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

# When the assistant cannot help

> Know what to do when the AI Assistant refuses a request, shows an error, or gives an answer you should not trust.

## What you will accomplish

You will recognize when the AI Assistant is **not** the right tool—and what to do next so the customer still gets accurate help.

The assistant is powerful for lookups and drafts. It is **not** allowed to make risky changes to money, contracts, or deleted records on its own.

## When to use this guide

Use this guide when:

* The assistant says it **cannot** complete your request.
* You asked about voiding invoices, refunds, or contract changes and got a cautious answer.
* The answer looks incomplete, wrong, or unlike your facility's policies.
* **AI Assistant** is missing from the sidebar entirely.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/JR8mbbyqpigpoy1I/images/ai-assistant/ai-assistant-cannot-help-response.webp?fit=max&auto=format&n=JR8mbbyqpigpoy1I&q=85&s=59c85c9b7400183c7af75e2b2ff5ba29" alt="AI Assistant explaining that sensitive billing actions should be done on the Payments page instead" width="1440" height="900" data-path="images/ai-assistant/ai-assistant-cannot-help-response.webp" />
</Frame>

*For sensitive work—voids, refunds, contract changes—the assistant may explain why it cannot complete the action, or tell you there is nothing to change. Open [Payments](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments) or the record page to finish the job safely.*

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/JR8mbbyqpigpoy1I/images/ai-assistant/ai-assistant-permission-denied.webp?fit=max&auto=format&n=JR8mbbyqpigpoy1I&q=85&s=7bc04e021c0cd7c479eb0db73e1b0b85" alt="AI Assistant refusing to void invoices and explaining that Alex Morgan has no open invoices to void" width="1440" height="900" data-path="images/ai-assistant/ai-assistant-permission-denied.webp" />
</Frame>

*When you ask for a sensitive billing action, the assistant may stop and explain why—such as **no open invoices** to void. That is a safety answer, not a broken feature. Open [Payments > Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices) yourself to finish the job.*

<Note>
  **No open invoices is not the same as permission denied**

  If you ask to void invoices and the assistant says the customer has **no open invoices**, that is an answer—not a broken feature. Open [Payments > Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices) to confirm before you tell the caller.
</Note>

## Jobs the assistant is not meant to do

Use the dashboard directly for these tasks:

<Info>
  | Task | Use this instead |
  | - | - |
  | Void or refund an invoice | [Payments](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments) — open the invoice and follow your facility's process |
  | Change payment methods or run a card | [Payments](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments) or the customer's billing record |
  | Delete a customer, car, or contract | The relevant record page—with manager approval |
  | Sign or void a contract | [Contracts](/docs/contracts/overview) workflows |
  | Send a message to a customer | [Inbox](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/inbox) — see [From AI draft to customer message](/docs/ai-assistant/from-ai-draft-to-customer-message) |
  | Change team permissions | [Settings > Team](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/team) |
</Info>

<Note>
  **This is a safety feature**

  When the assistant refuses sensitive work, it is protecting your facility from accidental billing or legal mistakes—not failing on purpose.
</Note>

## What to do step by step

<Steps>
  <Step title="Pause and read the message">
    The assistant often explains **why** it stopped—for example, missing permission, no matching records, or a sensitive action.

    **Expected result:** You understand whether this is a safety limit, a permissions issue, or simply nothing to change.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the official record">
    Go to [Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts), [Cars](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/cars), [Schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/schedule), or [Payments](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments) and complete the task the normal way.

    **Why this matters:** The dashboard page is always the source of truth. The assistant points you there on purpose.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ask a manager when unsure">
    If the request involves money, legal language, or an angry customer, involve a manager before you promise anything.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Try a simpler assistant question">
    Lookups usually work when destructive actions do not. Example: **Show me open invoices for Alex Morgan** (then open each invoice yourself)—not **Void all invoices for Alex Morgan**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  **Use the quick fallback map below**

  When the assistant cannot finish a job, jump straight to the matching dashboard page. You do not need to keep chatting—the links below are faster.
</Tip>

## iMessage limits

If your facility uses a team group chat, remember:

* The assistant replies with **short text messages**—not proposal cards you can review before saving.
* Creating customers, cars, or appointments still happens on [AI Assistant](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/agent) in the dashboard.
* If a group is **paused**, questions will not get replies until an admin clicks **Resume** on [Settings > AI Agent](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/ai-agent).

