Customize Docs Agent for your organization

Docs Agent learns your documentation style from your existing docs, but some conventions can’t be inferred from your code or files alone — your preferred spelling, the purpose of each repository, which versions you support, or the terms your team standardizes on. Custom instructions let you give the agent this context once and have it apply the context to every session your organization runs.

Use this guide to add custom instructions and confirm the agent follows them.

Before you begin

You need:

• An EkLine account with Docs Agent enabled
• At least one repository connected to EkLine

Any member of your organization can edit custom instructions.

Add custom instructions

1. Log in to your EkLine dashboard.

2. Go to Settings > Docs Agent.

3. Find the Custom instructions section.

4. In the Custom Instructions field, enter the guidance you want the agent to follow. You can enter up to 5,000 characters.

5. Click Save custom instructions. EkLine saves your instructions, and a success message confirms the save.

The agent applies your instructions to every new session for your organization, whether you start it in the editor or trigger it from a GitHub pull request, GitLab merge request, or Slack.

Note

Custom instructions apply to sessions started after you save them. Save again whenever you change them so the agent picks up the update.

What to include

Write custom instructions the way you would brief a new technical writer joining your team. Focus on context the agent can’t get from reading your code:

• Style preferences — Spelling, capitalization, and voice. For example, "Use American English spelling and sentence case for headings."
• Terminology — Terms to prefer or avoid. For example, "Refer to the product as EkLine, never Ekline or ekline."
• Repository context: conventions that span your repositories. For example, "Link every endpoint to its guide in the docs repository under docs/guides." To describe what a single repository is for, add a repository note instead.
• Documentation structure — How your docs are organized. For example, "Place how-to guides in docs/guides and reference material in docs/reference."
• Versions and audience — Which versions to document and who reads the docs. For example, "Document v2 of the API only. Write for backend developers familiar with REST."

Tip

Point the agent at a file in your repository for details that change often: "Follow the writing conventions in docs/STYLE_GUIDE.md." The agent reads the file during each session, so you don’t have to duplicate its contents here.

Example custom instructions

Style and terminology

Use American English spelling and sentence case for headings.
Refer to the product as EkLine. Use "sign in" as a verb and
"sign-in" as an adjective. Write in the second person and
active voice.

Repository context

The api-gateway repository handles authentication and rate
limiting. The web repository is the customer dashboard. When
documenting endpoints, link to the matching guide in the docs
repository under docs/guides.

Structure and audience

Follow the Diataxis framework: tutorials, how-to guides,
reference, and explanation each live in their own folder.
Write for developers new to Kubernetes. Document v2 of the
API only.

Verify the agent follows your instructions

1. Open the editor and start a new session.

2. Ask the agent to create or update a document — for example, "Generate a README for this repository."

3. Review the output for the conventions you specified. Check spelling, heading case, terminology, and structure against your instructions.

If the output doesn’t reflect an instruction, make it more specific and refresh again. Short, concrete directions work better than long, general ones.

How custom instructions relate to style learning

Custom instructions work alongside the agent’s automatic style learning. The agent still analyzes your existing documentation for heading structure, code example conventions, terminology, and file organization. Custom instructions add the context the agent can’t infer from your docs — and take precedence when your existing docs are inconsistent.

For more on how the agent learns your style, see How does the agent know my documentation style? in the reference.

Custom instructions shape how the agent writes across every session. To package a multi-step workflow your team repeats and run it with a command, author a skill.

Add a note to a repository

Custom instructions apply to your whole organization. When the context belongs to a single repository, add a repository note instead. A repository note is a short description of what a repository is for, and the agent reads it whenever it works with that repository.

Repository notes live on your integration settings, one per repository, so you describe each repository where you already manage it.

1. Log in to your EkLine dashboard.

2. Go to Settings → Organization → GitHub Integration. For a GitLab repository, go to Settings → Organization → GitLab Integration.

3. Find the repository you want to describe in the repository list.

4. Click the pencil icon on the repository card. A repository without a note shows Describe what this repository is.

5. Enter a short note, then save.

The agent applies repository notes to every new session automatically. You don’t need to refresh after you edit a note.

Tip

Keep each note to a sentence or two. Describe what the repository contains and who reads it, for example "Customer-facing web dashboard. Document features here, not internal APIs."

Repository notes or custom instructions?

Choose based on scope:

• Custom instructions apply to every repository your organization documents. Use them for style, terminology, and conventions that hold everywhere.
• Repository notes apply to one repository. Use them for what a single repository is for and how it differs from the others.

Troubleshooting

The Docs Agent settings page isn’t available

Docs Agent access is granted on request. If you don’t see Settings > Docs Agent, email support@ekline.io with your organization name to request access.

The refresh fails or shows an error

The refresh clones your connected repositories to regenerate the agent configuration. If it fails:

• Verify that at least one repository is connected to EkLine.
• Check that your instructions are within the 5,000-character limit.
• Try refreshing again. If the error persists, contact support@ekline.io with the error message shown.

The agent ignores an instruction

• Make the instruction more specific and concrete.
• Point to a file in your repository instead of describing a long convention inline.
• Confirm you clicked Save custom instructions after your most recent edit. Changes apply only to sessions started after you save.

A repository note isn’t reflected in a draft

• Confirm you saved the note on the correct repository card.
• Repository notes apply to sessions started after you save. Start a new session to pick up a change.
• Make the note specific about what the repository contains and who reads it.

Next steps

• Package a workflow as a skill — Turn a procedure your team repeats into a command anyone can run.
• Create documentation — Generate READMEs, API references, and guides that follow your instructions.
• Update and review — Keep docs in sync with code changes.
• Docs Agent reference — Supported file types, limits, and FAQ.