Arti Cookbook
How Arti works, the difference between Chat and Fast mode, example prompts, and tips for getting the best results.
Arti Cookbook
Arti is the AI assistant built into Helse. It can write into your documents, create and manage projects, run tasks with AI agents, and answer questions — all from the chat panel.
How Arti Works
Arti has two modes depending on the complexity of your request. Both modes are context-aware — they know which document is open and which project you are in.
Chat Mode vs Fast Mode
| Chat Mode | Fast Mode | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Writing, questions, single-action tasks | Multi-step workflows, creating multiple resources |
| How it runs | Single round: one response, one action | Plans steps first, then executes each one |
| Feedback | Direct response in chat | Live step-by-step progress with status indicators |
| Streaming | No | Yes — you see each step complete in real time |
| Use when | "Write a summary into this doc" | "Create a project with 3 documents and 2 tasks" |
Which mode am I in?:
The chat input has a toggle at the bottom of the Arti panel. The lightning bolt icon activates Fast Mode. Chat Mode is the default.
Context Awareness
Arti automatically detects your current context before deciding what to do.
Open Document
If a document is open in the editor, Arti will write directly into it — without creating a new one — unless you explicitly ask for a new document.
Example: You have "Iran Briefing" open and type "Write a history section." Arti writes into that document. It does not search for it or create a new one.
Active Project
If you are inside a project, Arti uses that project automatically for any new documents or tasks it creates.
Example: You are in the "Policy Research" project and type "Create a task to summarise the latest reports." Arti creates the task inside "Policy Research" without asking.
Overriding Context
Context awareness has one important caveat: it will never override an explicit instruction.
| You say | Arti does |
|---|---|
| "Write a conclusion" | Writes into the currently open document |
| "Create a new document about conclusions" | Creates a new document |
| "Add a task" | Adds task to the active project |
| "Add a task to a new project called X" | Creates project X first, then adds the task |
Available Tools
Arti can take real actions inside Helse using built-in tools. Here is the full list:
Document Tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
write_to_active_document | Write content into the currently open document |
create_document | Create a new document in a project |
update_document | Update a document by its UUID |
search_documents | Search for documents by title or content |
list_documents | List documents in a project or folder |
Folder & Project Tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
create_folder | Create a folder inside a project |
create_project | Create a new project |
list_projects | List all your projects |
search_projects | Find a project by name |
get_project | Look up a project by its UUID |
Task Tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
create_task | Create a standard task |
list_tasks | List tasks, optionally filtered by project or status |
update_task_status | Change a task's status |
AI Task Tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
list_ai_agents | List AI agents you own or have access to |
list_cascades | List AI cascades (multi-step workflows) |
create_and_run_ai_task | Create a task, assign it to an agent or cascade by name, and run it |
run_ai_task | Run an existing task with an agent or cascade |
Example Prompts
Writing into an open document
These work best in Chat Mode when a document is already open.
Write an executive summary for this document.
Add a section on risks and mitigation strategies.
Rewrite the introduction to be more concise.
Summarise the key points from this document into a bullet list at the top.
Write a detailed briefing on the history of Iran.
Creating documents and projects
These work in both modes. Fast Mode is better when creating multiple things at once.
Create a project called "UK Election Analysis" with 3 documents:
an overview, a polling data summary, and a key figures briefing.
Create a new document in the current project titled "Q2 Roadmap".
Make a folder called "Research Notes" in the current project
and add a blank document inside it.
Managing tasks
Create a task called "Review draft report" due next Friday with high priority.
Show me all in-progress tasks in this project.
Mark task [task-id] as completed.
List all overdue tasks across my projects.
AI agent tasks
These require at least one AI agent or cascade to be set up in the AI Builder.
What AI agents do I have?
Create an AI task called "Climate Change Report" and assign it
to the Research Agent to produce a document.
Run a cascade called "Policy Analyser" on the current project
and generate a summary document.
Create and run a task using the "Writer" agent:
write a 500-word brief on NHS funding challenges.
Mixed multi-step requests (Fast Mode)
These are ideal for Fast Mode — Arti will plan and execute each step.
Create a project called "Competitive Analysis", add three documents
(Market Overview, Competitor Profiles, SWOT Analysis),
and create 2 tasks: one to fill each strategic section.
Find my "Product Roadmap" project, create a folder called "Q3 Planning",
and add a document titled "Sprint Goals" inside it.
List all my projects, then create a high-priority task in the
most recently updated one called "Weekly Review".
Tips for Better Prompts
1. Be specific about where
Vague prompts make Arti guess. Tell it exactly where things should go.
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| "Create a document" | "Create a document called 'Meeting Notes' in the current project" |
| "Add a task" | "Add a task called 'Review draft' to the Policy Research project with high priority" |
| "Write something" | "Write a 3-paragraph introduction about NHS reform into the open document" |
2. Use "current" or "this" to refer to open context
Arti understands:
- "this document" / "the open document" → the document currently in the editor
- "this project" / "the current project" → the project you are browsing
- "here" → generally the most specific active context
Add a conclusion to this document.
Summarise what's in the current document.
Create a task in this project for each section of the open document.
3. Separate multiple instructions clearly
Arti can handle several actions in one request — especially in Fast Mode — but clarity helps.
Do three things:
1. Create a folder called "Drafts" in the current project
2. Move the open document into it
3. Create a new blank document called "Final Version" in the same folder
4. Name agents and cascades as you know them
You do not need UUIDs. Arti looks up agents and cascades by name automatically.
Run the "Research Agent" on a task to write a policy brief on housing.
Use the "Summariser" cascade to create a digest of this project.
5. Use Fast Mode for anything with more than 2 steps
Chat Mode handles one action well. For workflows involving project creation, multiple documents, folder setup, or task batches — switch to Fast Mode for step-by-step execution with live feedback.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't ask Arti to search then update:
Avoid phrasing like "find the Iran Briefing document and update it." This causes Arti to search and then try to use a placeholder ID. Instead, just open the document first and say "write into this document."
Don't ask for multiple new projects when one is already open:
If you are in a project, Arti will use it. Only say "create a new project" if you genuinely want a fresh one.
AI tasks require an agent or cascade to exist:
Before asking Arti to run an AI task, make sure you have at least one agent or cascade configured in the AI Builder. You can ask "What agents do I have?" to check.
How Fast Mode Works Internally
When you send a message in Fast Mode, Arti runs in two phases:
Phase 1 — Planning
Arti analyses your request and the current context (open document, active project) and produces a step-by-step plan as structured JSON. Each step names a specific tool and its parameters.
Phase 2 — Execution
Each step runs sequentially. If a step produces a result that a later step needs (like a project ID for a new document), the value is resolved automatically. You see each step complete in real time with a status indicator.
Phase 3 — Summary
Once all steps complete, Arti produces a short natural language summary of what was accomplished.
If any step fails, execution stops and the error is shown. Earlier successful steps are not rolled back — so for example if a project was created before a document step fails, the project will still exist.