## If the assistant cannot find a record

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add spelling detail">
    Type the full name, email, phone, VIN, or license plate.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Search manually">
    Open [Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts) or [Cars](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/cars) and use the search bar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check for duplicates">
    Your facility may have two similar names. See [Handle duplicate or merged customer records](/docs/contacts/handle-duplicate-or-merged-customer-records).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## If you see a permission error

The assistant names the area you cannot access—such as Payments or Schedule.

1. Try opening that page from the sidebar.
2. If the page is blocked, ask a manager to update your permissions. See [Who can use the AI Assistant](/docs/ai-assistant/who-can-use-the-ai-assistant).
3. Do not use someone else's login.

## If AI Assistant is missing from the sidebar

* Confirm you signed in with a **staff** account (not a customer portal login).
* Ask a manager to enable **AI Assistant** on your [Team](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/team) permissions.
* Refresh the page or sign out and back in after permissions change.

## If the answer looks wrong but no error appeared

<Info>
  **Slow down.** Treat the answer as a hint, not a fact.

  1. Open the record in the dashboard.
  2. Compare names, dates, and amounts.
  3. Start **New Chat** and ask again with more detail—or skip the assistant for this task.
</Info>

<Warning>
  **Money and contracts need extra care**

  Never tell a customer an invoice total, contract status, or refund amount based only on the assistant. Open the official record every time.
</Warning>

## When the system seems slow or stuck

<Steps>
  <Step title="Wait for Thinking... to finish">
    Complex questions can take longer. You may see **Thinking...** or bouncing dots below the assistant icon.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/JR8mbbyqpigpoy1I/images/ai-assistant/ai-assistant-thinking-stop.webp?fit=max&auto=format&n=JR8mbbyqpigpoy1I&q=85&s=4d52e8052ef8343ffa061f7bdd920994" alt="AI Assistant chat showing Thinking status with a stop button while searching records" width="1440" height="900" data-path="images/ai-assistant/ai-assistant-thinking-stop.webp" />
    </Frame>

    *While the assistant works, you may see **Thinking...** and a **stop** button. Wait a few seconds before you try again—especially during customer lookups.*

    See [Fix voice and microphone problems](/docs/ai-assistant/fix-voice-and-microphone-problems) to use the stop button or switch to typing.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Refresh the page">
    If the page froze, refresh the browser and open [AI Assistant](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/agent) again. Your past chats should still appear in the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use the dashboard without the assistant">
    You can always complete work manually. The assistant is optional.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Open the official page when the assistant points you there

Sometimes the assistant summarizes an answer but tells you to finish on a dashboard page—for example, after a billing lookup.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click Go now when you see it">
    On some answers, a **Go now** bar appears at the bottom of the chat. Click it to open the matching record.

    See [Use the assistant during a customer call](/docs/ai-assistant/use-the-assistant-during-a-customer-call) for an example with customer cards.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Or open the page yourself">
    Go to [Payments > Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices), [Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts), or the area named in the assistant's message.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/JR8mbbyqpigpoy1I/images/ai-assistant/ai-assistant-payments-invoices-fallback.webp?fit=max&auto=format&n=JR8mbbyqpigpoy1I&q=85&s=87830fb6af07fab184b99ebfaf396bf1" alt="Payments Invoices page showing the invoice list with status filters" width="1440" height="900" data-path="images/ai-assistant/ai-assistant-payments-invoices-fallback.webp" />
    </Frame>

    *For money questions, [Payments > Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices) is the source of truth. Compare totals, line items, and status badges here before you tell a customer what they owe.*

    **Expected result:** You see the full invoice with taxes, send history, and the exact status—not just the chat summary.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Quick fallback map

| I needed… | Go here instead |
| - | - |
| Customer phone or email | [Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts) |
| Vehicle location or VIN | [Cars](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/cars) |
| Appointment time | [Schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/schedule) |
| Open parking spots | [Parking Spots](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/parking-spots) |
| Send a text or email | [Inbox](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/inbox) |
| Invoice or payment | [Payments](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments) |

## What to do next

* [Who can use the AI Assistant](/docs/ai-assistant/who-can-use-the-ai-assistant) — fix missing access.
* [Use the AI Assistant](/docs/ai-assistant/use-the-ai-assistant) — return to everyday lookups when the issue is resolved.
* [Inbox overview](/docs/inbox/overview) — when the next step is customer communication.


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