Edit, Activate, and Manage Multiple Assistants
Multiple profiles can be stored, but only the locally selected active assistant is used for ordinary chat at a time.
The assistant list is a set of saved alternatives, but the runtime has one active local assistant ID. Activating a different card switches the profile used for new requests; it does not copy knowledge, merge instructions, or automatically reset existing visitor conversation chains. Deleting the active profile leaves the site without an active assistant until another is selected.
The practical starting point is to review the assistant cards and identify the active badge. Continue through the workflow until you delete only after preserving any instructions you may need, then use the field notes below to understand which choices affected AI output and which only changed delivery, access, or presentation.
What this feature does and when to use it
Section titled “What this feature does and when to use it”Use multiple profiles for controlled changes, different instruction sets, or tool assignment—not for automatic visitor routing.
Use this feature in the following situations:
- You are preparing a replacement profile while keeping the current production profile available.
- You need to switch models or instructions in a controlled test window.
- You need to retire an obsolete profile after checking tool assignments and preserving required text.
Where to find it
Section titled “Where to find it”Before you begin
Section titled “Before you begin”- SmartSite Assistant is installed and activated.
- You are signed in with an account that can manage WordPress options.
Set it up step by step
Section titled “Set it up step by step”- Review the assistant cards and identify the Active badge.
- Select Edit to change a profile and save it.
- Select Activate on a different profile to switch runtime behavior.
- Run regression questions immediately after activation.
- Before Delete, confirm the profile is not needed and check tools assigned to its ID.
- Delete only after preserving any instructions you may need.
Fields, controls, and important values
Section titled “Fields, controls, and important values”Managing several profiles is useful when different sites, audiences, or conversational styles need different instructions. Only the active profile guides normal responses, so activating the wrong one can change tone, scope, model, and welcome content immediately. Editing a local profile changes future runtime behavior; it does not create or update an OpenAI Assistants object.
| Field, control, or status | What SmartSite Assistant does with it | How to use it and why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Stored in ai_website_chat_openai_assistant_id and used for runtime configuration. | The active marker identifies the one local profile currently supplying the runtime model and instructions. Confirm it before troubleshooting tone or scope; editing an inactive profile will not change the next ordinary visitor response. |
| Activate | Switches the active local assistant profile. | Activation switches future conversations to the selected profile’s model, instructions, display name, and welcome content. The shared knowledge remains the same, so test both behavioral prompts and a known knowledge question after switching. |
| Edit | Updates the local profile; it does not modify an OpenAI Assistants API object. | Editing changes the saved local profile that WordPress uses at runtime; it does not update an OpenAI Assistants object. The effect reaches normal replies only when this profile is active and a new conversation uses the revised values. |
| Delete | Removes the local profile. Deleting the active profile also clears the active ID. | Pause before using “Delete”: identify which records, source, or status will disappear and whether the action can be reversed. Afterward, check both the admin screen and the visitor workflow instead of relying on the success notice alone. |
| Tool assistant assignment | A blank assignment applies to all assistants; a specific ID limits the tool to that profile. | The choice in “Tool assistant assignment” decides where this feature is available. It may affect who can ask the AI or which profile sees a tool, but it does not make the resulting answer safer unless the underlying operation also checks access. |
How to confirm it is working
Section titled “How to confirm it is working”Judge Edit, Activate, and Manage Multiple Assistants where its effect is actually consumed—by the administrator, visitor, model, or connected service. The expected result above is more useful than a green badge because it describes the behavior the configuration was meant to produce.
Practical example
Section titled “Practical example”Keep a tested production profile and a disabled candidate profile; activate the candidate only during a scheduled test window.
Recommended practice
Section titled “Recommended practice”- Change one part of Edit, Activate, and Manage Multiple Assistants at a time and keep a short record of the previous value and test result.
- Compare the same representative prompts before and after the edit so changes in tone, scope, and tool choice are visible.
Important warnings
Section titled “Important warnings”Common problems and focused checks
Section titled “Common problems and focused checks”| Problem | What to check and what to do next |
|---|---|
| Edit, Activate, and Manage Multiple Assistants is missing or does not match this guide. | Confirm the plugin is active and the account can manage WordPress options. Confirm which local profile is active before editing instructions or blaming the knowledge base. |
| A change on Edit, Activate, and Manage Multiple Assistants does not produce the expected result. | Keep the exact notice and test case, then review the browser console and WordPress/PHP log. Confirm which local profile is active before editing instructions or blaming the knowledge base. |
Screen reference
Section titled “Screen reference”- Capture
- Show two fictional assistant cards, one with the Active badge and the other with Activate/Edit controls.
- Show
- Assistant names, models, Active status, Activate, Edit, Delete
- Viewport
- Desktop, 1440 × 900
- Annotate
- Use numbered callouts only for controls referenced in the procedure.
- Redact
- OpenAI keys, tokens, secrets, personal information, private URLs, IP addresses, and conversation text