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

> ## Agent Instructions
> Praesia is in closed beta. Cards work in the sandbox with test funds, and no real money moves. To use Praesia, you need an invite. To request an invite, open https://praesia.ai/contact.

# Mandates: spending rules for AI agents

> Turn what you want your agent to buy into rules it can follow.

A mandate is a short text in your own words, and it holds whatever rules you want your agent to follow: which merchants, which products, which conditions, which limits. Praesia approves or refuses each purchase against your mandates.

Each mandate has a short title, and its text is always in English, whatever language you use with your agent. Your agent can also pay anyone: "You pay any merchant, up to \$300 a month."

## Write it with your agent

You don't write the text alone. Ask your agent for a mandate, answer its three questions, and open the approval link when you agree with the draft.

Once you've approved with your passkey, tell your agent. It reads its status and tells you whether it can pay.

## Examples

> [tab] Hotels
>
> > You pay hotels at booking.com: 4-star only, with a swimming pool, no balcony, max \$200 a night, up to \$500 a month.
>
> A 4-star hotel with a pool at \$180 a night fits. A 3-star hotel, or a room with a balcony, doesn't.

> [tab] Laptops
>
> > You pay computer shops: at least 16 GB of memory, with a backlit keyboard, up to \$1,400 in total.
>
> A 32 GB laptop with a backlit keyboard at \$1,200 fits. An 8 GB model doesn't.

> [tab] Train tickets
>
> > You pay train operators: second class only, max \$150 per ticket, up to \$400 a month.
>
> A \$90 second-class ticket fits. A first-class seat doesn't, whatever its price.

> [tab] Software
>
> > You pay software and cloud services: only compute, AI APIs and developer tools, no hardware, up to \$500 a month.
>
> A \$40 monthly API plan fits. A \$300 graphics card doesn't.

> [tab] Office supplies
>
> > You pay office suppliers: recycled paper only, no plastic, max \$40 per order, up to \$300 a month.
>
> A \$25 box of recycled paper fits. A pack of plastic folders doesn't.

For a mandate that works with test funds, see [Sandbox](https://docs.praesia.ai/sandbox.md).

## Write objective rules

Write each rule as one fact that a product page or a checkout page can show. If a rule is too vague, Praesia refuses the draft before you approve it, and your agent asks you what you meant.

| Instead of | Write |
| - | - |
| a nice view | with a sea view |
| near the beach | at most 500 m from the beach |
| good battery life | at least 10 hours of battery life |
| under \$150 per ticket | max \$150 per ticket |

## Set the budgets

Praesia has two kinds of budget, and a purchase must fit both.

| Budget | What it limits | Can you change it? |
| - | - | - |
| Mandate budget | Spending under one mandate | Yes, by changing the mandate |
| Agent budget | Everything the agent spends, across all its mandates | Not yet, coming soon |

Each budget runs for a day, a week, a month, a year or in total. A total never renews.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Your first agent budget matches the budget of your first mandate, unless you ask for another amount. Check it before you approve, because you can't change it yet.

The lower limit always applies. A mandate may allow \$600 per booking, but with an agent budget of \$300 a month, Praesia refuses a \$450 hotel.

## Change or add a mandate

Ask your agent. It picks the right path and gives you a new approval link.

| You want | What your agent does | Example |
| - | - | - |
| A new rule or budget for the same need | Changes the mandate and keeps its other rules | "Raise the Travel budget to \$1,200." |
| Something no mandate covers | Interviews you for a new mandate | Shoes, when your agent only follows Travel |

The old mandate stays in force until you approve the new one. Each new draft ends the previous approval link.

To give a kind of purchase its own agent, ask your agent, for example "Create a new agent for office supplies".

## Next steps

> [card] [Sandbox](https://docs.praesia.ai/sandbox.md)
>
> Test a mandate with test funds.

> [card] [Tools](https://docs.praesia.ai/tools.md)
>
> See what your agent can do.


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