Getting started with the AI Assistant
The order in which an administrator sets up the assistant, and how a new user asks the first question.
Required permission: ai.configure, ai.use, ai.act, ai.activity
Before you begin
The assistant works on its first use with the built-in engine and needs no key. Add a model only if you want free-form answers.
Give people the permissions they need in Administration:
| Permission | Allows |
|---|---|
| ai.use | Ask questions, use My Files, search Knowledge, see agents |
| ai.act | Confirm changes the assistant proposes (the tool's own permission is also needed) |
| ai.configure | Settings, Agents, Knowledge management and MCP Servers |
| ai.activity | Read the Activity log and Usage |
A user with only ai.use is told 'Your role may use the assistant but not ask it to make changes.' when they ask for a change.
Steps
- Open the assistant once. Choose AI Assistant > AI Assistant. The first visit prepares the company: it creates the settings, 16 standard agents (General, Sales, Purchase, Inventory, Accounting, Bank Reconciliation, HR, Payroll, Projects, Omnichannel, Marketing, Fleet, Manufacturing, CRM, Reporting, Admin), the built-in a2NSoft ERP server and its tools, an 'a2NSoft User Guide' collection and a few shared prompts.
- Review the general settings. Open AI Assistant > Settings > General. Confirm AI enabled, the optional switches (Voice, File upload, Knowledge, MCP, Write actions), the Default agent, the Assistant response language and the quick prompts. See AI Settings.
- Choose the engine. On Settings > Models, keep a2N built-in or choose Anthropic Claude, paste the API key and select Test connection.
- Set limits. On Settings > Limits & retention, set the messages per minute for each user, the maximum file size and the spreadsheet row limit.
- Decide what must never be sent. On Settings > Security & privacy, list field names such as
phone,emailortax_idthat must not go to the model. - Add knowledge. Upload your policies in AI Assistant > Knowledge. See Knowledge and My Files.
- Review the agents. Open AI Assistant > Agents. Disable the agents you do not need, and create custom agents for special jobs. See Agents.
- Review the application switches. Open Applications > AI Assistant: Features (Agents, MCP servers, Knowledge and files) and Fields. A second administrator approves changes.
- Ask the first question. Open AI Assistant > New Chat and type, for example, 'Show sales this month'. See Ask the assistant questions.
What happens next
- Each user sees a landing page with their name, quick prompts matched to the tools they may use, recent chats and a Your access panel listing what the assistant can do for them.
- The MCP badge at the top of the landing page shows how many servers are connected.
Good to know
- If a user's login is not linked to an employee, personal questions such as 'my leave balance' answer 'Your login is not linked to an employee record.' An administrator links the login in Administration > Users.
- Switching AI off refuses new chats and messages with 'The AI assistant is switched off for this company.' Existing chats can still be read.
- Use a test key while you configure. Keys are stored sealed and are never shown again.