SIMCOAI Docs
SIMCOAI operating manual

Set up, test and operate your AI front desk.

Use this documentation to configure business knowledge, AI calls, orders, refunds, bookings, escalations, phone numbers, API keys and launch operations.

Start setup Use the API
SIMCOAI / Overview

Quick start

Launch checklist for a new business account

  1. Create or sign in to the dashboard.Use the account email that will own the SIMCOAI workspace.
  2. Choose a plan.Starter covers AI chat and core customer support. Growth adds phone reception, Setup AI, bookings and memory. Pro adds advanced automation, analytics and higher limits.
  3. Complete business profile.Add business name, industry, support email, opening hours, service areas and customer-facing policies.
  4. Add knowledge.Import FAQs, services, prices, policies, refund rules, booking rules and escalation instructions.
  5. Test AI responses.Use AI testing and Setup AI before exposing SIMCOAI to customers.
  6. Connect channels.Create an API key for website chat or request a phone number for AI calls.
Do not put secret API keys into public browser JavaScript. Use your own backend or a protected server-side integration.
Core concepts

How SIMCOAI is organised

Business context

Profile, hours, services, locations, policies and approved knowledge define what the AI is allowed to say.

Customer operations

Orders, refunds, bookings, escalations, conversations and calls are structured records, not loose chat transcripts.

Permissions

Reading, writing, escalating, approving and payment execution are separate controls. Sensitive actions stay explicit.

Dashboard overview

The dashboard is the operating centre

The dashboard shows live status, customer inboxes, AI testing, analytics, company settings, AI configuration, call settings, Setup AI, knowledge, orders, memory, call logs, phone numbers, team members, API keys, notifications, billing and security.

Recommended order

Set business profile first, then knowledge, then AI settings, then test, then connect phone/API channels.

Business profile

Tell SIMCOAI what business it represents

Add the business name, business type, support email, phone, website, registered address, opening hours, locations, service areas and customer-facing tone.

  • Use the real customer support email, not a personal email.
  • Write opening hours in a clear weekly format.
  • Separate public answer content from internal-only notes.
  • Keep refund, booking and escalation rules explicit.
Setup AI

Use Setup AI to create a first configuration

Setup AI is available on Growth and Pro. It asks structured questions, drafts business context and can generate knowledge entries. Review every generated setting before applying it.

Good setup prompt

We are a dental practice in Burgess Hill.
We take appointment calls, new patient questions,
emergency dental enquiries and hygiene bookings.
Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9-5.
Escalate pain, bleeding, complaints and legal threats.
Knowledge base

Approved answers power reliable AI responses

Knowledge articles should be short, factual and customer-safe. Add one topic per article: opening hours, refund policy, delivery policy, appointment rules, pricing, services, complaints, contact routing and emergency handling.

Good article

Title: Emergency dental appointment policy
Content: Patients with severe pain, swelling or bleeding should call the practice. SIMCOAI should capture name, phone and symptoms, then escalate immediately.

Avoid

Do not paste huge unstructured documents, private notes, passwords, medical advice beyond policy, or promises that the business cannot fulfil.

AI receptionist calls

Configure calls for speed, interruption and escalation

Call settings control greeting, voice, language, fallback email, escalation behaviour and response boundaries. Keep call answers short. Human callers should always be able to interrupt the AI.

  • Use a concise greeting: business name, how SIMCOAI can help, ask one question.
  • Escalate complaints, emergencies, legal threats, refund disputes and anything outside policy.
  • Review call logs weekly during launch.
Phone numbers and compliance

Provision numbers with traceability

SIMCOAI supports number search, request workflows, slot limits and downstream KYC tracking. If using a SIMCOAI ISV bundle, keep a clear log of which business uses each number.

Number rules

  • Deleting a number reserves its slot until the subscription renews.
  • Only allow number deletion once per month.
  • Store company name, address, website, support email and KYC status.
  • Outbound calling needs stricter monitoring and abuse controls.
Orders and refunds

Turn support requests into controlled records

Orders let SIMCOAI answer customer status questions. Refunds should verify identity by sending a code to the customer email before marking an order as refunded in the orders section.

