How to Tell Auto Agents Which Documents to Focus On in Eve

Last updated: March 10, 2026

Overview

This article shows you how to write agent instructions that tell Eve exactly which documents to focus on when an Auto Agent runs across multiple matters. When an Auto Agent runs automatically without user guidance, it needs explicit instructions about which documents to use as source material — otherwise Eve may pull from the wrong files or attempt to synthesize the entire matter. This guide applies to Chat Agents and Drafting Agents configured to run automatically.

Prerequisites

  • You must be a Firm Admin to create or edit Auto Agents

  • The agent must already be created or in the process of being configured

  • You should know which document types, folders, or time windows are relevant to the agent's purpose

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Specify the document type — In your agent instructions, explicitly state what kind of documents the agent should focus on. Use clear, consistent terminology that matches how documents are classified or named in your matters. For example: "focus on medical records," "analyze bills and invoices," "review adjuster correspondence," or "summarize court filings." Avoid vague instructions like "review relevant documents" — the agent needs to know what qualifies as relevant.

  2. Define recency if time matters — If the agent should prioritize recently uploaded documents, state this explicitly in the instructions. For example: "focus on documents uploaded in the last 7 days," "prioritize the most recent medical records," or "analyze only new correspondence since the last agent run." Without a recency filter, Eve may treat all documents equally regardless of when they were added.

  3. Reference folder or category names when applicable — If your firm uses consistent folder structures across matters, include the folder name in your instructions. For example: "documents in the Medical Records folder," "files uploaded to Discovery Received," or "correspondence stored in Insurance Communications." Folder names must match exactly — "DISCOVERY" will not match "Discovery Received." Check the folder naming conventions in your matters before writing the instruction.

  4. Explicitly exclude irrelevant document types — Tell the agent what to ignore to reduce noise and prevent incorrect analysis. For example: "do not include emails between plaintiff and our law firm," "exclude internal case notes," or "ignore billing records." This is especially important for agents that run frequently, as excluding irrelevant content improves output quality and reduces processing time.

  5. Combine document filters with trigger conditions for precision — Use your agent's "Additional Condition" condition to narrow which matters the agent evaluates, then use instructions to narrow which documents the agent reads within those matters. For example, an agent triggered "when new medical records are uploaded" with instructions to "summarize findings from newly uploaded medical records and flag any gaps in treatment" creates a focused workflow where both the trigger and the instructions reinforce the same intent.

  6. Test your instructions on sample matters — After writing your instructions, manually run the agent on 2–3 test matters to confirm it selects the correct documents. Review the agent's output to verify it focused on the intended source material. If the output includes irrelevant information or misses key documents, refine your instructions to be more specific about document type, folder location, or recency.

How Auto Agents Assemble Matter Context

When an Auto Agent runs on a matter, it assembles context dynamically based on three inputs: the agent's instructions, the trigger condition that caused it to run, and the available documents in the matter. The instructions you write are the primary signal that tells Eve which documents to prioritize. The trigger condition provides additional context about why the agent is running — for example, if the condition is "new medical records uploaded," Eve infers that medical records are the most relevant document type. Without specific instructions, Eve defaults to reviewing all documents in the matter, which often produces overly broad or unfocused output. Clear instructions replace the role a user would play when running an agent manually — they guide Eve's attention to the right information every time.