A Reply Assistant is an AI assistant that helps respond to replies from prospects on LinkedIn or email.

You can configure the assistant based on your workflow, define its goal, add relevant knowledge, select tools, choose a tone of voice, and define possible outcomes.

For example, you can create a Reply Assistant that qualifies leads using the BANT framework.

BANT stands for:

From the left-hand side menu in Alta, click Assistants.

Click Create Assistant.

Choose Reply Assistant.

This will allow you to create an assistant that can handle replies from prospects.

You can either:

For this example, select Lead Qualification.

The setup process is similar for each use case.

Start by defining the goal of the assistant.

For the Lead Qualification use case, the goal is to qualify leads using the BANT framework.

This means the assistant will review the prospect’s reply and determine whether they meet the qualification criteria.

You can also tell the assistant not to reply in a specific situation. In the goal, name that situation and say not to reply. The assistant skips that message and does not send one.

Next, you can add a Knowledge Base.

The Knowledge Base helps the assistant respond with accurate and relevant information.

Use this section to provide helpful context such as:

This gives the assistant the information it needs to reply more effectively.

After the goal, open Output and configure the possible outcomes.

Outcomes help the assistant classify replies based on the prospect’s response.

When a conversation matches an outcome, the assistant can send a closing message. Each outcome has an optional Closing message prompt for that message, on every channel. Write that no message should be sent to skip the closing for that outcome. To skip the closing on every outcome, say the same in the goal.

Click Output.

Create an outcome called Qualified.

Use this outcome when the prospect confirms all four BANT criteria:

Example outcome prompt:

The prospect confirms all four BANT criteria: Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline.

You can also select a color for this status.

Create an outcome called Unqualified.

Use this outcome when the prospect is missing multiple BANT criteria.

Example outcome prompt:

The prospect is missing multiple BANT criteria and is not currently a qualified lead.

You can also select a color for this status.

Create an outcome called Needs Nurturing.

Use this outcome when the prospect meets some, but not all, of the BANT criteria.

Example outcome prompt:

The prospect has met some BANT criteria but is not fully qualified yet and may need further nurturing.

You can also select a color for this status.

Click Configurations.

Model, tools, tone, response length, attachments, and stops are on this step.

In the Attachments section, you can choose files from your Knowledge Base that the assistant may attach to a reply — for example a one-pager, a pricing sheet, or a case study.

The assistant attaches a file only when the prospect asks for one, or when your goal instructions describe a situation that calls for it.

Attachments are sent on email replies only. On LinkedIn, SMS, and WhatsApp the assistant replies without the file, and it will not say that a file is attached. If a prospect asks for a document on one of those channels, the assistant answers in the message itself or offers to send the file by email, and your team can send it manually.

Next, guide the assistant on which tools it can use to complete the task.

This helps the assistant understand what actions it can take while managing replies.

For example, depending on your setup, the assistant may be able to:

Select the assistant’s tone of voice.

Choose the tone that best matches your brand and the way you want the assistant to communicate with prospects.

Select the assistant’s response length.

This helps keep replies clear, complete, and not too long.

On Configurations, When the reply agent stops lists the stops. Two of them can be turned off: an outcome is found, and someone on your team messaged after an auto-reply. The other stops stay on. When a conversation matches an outcome and that stop is on, the assistant saves the outcome, sends the closing message, and stops. Later replies also stop, because the prospect already has an outcome. If you turn that stop off, the assistant still saves the outcome and sends a normal reply instead of the closing message, and later replies continue.

Once you are happy with the setup, click Save.

Your Reply Assistant is now ready to use.

After saving the Reply Assistant, you can attach it to a campaign.

This allows the assistant to manage or support replies for prospects in that campaign.

Go to the campaign where you want to use the Reply Assistant.

Select the Reply Assistant you created and attach it to the campaign.

Once attached, the assistant will use the setup, knowledge base, tone, response length, and outcomes you configured.

Here is an example setup for a Lead Qualification Reply Assistant:

Make sure the assistant’s goal is specific.

For example, instead of saying “respond to leads,” use a goal like:

Qualify leads using the BANT framework and classify them based on their replies.

The better your Knowledge Base is, the better the assistant’s replies will be.

Include information the assistant may need to answer common questions or qualify prospects properly.

Choose a tone that matches your company’s communication style.

For most sales workflows, Professional or Friendly works best.

Standard response length is usually the best option because it keeps replies helpful without making them too long.

Each outcome should have a clear description.

This helps the assistant classify replies correctly and makes it easier for your team to understand the prospect’s status.

A Reply Assistant helps manage LinkedIn and email replies in Alta.

To create one, go to Assistants → Create Assistant → Reply Assistant, choose a use case such as Lead Qualification, define the assistant’s goal, add a Knowledge Base, define outcomes, then configure tools, tone, and response length.

Once saved, attach the Reply Assistant to a campaign so it can support reply handling and lead qualification.