Order fields

Order number, customer name, customer email, total, status, notes and timestamps.

Refund controls

Verify customer email, collect reason, apply policy, mark order as refunded. Do not advertise automatic Stripe refunds unless explicitly enabled later.

Bookings and escalations

Capture the details a human team needs

Bookings collect preferred service, date, time, customer contact details and notes. Escalations capture urgent or sensitive issues that should not be handled fully by automation.

Booking minimum

Name, phone/email, service, preferred date/time, location and special requirements.

Escalation minimum

Customer details, summary, urgency, reason, source channel and recommended next action.

SIMCOAI API

Use API keys for website chat and integrations

Create API keys in the dashboard under SIMCOAI API. Use the scope presets. For website chat testing, include read, chat, conversations, knowledge and events.

Example request

curl https://api.simcoai.co.uk/v1/me \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_simco_live_REPLACE_ME"

Core endpoints

  • GET /v1/me requires read
  • POST /v1/chat requires chat
  • POST /v1/conversations requires conversations
  • GET /v1/orders requires orders:read
Security

Keep secrets server-side and actions scoped

  • Store API secrets in server environment variables only.
  • Rotate keys if exposed.
  • Use separate keys for website chat, support forms and internal tools.
  • Use the minimum scopes needed.
  • Keep RLS enabled on public Supabase tables.
  • Do not expose service-role keys to browsers.
Billing

Plans control limits and available features

Starter

AI chat, knowledge, orders, refund requests, basic analytics and API access.

Growth

Setup AI, phone receptionist, one number, memory, bookings, escalations and automations.

Pro

Higher API limits, five numbers, advanced analytics, advanced automation, unlimited knowledge and priority support.

Deployment

Live hosting layout

Keep the docs isolated from the API and dashboard. The docs site is static and should live in its own VPS directory with its own Nginx server block.

  • Public website: Fasthosts web hosting htdocs.
  • Docs site: Linux VPS /var/www/docs.simcoai.co.uk/public.
  • Docs Nginx config: /etc/nginx/sites-available/docs.simcoai.co.uk.
  • Docs logs: /var/log/nginx/docs.simcoai.co.uk.access.log and /var/log/nginx/docs.simcoai.co.uk.error.log.
  • Backend API: Linux VPS /root/simco.
  • Dashboard: Linux VPS /var/www/dashboard.

Install docs on the VPS

mkdir -p /tmp/simcoai-docs
unzip SIMCOAI_DOCS_SITE_VPS.zip -d /tmp/simcoai-docs
cd /tmp/simcoai-docs
sudo bash deploy/install-docs-vps.sh

Enable Nginx for docs

cp deploy/nginx-docs.simcoai.co.uk.conf /etc/nginx/sites-available/docs.simcoai.co.uk
ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/docs.simcoai.co.uk /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/docs.simcoai.co.uk
nginx -t
systemctl reload nginx

Add HTTPS

certbot --nginx -d docs.simcoai.co.uk
nginx -t
systemctl reload nginx

Restart backend and dashboard

cd /root/simco
npm run verify
pm2 restart simcoai-api --update-env
pm2 restart simcoai-worker --update-env
pm2 save
nginx -t
systemctl reload nginx
Troubleshooting

Common launch errors

API key says scope required

Create a new key with the required scope. For the tester, include read.

API key creation fails

Check pm2 logs simcoai-api --lines 120. Legacy database columns may still have blocking not-null constraints.

Dashboard 401

Session expired or cookies are missing. Sign out, hard refresh, sign in again.

Twilio slow responses

Keep call answers short, use fast call models, reduce max tokens and ensure interruption/gather settings are enabled.

Screenshot atlas

Dashboard areas at a glance

These are CSS-built illustrative screenshots for documentation. They avoid fake customer data and keep the docs lightweight.