is an assistant selected?
Clear your browser cache
Test in an incognito window

See Shopify Configuration.

The Shopify wizard failed - what do I do?¶

If the Shopify setup wizard failed:

Navigate to your Shopify app settings
Try running the wizard again
If it fails repeatedly, you can manually create an assistant:
Click "Create Assistant" in Functional AI
Name it (e.g., "Shopify Support")
Set up your instructions
Connect your store's knowledge base
Enable Shopify integration in the settings

Contact support if you continue to experience issues.

Can I use my own assistant instead of the auto-created one?¶

Yes! The default assistant created during Shopify setup is just a starting point.

Create your own assistant in Functional AI
Go to that assistant's settings
Enable "Shopify Integration"
Select which Shopify store to connect
The new assistant will replace the default one on your store

Do I need a business account for Instagram?¶

Yes. The Instagram integration requires a Business or Creator account connected to a Facebook Page.

Configuration¶

How do I change what my chatbot says?¶

Edit your assistant's instructions:

Open the assistant
Go to Settings > Instructions
Edit the text to change personality, constraints, or behavior
Save changes
Test in the Chat tab

Instructions are the core of your assistant's behavior. Be specific: "Always mention our 30-day return policy" is better than "Be helpful."

My chatbot is giving wrong answers - how do I fix it?¶

Try these steps in order:

Check your knowledge base: Is the correct information uploaded and complete?
Improve instructions: Add specific guidance about accuracy. Example: "Always cite the source document when answering questions about our products."
Lower temperature: Reduce from 0.7 to 0.3-0.5 for more consistent, predictable responses
Enable SafeGuard: Add constraints to prevent off-topic answers
Test with specific questions: Gradually test different topics to isolate the problem

Go to your assistant's Customization settings:

Widget Color: Choose the button and message bubble colors
Welcome Message: Set the first message users see
Suggested Questions: Add 3-4 common questions to prompt users
Position: Choose corner (bottom-right is default)
Avatar: Upload a custom profile image

Changes apply immediately to embedded widgets.

Can I change the chatbot's name and avatar?¶

Name: Cannot be changed after creation.

Avatar: Yes, in Settings > Customization:

Click "Upload Avatar"
Select an image (JPG, PNG)
Save

The avatar appears next to the assistant's messages in chat.

Usage & Limits¶

What counts as a "message"?¶

Each AI response counts as one message toward your monthly quota. User messages don't count.

Do test messages count toward my limit?¶

Yes. Messages sent in the Chat interface count toward your monthly quota.

What happens when I hit my message limit?¶

Depends on your overflow setting: - STOP mode: Messages are blocked until next cycle - AUTO_PAY mode: Extra messages are charged automatically

Do unused messages roll over?¶

No. Your monthly quota resets completely at each billing cycle.

How do I reduce message usage?¶

Write clear assistant instructions to reduce back-and-forth
Add comprehensive knowledge bases
Use suggested questions to guide users
Monitor conversations for patterns

Troubleshooting¶

My assistant gives wrong answers¶

Review and improve instructions
Add accurate information to knowledge bases
Lower temperature for more consistent responses
Enable SafeGuard for appropriate constraints

Verify script placement (before </body>)
Check the token is correct
Ensure assistant is public
Test in incognito mode
Check browser console for errors

My chatbot isn't responding¶

Check if the assistant is public (go to Settings)
Verify your message quota hasn't been exceeded (Account > Usage)
Test in the Chat interface first
If testing works but widget doesn't, check embed code
Clear browser cache and try again

The knowledge base isn't being used¶

Did you click "Finish Upload"? (critical step)
Is the store actually connected to the assistant? (Assistant > Stores tab)
Is the content relevant? Try asking questions directly related to uploaded documents
Try different question phrasing - semantic search helps but exact matches work better
Check if files are still processing (check dashboard > Stores)

I can't find my conversations¶

Go to Conversations in the left menu
Filter by date range or assistant
Use search to find keywords from messages
Note: Only conversations started through your deployed assistants appear here, not Chat interface test messages

Verify account type (Business/Creator required)
Ensure you have admin access
Check Facebook Page is connected (for Instagram)
Try disconnecting and reconnecting

Responses are too slow¶

Large knowledge bases can slow retrieval
Complex queries take longer
Check your internet connection
Rate limits may apply during high usage

Security & Privacy¶

Is my data secure?¶

Yes. We use encryption for data at rest and in transit. Secure variables are encrypted with additional protection.

Who can see my conversations?¶

Only you and your account admins can access your conversation data. We don't use your data to train AI models.

Can I delete my data?¶

Yes. You can delete individual assistants, stores, and conversations. For complete data deletion, contact support.

Is there an audit log?¶

Enterprise accounts have access to audit logging. Contact sales for details.

Technical Questions¶

What browsers are supported?¶

Modern browsers including: - Chrome (recommended) - Firefox - Safari - Edge

Is there an API?¶

Yes. API access is available on paid tiers. Documentation is available in your account settings.

Can I self-host Functional AI?¶

No. Functional AI is a cloud-hosted SaaS platform. Enterprise customers should contact sales for deployment options.

What's the uptime SLA?¶

Enterprise customers receive SLA guarantees. Standard tiers benefit from our high-availability infrastructure without guaranteed SLA.

Getting Help¶

How do I contact support?¶

Basic tier: Email support (48-hour response)
Medium tier: Priority email support (24-hour response)
Pro tier: Dedicated support (4-hour response)

Where can I give feedback?¶

We welcome feedback! Contact support or use the feedback option in the dashboard.

Are there tutorials available?¶

Yes! Check the documentation, especially: - Quickstart Guide - Your First Assistant

Glossary¶

For definitions of terms, see the Glossary.

Still have questions?¶

If your question isn't answered here: 1. Search the documentation 2. Check the Glossary 3. Contact support (paid tiers)