Introduction
A prompt is the instruction you give Tolstoy AI. A clear prompt explains your goal, provides context, and describes the result you expect. Use this guide when creating content, building a widget, or refining an existing project.
Open the correct workspace and prepare the product information, media, and references relevant to your request. Available actions depend on the feature, your plan, and your permissions. Review every result before using or publishing it.
How to Set Up
1. Prepare a clear brief. Include these details. Add the widget-specific information only when it applies.
Goal and audience: what you want to achieve and who the result is for.
Context: the product, campaign, or existing project you are working on. Identify the project you want to update.
Source material: exact product details, media, reference images, or other information the AI should use.
Output: the required format, length, dimensions, aspect ratio, or layout.
Style: tone, brand colors, visual references, and exact wording.
Constraints: required details, things to avoid, and anything that must stay unchanged.
Success checks: what you will check to decide whether the result is correct.
For a widget, also provide the store domain, exact page URLs, precise placement, media source, desktop/mobile behavior, and expected click actions. For an existing widget, include its name, link, or ID. If you use multiple stores, identify the correct product catalog.
2. Use a relevant template when available. For widgets, open Widgets → Explore widgets and select a template.
The template is added to the chat prompt. Add your brief to the starter text before sending it.
Choose Carousel for a horizontal shoppable gallery, PDP Stories for circular product-page video thumbnails, Hero for a full-width muted autoplay video, or Custom JS Widget for a custom website layout. State any behavior you want to change from the template.
3. Use this general prompt framework. Replace the bracketed details before sending.
Help me [create or change something] for [audience and purpose]. Use [specific products, media, or reference material]. The context is [relevant background or existing project]. Deliver [format, length, dimensions, or layout] in [style or tone]. Include [required details] and avoid [constraints]. Keep [parts that must stay unchanged]. The result should pass these checks: [what must be correct]. Ask about missing information that affects the result. Show me the output and explain any limitations or remaining steps.
Example: product image
Create a product image using [reference image] for [campaign]. Use a warm neutral background and soft studio lighting. Keep the product shape, color, and packaging consistent with the reference. Use a 1:1 aspect ratio with space around the product. Do not add text. I will check the label, product proportions, and cropping before using it.
Example: homepage Carousel
Create a Carousel for [store URL], below the featured-products section. Use only [playlist name]. Title it “See it in action.” Show four portrait tiles on desktop and swipe navigation on mobile. Clicking a tile should open the shoppable player. Keep the heading and tiles within the page width. Show a preview and explain the remaining installation steps.
Example: product videos that stay current
Update [existing PDP Stories widget link/ID] for [store domain]. Use product-tagged media from [correct catalog] so newly tagged videos can be included automatically. Show media relevant to the current product page. Keep the circular Stories layout. Check [two product URLs] and explain the media source separately from the product-page filtering behavior.
Example: a custom collection-grid tile
Use Custom JS Widget to create one 9:16 tile with [exact video]. Place it after the fourth product on [collection URLs]. Match the grid spacing. On mobile, [desired position and width]. Clicking should [expected action]. Show the preview and identify the theme work needed to install it only on these pages.
4. Refine the result with specific feedback. Describe what is wrong, what you want instead, and what already works.
In [project or output], [specific issue] does not match my brief. Change it to [expected result]. Keep [approved parts] unchanged. Use [reference or screenshot] to guide the revision. Show the updated result so I can check [success criterion].
How to Publish
Complete the review checklist below first. When the result meets your brief, use the save, export, or publish controls available for the feature you are using. These steps vary by project type.
For widgets, follow the widget’s Publish and installation guide. Publishing a widget and adding it to the intended page can be separate steps. Confirm that you are installing the correct widget on the correct store and page.
On Shopify, check which pages share the theme template you edit. If the widget should appear only on selected pages, confirm the template assignment before saving changes. Open each live target URL after installation and test it on desktop and mobile. Resolve any plan or permission requirement shown in the UI.
Best Practices
Review all AI output against your brief.
Check facts, product details, exact wording, and links against your source material.
Confirm the required format, dimensions, tone, and brand style.
Look for placeholders, missing requirements, or unsupported claims.
For images and videos, inspect product appearance, labels, cropping, visual consistency, and unwanted elements.
Check that requested changes were made and approved parts stayed the same.
For widgets, also test the experience.
Confirm the store, catalog, pages, media source, and placement.
Check desktop and mobile spacing, readability, cropping, and overlap.
Test every tile, arrow, close control, product link, and shopping action included in the widget.
Confirm playback, sound, and controls match your request.
Check keyboard access, contrast, and captions where needed.
Test products with and without matching media, and newly tagged videos when automatic updates are required.
Repeat the important checks on the live site after installation.
Request one focused revision at a time. Include the project, exact symptom, expected result, and a reference when useful. Recheck the output after each revision. The AI’s summary is not a substitute for reviewing the actual result.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
What if the result does not match my request?
Identify the specific difference and provide a clear correction. Replace vague feedback such as “make it better” with the exact change you want. Include a reference, required format, and success check. Ask the AI to clarify any missing details instead of making assumptions.
Why are the wrong product videos showing?
For widgets, confirm the media source, correct store catalog, product tags, and current product-page context. A fixed manual selection does not automatically become a product-tagged source. If newly tagged videos should appear, request that source explicitly. Stores can have different product IDs even when product names match.
Why does the live widget differ from the preview?
Confirm the latest changes were saved and the required installation is complete. Check that the live page references the widget you edited. Review the exact page URL and Shopify template assignment; shared templates can make a widget appear on additional pages.
Can I rely on the AI’s confirmation that the work is complete?
Review the actual output against your requirements. Verify product details and claims against your sources. For widgets, test both the preview and the live site. A confirmation message does not prove that the content or installation is correct.
What should I send Support if I need help?
Include the project or widget link, your original prompt, expected and actual result, relevant product or media example, and a screenshot or recording. For a website issue, add the store domain, exact page URL, affected device, and whether it occurs in the preview, on the live site, or both.