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Tuning Sammy with AI Settings

Sammy learns how you work and prices jobs by using your custom settings. The more you configure, the more accurate and tailored your estimates become.

Accessing AI Settings

  1. Click Settings in the sidebar navigation
  2. Select the AI Settings tab

Overview of AI Settings

The AI Settings page shows you what's configured and what still needs attention:

  • Basic trade customisation – Your trade type, location, and margins
  • Train Sammy – Teach Sammy how your business prices by walking him through a past job or two
  • Rate rules – Custom rates for labour and materials
  • Advanced AI customisation – Special instructions for Sammy
  • Suppliers – Your supplier products and pricing

Each section shows its current status: how many items you've added or whether it's recommended to set up.

Train Sammy

The fastest way to make estimates sound like your business is to train Sammy on a job or two you've already done. He asks you what the job was, how you priced it, and how it went, and from then on your estimates use your rates, your labour, and the things you always include.

It's a quick chat, not a form, and one job is enough to get started. See Training Sammy on Your Past Jobs.

Rate Rules

Rate rules tell Sammy exactly what to charge for specific labour and materials. These override Sammy's default pricing with your actual rates.

Creating Rate Rules

  1. From AI Settings, click Setup rate rules
  2. Click Add Rate Rule
  3. Fill in the details:
  4. Title – Name of the rate (e.g., "Qualified Electrician")
  5. Rate – Your price (e.g., $95)
  6. Unit – How it's measured (e.g., "per hour")
  7. Type – Labour or Material

Examples of Rate Rules

Labour rates: - Qualified Electrician – $95 per hour - Apprentice – $45 per hour - Carpenter – $85 per hour

Material rates: - Merbau Decking 90x19mm – $12.50 per lineal metre - Treated Pine 90x45mm – $4.20 per lineal metre - Plasterboard 2400x1200x10mm – $18 per sheet

Importing Rate Rules

If you have a lot of rates, you can import them from a spreadsheet:

  1. Click Upload from file
  2. Select your CSV or Excel file
  3. Review the imported rates
  4. Click Apply to save them

Tip: Your spreadsheet should have columns for title, rate, unit, and type (labour or material).

AI Instructions

AI Instructions let you give Sammy specific guidance about how to generate estimates. These are like standing instructions that apply to all future estimates.

How to Add Instructions

  1. From AI Settings, click Advanced AI customisation
  2. Click Add Instruction
  3. Type your instruction
  4. Click Save

What to Include

Write instructions in plain language. Be specific about what you want Sammy to do differently.

Good examples: - "Always include a 10% waste allowance on timber materials" - "Use premium paint brands like Dulux or Taubmans, never budget brands" - "Include scaffold hire for any work above 2 metres" - "Always allow 2 hours for site cleanup on every job" - "For bathroom renovations, always include waterproofing as a separate line item"

Less helpful: - "Make estimates better" (too vague) - "Be accurate" (doesn't give specific guidance)

Supplier-Specific Instructions

You can also link instructions to specific supplier items. When Sammy uses that product in an estimate, the instruction automatically applies.

Example: Link "Always use bulk pack pricing when ordering more than 50 units" to a specific supplier item.

Viewing rate rules and instructions while you estimate

You don't have to leave an estimate to check what Sammy is working from. While you're in the estimate chat, tap the tools icon (the spanner) next to the message box. Under Your setup you'll see two options:

  • My Rate Rules – opens a quick, read-only list of your rates.
  • My AI Instructions – opens a quick, read-only list of your instructions.

These are there for a quick look while you work. When you want to change something, you have two ways to do it:

  • Tap Modify with Sammy next to any rate or instruction. Sammy starts a message in the chat for you to finish, so you can sort it out right there without losing your place.
  • Tap Manage all in settings to open the full editor. On a computer it opens in a new tab, so you keep your spot. On your phone you'll get a Back to estimate button to jump straight back.

How Settings Work Together

When Sammy generates an estimate:

  1. Trade settings determine the type of work and base pricing approach
  2. Rate rules override default rates with your specific pricing
  3. AI instructions apply any special requirements or preferences
  4. Supplier items (if reconciled) use your actual product costs

The more you configure, the less adjustment you'll need on each estimate.

Best Practices

  • Start with the basics – Set up your trade customisation first
  • Add rates as you go – Each time you adjust a rate in an estimate, consider adding it as a rate rule
  • Be specific with instructions – Vague instructions don't help Sammy
  • Review periodically – Update your rates when supplier prices change

What's Next?

Learn how to Add Suppliers so you can use your actual product pricing in estimates.