Documentation page
AI assistant
Fill forms, find work, change the chat layout, and understand every assistant control
The AI assistant helps you fill forms and move around Tradie Forms on a paid plan. Give it job notes in plain language, attach a clear photo or file, dictate your notes, or choose one of the suggested jobs.
While a form is open, the same assistant appears as Fill with AI. It can fill matching fields, explain a section, find missing details, apply saved information, and help prepare the form for preview or download.

Open the assistant
You can open it in three ways:
- Select the sparkle button in the app header from any app page
- Select Fill with AI in the form toolbar while filling a supported form
- Press Command + I on a Mac or Ctrl + I on Windows
The header assistant can find templates, drafts, completed forms, saved details, and app pages. Open it from a form when you want it to read or update that form.
Closing the panel does not clear the conversation. After you have sent a message, use the New chat icon to clear that conversation and start again.
Change the layout
While filling a form on a larger screen, choose:
| Layout | Best for |
|---|---|
| Floating | Keeping the form wide and moving between chat and fields |
| Sidebar | Keeping the assistant visible beside the form while you work |
On a phone, the assistant always opens as a floating panel.
To change the current layout, select the side panel icon or floating panel icon at the top of the assistant.
To set the layout used next time, open Settings -> Features and change Chat display.

Resize or move it
- In Floating layout, select the expand icon to cycle through Compact, Medium, and Expanded sizes. The expanded icon changes to a shrink icon .
- In Sidebar layout, select the left alignment icon or right alignment icon to move the assistant to the other side.
- Tradie Forms remembers the floating size and sidebar side in that browser.
What each icon does
Hover over an icon on desktop to see its name.
Along the top
| Icon | What it does |
|---|---|
| Side panel / floating panel | Switches the chat layout while a form is open |
| Expand / shrink | Cycles the floating panel through Compact, Medium, and Expanded |
| Align left / right | Moves a sidebar chat to the other side |
| Information | Explains what AI processes and reminds you to check its work |
| New chat | Appears after the conversation starts; clears it and opens a fresh chat |
| Close | Closes the panel and stops a reply that is still being generated |
In the message box
| Icon | What it does |
|---|---|
| Photo with plus | Adds one photo or a supported small file |
| Microphone | Starts dictation; select the stop square when you have finished speaking |
| Arrow | Sends your message |
| Stop square | Stops the assistant while it is working on a reply |
On messages
| Icon | What it does |
|---|---|
| Edit | Edits and resends a message you sent |
| Copy | Copies an assistant reply |
| Retry | Asks the assistant to answer again and creates another version |
| Previous / next | Appears when a reply has more than one version; moves between them |
| Helpful / not helpful | Sends feedback about an assistant reply |
What it can do anywhere in the app
- Search the template library and help start a form
- Find and open recent drafts or completed forms
- Open app pages such as Templates or Saved details
- Find saved details and supported customer or site records
- Look up an ABN when enough information is provided
- Search these user docs when you ask how something works
- Explain your current plan and available account features
The assistant only works inside Tradie Forms. It is not a general-purpose advice service.
What it can do on a form
- Fill or change supported text, dates, choices, and checkboxes
- Split a name or address across the matching form fields
- Read what is already filled and tell you what still needs attention
- Open a section, focus a field, and explain what the field is asking for
- Review missing, invalid, or suspicious values
- Apply saved details or a form preset
- Find a connected ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero job and import supported details
- Read visible text from an attached photo or supported small file
- Check whether the form is ready to preview or download
- Start a PDF download after showing you a confirmation
- Help save current details for next time after showing you a confirmation
- Open secure share-link settings for a saved form after showing you a confirmation
- Clear the form only after you explicitly ask and confirm
When Auto-apply saved details and jobs is on in Settings, those two actions apply immediately. Turn it off if you want a confirmation in chat first.
What it cannot do
- Add or draw signatures
- Add photos or diagrams to the form's own photo or drawing fields
- Invent a licence number, test result, address, date, or other missing fact
- Confirm that real-world work or information is correct
- Decide whether work complies
- Lodge, email, certify, or submit a form for you
- Guarantee that an AI reading of a photo or note is accurate
A good way to fill a form
Give it the job details
Paste or dictate the notes you already have. Include the customer, site, work, dates, readings, and results that should go on the form.
