Credia Plus Custom Rules - Best Practices

Overview

Credia's Custom Rules allow you to personalize AI-generated content in Re-Leased by defining specific instructions and examples. This feature helps ensure AI-generated text matches your preferred style, tone, and format for different types of generated copy. 

See Credia Custom Rules for more details on setting these up. 

The Basics

• One active rule per type - Only one rule can be active for each category at a time

• Two parts - Custom Instructions (required) + Examples (optional but powerful)

• Instant application - Once activated, Credia automatically uses your rule

The Two Components

1. Custom Instructions (Required)

Clear directions telling AI what to do or avoid.

Good Examples:

• ✅ "Always mention the property address at the start"

• ✅ "Use Australian English spelling (e.g., organisation, not organization)"

• ✅ "Keep tone professional but friendly"

• ✅ "Include urgency level (Low/Medium/High) in the first sentence"

Avoid:

• ❌ "Make it good" (too vague)

• ❌ Writing a full example instead of instructions

• ❌ Contradictory requirements

2. Writing Style Examples (Optional)

Real examples of how you want things written. AI learns your writing style from these.

When to Add Examples:

• ✅ You have a specific writing style or format

• ✅ Your descriptions follow a template

• ✅ You have 3-5 good examples to share

When to Skip Examples:

• If you just need simple rules ("be brief", "mention property address")

• If your style varies by situation

• If you don't have consistent examples yet

Prompts & Examples

Insurance notes:

AI Has Access To:

Start with policy number and insurer. List coverage types and amounts. Mention exclusions. Include dates.

Example:

Policy ABC-12345, ACME Insurance Co. Public Liability $20M, Building Insurance $5M, Contents $500K. Flood damage excluded. Natural disaster excess $10K. Policy period: 1 Jan 2024 - 31 Dec 2024. Premium $8,450 annually, paid in full.

Maintenance notes:

AI Has Access To:

Prompt: Urgency-First Format

Start with urgency level [Low/Medium/High], then describe issue, location, and safety concerns. Keep under 100 words.

Example:

High. Broken hot water system at 123 Main St, Unit 4. Tenant reports no hot water for 48 hours. System appears to be leaking from pressure valve. Immediate attention required to prevent water damage to carpet.

Prompt: Property-First Format

Start with property address, then unit number if applicable. Describe the problem clearly for contractors.

Example:

78 Pine Road, Unit 12 - Ceiling fan in master bedroom making loud grinding noise. Tenant reports sound started 3 days ago and is progressively worsening. Tenant works from home, available any weekday.

Draft email:

AI Has Access To:

Use formal Australian English. Start with "Dear [Name]," and end with "Kind regards,". Use "organisation" not "organization", "centre" not "center".

Example:

Dear Ms Johnson,

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the property at 15 Beach Road.

We have reviewed your maintenance request and have scheduled a contractor to inspect the air conditioning system on Thursday, 14 March at 2:00pm. Please ensure someone is available to provide access.

If this time is not suitable, please contact our office to arrange an alternative appointment.

Kind regards,
[Name]
Property Manager

Prompt: Friendly Conversational Style

Keep tone warm and approachable. Use contractions (we'll, you're) and start with "Hi [Name]". End with "Thanks," or "Cheers,".

Example:

Hi Sarah,

Thanks for reaching out! We've received your maintenance request about the leaking tap in the ensuite.

I've booked our plumber to come by this Friday morning between 9-11am. They'll give you a call 30 minutes before arriving. The repair should only take about an hour.

Let me know if Friday doesn't work for you and we'll find another time.

Thanks,
Michael

Document Description:

AI Has Access To:

Identify document type first. Summarize key information: dates, parties, amounts, or findings.

Example:

Plumbing Invoice - Anderson Plumbing Services, dated 15 Jan 2024. Emergency repair of burst pipe at 78 High St. Labour $450, parts $180, total $630 inc GST. Marked as paid via EFT 18 Jan 2024.

Compliance description:

AI Has Access To:

State compliance type and property address. Include certificate number, dates, and pass/fail status.

Example:

Smoke Alarm Compliance Certificate - 156 Valley Rd, Cert #SA-9921. Inspected 5 Mar 2024 by SafeCheck Australia. Status: Pass. All 10 smoke alarms tested and compliant with AS3786. Certificate valid until 5 Mar 2025. Next inspection due Feb 2025.

Notes:

AI Has Access To:

Write in third person. Start with main point or action required. Include dates and deadlines. 3-4 sentences maximum.

Example:

Tenant reported heating system malfunction on 12 Jan 2024. Property manager scheduled emergency repair for 13 Jan with Anderson HVAC. Tenant confirmed available for access 8am-12pm. Follow-up required after repair to confirm system working correctly.

