Create an Assistant
Nectir AI allows educators to create custom AI Assistants for 24/7 student support, reducing workloads, and boosting engagement.
Step 1: Access the Creation Menu
For Workspace Owners and Editors
For Workspace Owners and Editors
- Click Create on the top left in the sidebar
- Select Create an Assistant
- This allows you to create an Assistant at the Workspace level or within any Group
For Group Owners
For Group Owners
- Hover over your Group name
- Click the ellipsis that appears
- Select Create an Assistant
- Group owners can only create Assistants within their own Groups
- If you need to create a new Group and don’t have sidebar access, see how to duplicate a Group
Step 2: Configure Basic Settings
- Enter a descriptive name that reflects the Assistant’s purpose
- Choose where to make your Assistant available:
- Shared with everyone - Available to all Workspace users
- Note: Only Workspace Owners and Editors can create “Shared with everyone” Assistants
- Group - Add to an existing Group that’s already “Shared” or in your “Private” space
- Learn more about Group types
- Shared with everyone - Available to all Workspace users
- Click Create Assistant to proceed to customization
Step 3: Customize General Settings
Assistant Identity
| Setting | Description | Best Practices |
|---|---|---|
| Avatar | Upload an image for your Assistant | Choose something relevant to the Assistant’s purpose |
| Name | Your Assistant’s display name | Can be role-based (for example, “Feedback Provider”) or persona-based for a more approachable feel |
| Assistant ID | Used for LTI integration | No customization needed |
| Group | Where the Assistant is accessible | Use dropdown to move between Workspaces or Groups you have access to |
User-Facing Description
The description appears in the center of the chat interface. Use it to:
- Introduce the Assistant’s purpose
- Provide usage instructions
- Set expectations for users
Managing Assistants
Duplicating an Existing Assistant
If you want to create a similar Assistant to one that already exists, you can duplicate it:
Hover Over the Assistant Name on the Left Sidebar
Locate the Assistant you want to duplicate in your sidebar
Click on the Three Dots That Appear
This will open a menu of options for the selected Assistant
Select 'Duplicate'
This option appears in the dropdown menu
Confirm the Duplication
The system will automatically create a copy in the same Group
Customize the Duplicate as Needed
The duplicate will have the same name with “Copy” appended and identical settings
Duplicating is especially useful when you want to:
- Create variations of an Assistant with minor differences
- Test new configurations without affecting the original
- Quickly deploy similar Assistants across different Groups
Moving an Assistant Between Groups
You can move an Assistant from one Group to another to change who has access to it:
Hover Over the Assistant Name on the Left Sidebar
Locate the Assistant you want to move in your sidebar
Click on the Three Dots That Appear
This will open a menu of options for the selected Assistant
Select 'Move To'
This option appears in the dropdown menu
Choose the Destination Group
Select where you want to move the Assistant from the list of available Groups. The Assistant will be transferred with all its settings and training data intact.
Moving Assistants is particularly useful when:
- Transitioning an Assistant from a private development Group to a public Group
- Reorganizing Assistants for different semesters or academic terms
- Changing which students or faculty have access to a specific Assistant
- Consolidating Assistants that were created in different Groups
Next Steps
Assistant Knowledge
Define what information your Assistant can access
Assistant Prompt
Set the directions that shape your Assistant’s behavior
Conversation Starters
Create predefined prompts to help users begin interacting
Advanced Features
Explore additional customization options
Video Tutorial
Watch the Complete Walkthrough
See the entire Assistant creation process from start to finish