AI Configuration ProThis feature requires the Pro plan
The AI Assistant Settings page lets you control how the AI Assistant works for your business. You can choose between eight AI models, add custom instructions, optionally connect your own AI account, and enable or disable the assistant for your entire team.
Accessing AI Assistant Settings
- Click Settings in the sidebar.
- Select AI Assistant from the settings menu.
The page is split into two tabs:
- Usage — shows your credit balance, this month's activity, and (if applicable) usage from your own AI account.
- Configuration — where you choose the model, write custom instructions, and manage your own AI keys.
Enabling or Disabling the AI Assistant
At the top of the page (above the tabs) you'll see the Enable AI Assistant toggle:
- Enabled — all team members with AI Assistant access can use it.
- Disabled — the AI Assistant is hidden from the entire team.
Changes take effect immediately when you toggle this setting.
Usage tab
The Usage tab is where you go to check on credits and see how the AI is being used:
- Monthly credits — how many credits your plan includes each month, with a progress bar showing how much you've used.
- Purchased credits — any additional credit packs you've bought (these don't expire at month-end).
- Usage by feature — a breakdown of credit usage across the AI Assistant, text generation, smart search, and agents.
- Usage by team member — how much each staff member has used.
- Your AI Account usage — a separate card showing tokens used through your own connected AI account (if you've set one up). These tokens don't count against your EquipDash plan credits.
Click Refresh to update the credit information with the latest data.
Configuration tab
The Configuration tab is where you set up how the AI behaves for your business.
Choosing an AI Model
EquipDash offers eight AI models, grouped by provider:
| Model | Provider | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-5.4 Mini | OpenAI | Fast everyday answers | Lower credit cost |
| GPT-5 | OpenAI | Complex reasoning | Higher credit cost |
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | Anthropic | Quick tool calls | Lower credit cost |
| Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Recommended) | Anthropic | Best all-rounder | Default — strong reasoning |
| Kimi K2 | Moonshot | Lowest-cost option | Strong tool use |
| Grok 4 Fast | xAI | Real-time information | Bring your own xAI key |
| Grok 4 | xAI | Premium real-time reasoning | Bring your own xAI key |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash | Fast, decisive on tool calls | Bring your own Google key |
The picker only shows models you can actually use — Grok and Gemini options only appear if you've connected your own xAI or Google API key (see the Use Your Own AI Account card below).
To change the model:
- Click the model card you want.
- Click Update at the bottom of the page.
For more guidance see Choosing the Right AI Model.
Start with Claude Sonnet 4.6 (the default). Switch to GPT-5 for the most complex reasoning, or to a Haiku/Mini/Kimi model if you want lower credit usage.
Custom Instructions
Custom instructions let you give the AI Assistant additional context about your business that it should always keep in mind. This helps it give more relevant and accurate answers.
- In the Custom Instructions field, type any instructions you want the AI to follow (up to 2,000 characters).
- Click Update.
Example Custom Instructions
- "Our business primarily rents surfboards and wetsuits to tourists. Most rentals are for 1-3 days."
- "We operate two locations: the beach shop (main) and the harbour shop (seasonal, open Oct-Mar only)."
- "When asked about pricing, always mention that we offer a 10% discount for weekly rentals."
- "Our busiest season is December to February. Keep this in mind when discussing availability."
Use Your Own AI Account (optional)
Below the model picker, you'll find the Use Your Own AI Account card. This is optional — most businesses don't need to touch it. If you already have a paid OpenAI, Anthropic, Moonshot, xAI, or Google account, you can paste an API key here so AI calls bill your own provider account instead of EquipDash credits.
See Use Your Own AI Account for the full guide.