> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.heyy.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Override guidelines inside an automation

> Per-automation instructions that supplement the employee's base guidelines, without cloning the employee.

The **AI Employee** automation action includes an optional **Context** field for automation-specific guidelines. These supplement — they do not replace — the employee's base [guidelines](/help/ai-employees/identity-and-guidelines/write-your-guidelines), and they apply only inside this one automation, not everywhere the employee is used.

## When to use an override

| Use an override for                                                 | Use a base guideline instead                                                                          |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| A one-off task specific to this automation's flow                   | Behavior that should hold everywhere the employee runs                                                |
| An extra boundary that only applies on this channel                 | A permanent rule — belongs in [Boundaries](/help/ai-employees/identity-and-guidelines/boundaries)     |
| A narrower set of actions than the employee normally has access to  | The employee's default capability set                                                                 |
| Channel-specific tone or a seasonal promo script for one automation | Ongoing tone — belongs in [Identity setup](/help/ai-employees/identity-and-guidelines/identity-setup) |

## Add an override

1. Open the **AI Employee** action in the automation editor.
2. Open the **Context** field.
3. Write the additional instruction, scoped to what this automation needs.
4. Save and publish.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/heyy-c8bd5c9e/assets/ai-employees-automations-context-override.png" alt="Automation context override field" />
</Frame>

<Tip>
  Overrides are the right tool when one employee runs in several automations that each need a slightly different script — a seasonal promo on one channel, a stricter boundary on another — without maintaining separate cloned employees.
</Tip>

Test the override in the [Playground](/help/ai-employees/going-live/test-in-playground) before publishing; the Playground reflects the employee's base configuration, so verify override behavior once the automation is live with a real test conversation on that channel.