Reminders:

AI Has Access To:

Start with the timeframe (Today/Tomorrow/This Week). State what needs to be done and why. Include reference numbers.

Example:

Tomorrow - Lease renewal documents due for 45 Smith St, Unit 3 (Lease #8821). Tenant has indicated intention to renew. Send renewal paperwork before current lease expires on 31 March.

Expense Invoice Descriptions:

This guide gives you example prompts for each of the three supported invoice types - Water Rates, Council Rates, and Strata. It explains what makes a prompt effective and how to refine it if the output is not quite right.

A strong prompt does three things clearly:

• Tells Credia WHERE on the invoice to find the information (the section name or label it should look for).
• Tells Credia what FORMAT that information appears in on the invoice.
• Tells Credia how to TRANSFORM or REFORMAT it in the output description.

The more specific you are, the more consistently accurate the result. Vague prompts like "include the date" leave too much room for Credia to guess - and it may guess wrong.

Optional but recommended: Use the Example field when setting up your rule. Providing a concrete example of what the final description should look like gives Credia an anchor to work from and significantly improves accuracy.

Water Rates Invoice Type

Water rate invoices often include a billing period tied to a specific charge category (such as Fixed Charges or Usage Charges). The date format on the invoice may not match your preferred output format, so it is important to tell Credia both what it will see and what you want it to produce.

Prompt:

Example:

Look for the date range linked to "Fixed charges". It will appear in a format like "01 Nov 25 to 28 Feb 26". Reformat this as "Water Rates DD/MM/YYYY - DD/MM/YYYY" using the same dates shown on the invoice.

Example output: Water Rates 01/11/2025 - 28/02/2026

Council Rates Invoice Type:

Council rate invoices typically show a rating period (usually quarterly), a property address, and sometimes a rate category. Credia needs to know where the address and period appear on the invoice, and in what format, to construct a reliable description.

Prompt:

Example:

Start the description with "Council rates for" followed by the full property address as shown on the invoice. Then include the rating period. The period will appear under a heading such as "Rate period" or "Instalment period" in a format like "1 October 2025 to 31 December 2025". Reformat this as "DD/MM/YYYY - DD/MM/YYYY".

Example output: Council rates for 1 Bowmont Lane, Hawthorn VIC 3122, 01/10/2025 - 31/12/2025

Strata Invoice Type:

Strata invoices vary more than other invoice types. They typically include a strata plan number, a levy period, and sometimes a lot number. The plan number format can differ between strata managers, so it is important to describe exactly how it appears on your invoices.

Prompt:

Example:

Start the description with "Strata levy for". Find the strata plan number - it will appear as "SP" followed by a number, e.g. "SP 6078". Include it exactly as shown. Then find the levy period. It will appear in a format like "1 November 2025 to 31 January 2026". Reformat this as the month and year only, e.g. "November 2025 - January 2026".

Example output: Strata levy for SP 6078, November 2025 - January 2026

Refining your Invoice description prompt if results are not accurate

If Credia generates a description that is incorrect or inconsistent, the most effective fix is to make your prompt more specific. Ask yourself:

• Did I name the specific section or label on the invoice where the data appears?
• Did I describe the exact format the data appears in on the invoice (not just the format I want in the output)?
• Did I provide an example of what the final description should look like?

More than one invoice style for the same invoice type?

The scenario: Two councils. Same invoice type, different layouts.

• Council A shows the period as: 1 October 2025 to 31 December 2025 under the label "Rate period"
• Council B shows the period as: Q1 Oct-Dec 2025 under the label "Instalment"

Prompt example:

This rule applies to council rate invoices from two different suppliers.

For invoices from City of Melbourne: look for the label "Rate period". The dates will appear in a format like "1 October 2025 to 31 December 2025". Reformat as "Council rates for [property address as shown on invoice], DD/MM/YYYY - DD/MM/YYYY".

For invoices from Boroondara City Council: look for the label "Instalment". The period will appear in a format like "Q1 Oct-Dec 2025". Convert this to the first and last day of the quarter and reformat as "Council rates for [property address as shown on invoice], DD/MM/YYYY - DD/MM/YYYY".

In both cases, use the property address shown at the top of the invoice, not the postal address.

Example output (Supplier A): Council rates for 1 Bowmont Lane, Hawthorn VIC 3122, 01/10/2025 - 31/12/2025

Example output (Supplier B): Council rates for 14 Toorak Road, Camberwell VIC 3124, 01/10/2025 - 31/12/2025

Note: Credia Custom Rules for Invoice Descriptions is currently in Beta. Results may vary depending on invoice layout and the structure of your prompt. We recommend checking descriptions after processing until you have confirmed the rule is working consistently.