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TeamCopilot supports workspace-level custom instructions through a file called USER_INSTRUCTIONS.md. This file lets you define default instructions that should apply to every new AI session in that workspace.

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Why you would use this

Custom instructions are useful when you want TeamCopilot to consistently follow workspace-wide rules or defaults. For example, you might use USER_INSTRUCTIONS.md to tell the AI:
  • information about what your organization does and which industry it is in
  • which coding standards your team follows
  • which internal conventions matter most
  • what environments or systems it should be careful with
  • how you want answers formatted by default
This is best for rules that should apply broadly across the workspace, not just to a single skill or workflow.

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How it works

Each time a new chat session is created with the AI, the contents of the USER_INSTRUCTIONS.md are injected into the chat automatically.

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Where the file lives

The file must be placed at the root of your TeamCopilot workspace: 
<workspace>/USER_INSTRUCTIONS.md

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How to modify it

TeamCopilot includes a built-in UI for editing workspace-level custom instructions. To update them:
  1. Open the AI chat section in TeamCopilot.
  2. Click Modify global AI instructions.
  3. Edit the contents in the editor page that opens.
  4. Click Save, or use Cmd+S / Ctrl+S.
Changes are saved immediately to USER_INSTRUCTIONS.md at the workspace root. Only users with the Engineer role can modify these instructions. Other users can still see the button, but TeamCopilot will tell them that only engineers can make changes. If you prefer, you can still edit the file directly on disk at: 
<workspace>/USER_INSTRUCTIONS.md

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Example

Below is an example of the kind of company context you can put into USER_INSTRUCTIONS.md: 
# Company context

You are assisting Acme Logistics.

Acme Logistics provides shipment visibility and route planning software for mid-sized retail and manufacturing companies.

## Business

- Industry: logistics technology / supply chain software
- Region: primarily North America and Western Europe
- Customers: operations teams, supply chain managers, and logistics directors at mid-market companies
- Product: SaaS platform for tracking shipments, planning routes, and monitoring carrier performance

## Important context

- Our customers care most about reliability, speed, and cost control.
- We operate in a B2B environment, so responses should be professional and practical.
- Avoid overly technical explanations unless the user is clearly an engineering user.
- When writing customer-facing content, prefer clear operational language over marketing buzzwords.

## Response preferences

- When relevant, frame answers in terms of customer impact.
- If discussing product ideas, prioritize operational efficiency and reporting.
- If discussing bugs or incidents, clearly explain business impact, affected customers, and urgency.