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

# Transient vs stored assistants

Two ways to define an assistant: **store it** on the platform, or send the **whole config inline** with every request.

## Stored assistants

Create once on the [portal](https://upliftai.org/app/calling) or via [`POST /v1/realtime-assistants`](/api-reference/assistants/create-an-assistant), get an `assistantId`, reference it everywhere: web sessions, phone calls, campaigns.

* Your team can tweak the prompt on the portal and **publish** it, no deploy needed
* Same assistant across web, phone and campaigns
* What you **publish** is what's live, one source of truth — see [Draft and publish](/voice-agents/assistants/versions)

## Transient assistants

Send the full config in the request itself with [`POST /v1/realtime-assistants/adhoc/session`](/api-reference/starting-a-conversation/start-a-session-from-inline-config) (the API calls these **adhoc**). Nothing to manage on the portal — the throwaway record deletes itself.

* The prompt lives in YOUR code, right next to your app logic
* Iterate on instructions by editing code, no update call to us
* Great for a dev loop: change prompt, run, listen, repeat
* A/B test prompts without creating anything

## The middle path (usually all you need)

Keep a stored assistant, override per call. Both fields go on the [call request](/api-reference/starting-a-conversation/dispatch-a-call-from-this-assistant):

* `additionalInstructions`: free-form instructions appended to the prompt, for THIS call only
* `variables`: structured key/values (crop: cotton, visit day: Tuesday), rendered into the prompt as the caller record on **every call** and returned with the session details

Campaigns fill `variables` automatically from each contact's details.

Example: one field visit assistant, and every farmer gets their own crop and disease in the prompt.

Transient or stored, calls get transcripts and analytics the same way.

## Which one?

|                   | Stored                                          | Transient                       |
| ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| Definition        | `assistantId` reference                         | full config in request          |
| Visible on portal | yes                                             | no                              |
| Lifetime          | until you delete it                             | one session                     |
| Best for          | production, teams, per-user calls via overrides | dev loop, fully dynamic configs |

When unsure, I recommend stored + per-call overrides.