Let it update the supported fields
The assistant fills the fields it can match. If something is unclear, it may ask one short follow-up question.
Check what changed
Scan the filled sections. Ask What's already filled? or What's missing? when you need a quick summary.
Finish the manual parts
Add signatures, form photos, diagrams, and any details the assistant could not confirm.
Check the PDF
Select Check form, then use Review and Preview before downloading or sharing the PDF.
Prompts that work well
Give it the same concrete notes you would give an office admin:
Customer is Jordan Lee, 0412 345 678. Job was at 12 High Street, Ballarat. Service date was 28/07/2026. Replaced the damaged cover and tested the unit. Main device passed.You can also ask:
- "Fill the customer and service sections from these notes"
- "Use my saved contractor details"
- "Show me presets for this form"
- "Find job 1842 in ServiceM8 and import it"
- "Take me to the test results section"
- "Why is this field still marked incomplete?"
- "Review this form and tell me what needs attention"
- "What have I already filled in?"
- "Change the service date to 28/07/2026"
- "Is this ready to preview?"
Be specific when correcting something:
Change the Client Name to Jordan Lee. Leave the Business section as it is.Quick commands
Type / in the message box to open a list of commands. Available commands depend on whether a form is open.
Common commands include:
- Search templates
- Find drafts or completed forms
- Review form
- Explain section
- Apply saved details
- Import job
- Check download readiness
- Clear form
Selecting a command sends the matching request for you. Actions that replace or clear information still show a confirmation where required.
Photos, files, and pasted content
Use the photo/file icon for a job card, equipment label, meter photo, handwritten note, or small data file.
- Photos work best when text is close, upright, well lit, and in focus
- You can send one photo per message
- You can send one PDF per message, up to 3 MB and 20 pages
- Supported photos include JPEG, PNG, and WebP
- Supported small files include PDF, plain text, Markdown, CSV, and JSON
- Camera photos are resized before sending
- You can also paste an image or text into the message box
The assistant may show the values it read and how confident it is before applying uncertain details. Check serial numbers, dates, readings, names, and addresses carefully.
If a file is blocked, use a closer crop, send a smaller file, or type the important values into the message.
Voice dictation
Select the microphone , speak your notes, then select the stop square . Review the transcript in the message box before sending it with the arrow .
Your browser must have microphone permission. If dictation does not start, allow microphone access for Tradie Forms or type the notes instead.
Saved details, presets, and connected jobs
Ask the assistant to list available items before applying them when you are unsure which one you need:
- "Show my saved business details"
- "List presets for this form"
- "Show jobs I can import from Fergus"
Saved details fill the matching reusable fields. Presets replace the current form values after confirmation. Connected job imports use the mapping saved for that connection where available.
Always update job-specific details such as the customer, address, dates, readings, serial numbers, and work performed.
What the assistant can see
While you chat, the assistant can receive:
- The current form and answers already entered
- The section you are working near
- Messages and attachments you send
- Voice audio while it is being transcribed
- Saved details, presets, and connected job information when you ask it to use them
That information is processed by our AI provider to respond and suggest form updates. Do not send information you are not comfortable sharing for that purpose.
Select the information icon in the panel for the in-app reminder. Turning the assistant off under Settings -> Features hides the launcher and Fill with AI, and blocks assistant requests for your account.
If something goes wrong
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Upgrade required | Sign in on a paid plan |
| Button missing | Check that the AI assistant is enabled under Settings -> Features and that you are signed in |
| Wrong field changed | Name the exact field and correct value, or edit it directly on the form |
| It misunderstood several details | Start a New chat and send shorter, clearly labelled notes |
| Attachment blocked | Try a smaller JPEG, PNG, WebP, text, Markdown, CSV, or JSON file |
| Photo read incorrectly | Send a closer, clearer crop and provide the correct value in text |
| Microphone blocked | Allow microphone permission for the site, then try again |
| Assistant is still working | Select the stop square , then resend a shorter request |
| Too many requests | Wait briefly and try again |
Completing a form
Use sections, field checks, review, autosave, saved details, and toolbar actions
PDF downloads
Preview, download, regenerate, store, and send completed form PDFs