NOVA is UpKeep’s intelligence agent that helps you generate reports, analyze data, and manage workflows with simple, natural-language instructions. These instructions are called prompts. The clearer your prompt, the more accurate and useful NOVA’s response will be.
This article explains the basics of prompting, a simple prompt formula, and best practices for getting the most value from NOVA.
What is a Prompt?
A prompt is the instruction you give NOVA. Think of it like a request you’d make to a teammate: short, specific, and action‑oriented.
Example: “Show me all open work orders for the HVAC system at Main Plant for the last 30 days.”
The Prompt Formula
Use this formula to make prompts easy:
[Action] + [What] + [Context/Filter] + [Timeframe]
Examples
“Generate a work order aging report by priority for the last 90 days.”
“List parts below minimum stock at Main Warehouse this month.”
“Create a PM schedule for Asset ABC every 3 months.”
Tip: If you’re not sure what to ask, tell NOVA your goal (e.g., “I need to prepare for an audit”) and it will recommend the right prompts.
Best Practices for Prompting
Principle | Weak Prompt | Strong Prompt | Why It Works |
Be Specific | “Compliance.” | “Create a PM compliance report for all safety‑critical assets this quarter.” | Adds scope and timeframe. |
Use Context | “Inventory.” | “List all parts below minimum stock at Main Warehouse.” | Narrows results to what matters. |
Ask for Outcomes | “Show downtime.” | “Highlight assets with increasing downtime in the last 90 days.” | Focuses on actionable insight. |
Request Formats | “Show users.” | “Show all inactive users as a table, export to CSV.” | Structures data for use. |
Think in Batches | “Update these.” | “Assign all overdue work orders to the night shift.” | Handles repetitive work at scale. |
Follow Up | “Start over.” | “Now filter to only the Electrical Team.” | Builds on results without restarting. |
Share Your Goal | “Show reports.” | “I want to reduce emergency work orders. What reports should I run?” | NOVA can suggest recommendations. |
Follow‑Up Example Flow
NOVA is conversational — refine results step by step instead of starting over.
Prompt: “Generate a technician productivity report for last month.”
Follow‑up: “Filter to only the Electrical Team.”
Follow‑up: “Now compare their completion times to the Mechanical Team.”
Follow‑up: “Highlight which team had the fastest average response time.”
How to Get the Best from NOVA
Be specific: Include asset, location, team, and timeframe.
Use context: Narrow results with filters.
Ask for outcomes: Request insights, not just lists.
Request formats: Tables, summaries, charts, or exports.
Think in batches: Delegate bulk tasks to NOVA.
Follow up: Refine results conversationally.
Share your goal: Let NOVA recommend the best workflow.
Keep data clean: Consistent asset names and categories improve accuracy.
Video Guide
Bottom line: The more specific and goal‑oriented your prompt, the more NOVA can do for you. Treat it like a teammate ask clearly, refine as you go, and delegate the busywork.