> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.spara.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.spara.com/build/channels/configuring.md).

# Configuring Channels

Every [Channels](/build/channels.md), whether [Chat](/build/channels/chat.md), [Email](/build/channels/email.md), [Phone](/build/channels/phone.md), [SMS](/build/channels/sms.md), or [Product Demo](/build/channels/product-demo.md), is built and run the same way. You write its instructions, give it abilities, test a draft, and publish when it's ready. The pages here cover those shared building blocks once, so each channel page can focus on what's specific to its channel.

<figure><img src="/files/TvcmJ7olkziAD4EStMAr" alt=""><figcaption><p>Every channel is built in the same split-screen editor: instructions on the left, testing on the right.</p></figcaption></figure>

| Building block                                                              | What it does                                                                                                          |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [AI Instructions](/build/channels/configuring/ai-instructions.md)           | The natural-language prompt that defines how the channel behaves.                                                     |
| [Abilities](/build/channels/configuring/abilities.md)                       | Tools the channel can use mid-conversation (calendar, transfer, media, and more).                                     |
| [Testing](/build/channels/configuring/testing.md)                           | A built-in interface and automated [Testing](/build/channels/configuring/testing.md#simulations) to validate a draft. |
| [Saving & Publishing](/build/channels/configuring/saving-and-publishing.md) | A private draft and a single live version per channel.                                                                |
| [A/B Testing](/build/channels/configuring/a-b-testing.md)                   | Duplicate a channel into variants and split traffic to optimize conversion.                                           |

Not every channel supports every ability. Chat and Phone have the richest toolsets, while Email and SMS operate on text alone. Each channel page covers what's specific to that channel.

## The lifecycle

The same loop applies to every channel:

1. **Write** its [AI Instructions](/build/channels/configuring/ai-instructions.md) and configure its [Abilities](/build/channels/configuring/abilities.md).
2. **Test** the draft in the built-in interface or with automated [Testing](/build/channels/configuring/testing.md), using [Ask Spara](/platform/ask-spara.md) to diagnose and refine.
3. **Publish** when you're satisfied. See [Saving & Publishing](/build/channels/configuring/saving-and-publishing.md). Leads only ever interact with the published version.
4. **Optimize** by running an [A/B Testing](/build/channels/configuring/a-b-testing.md) between variants.

## Ask Spara

The fastest way to build and refine a channel is with [Ask Spara](/platform/ask-spara.md), the AI assistant built into the platform. It opens in a panel right beside the editor, so you can get help without leaving your work.

While configuring a channel, use Ask Spara to:

* **Draft and rewrite instructions** — describe what you want the channel to do and let it write or revise the prompt for you.
* **Diagnose behavior** — ask why the agent replied a certain way in testing, or point it at a specific message to debug.
* **Audit the prompt** — check for gaps, conflicts, or missing scenarios before you publish.

Every suggested change appears as an **edit card** you review and apply to your draft, so nothing goes live until you publish. Spara recommends keeping Ask Spara open whenever you configure a channel — it turns prompt-writing from a blank-page problem into a conversation. See the full [Ask Spara](/platform/ask-spara.md) page for everything it can do across the platform.

## Knowledge and analytics

Two more things are shared by every channel, with no per-channel setup required:

* **Knowledge**: channels draw on your [Knowledge](/build/knowledge.md) base (scraped webpages, uploaded documents) to answer factual questions about your product.
* **Analytics**: every channel automatically tracks its conversion metrics in [Analytics](/pipeline/analytics.md).


---

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