# AI commerce functions and access limits

Limit AI commerce actions and retained commerce context to the capabilities and customer access available in the current conversation.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator, visitor*

**Settings › AI › Functions** · **Settings › AI › Features** · **Settings › AI › Skills** · **Settings › Commerce › Commerce Providers**

## What it is

A **Commerce** function lets an AI assistant use the commerce capabilities configured for your website. INSIDE checks both the selected operation and the current customer's verified access. Product browsing, a single verified order and a customer's wider order history have different access requirements.

## Who uses it and why

- Administrators with the **Settings** or **Developer** role choose which capabilities an assistant may use and which store supplies them, subject to delegated settings permissions.
- Operators use configured assistants in private **Team Chat** for customer and order searches.
- Visitors ask product or order questions and provide the verification details required for private information.

## Where to find it

Configure the **Commerce** function under **Settings › AI › Functions**. Its main controls are **Commerce Provider** and **Enabled capabilities**.

Connect it to the appropriate **Features** or **Skills** under **Settings › AI**. Configure visitor verification under **Settings › Commerce › Commerce Providers**, in **Customer and order access**. These screens are available through the **Settings** or **Developer** role, subject to delegated settings permissions.

## How it works

1. INSIDE checks the capabilities enabled on the function and supported by the selected provider.
2. The conversation context limits which capabilities the assistant can use. Store-wide customer and order searches are restricted to private operator **Team Chat**.
3. A visitor can browse available product information without gaining access to private customer records.
4. For an order enquiry, INSIDE requires the configured order details or supported store sign-in. Matching a guest's order details unlocks that order only. A verified customer identity is needed for the customer's profile or wider order history.
5. INSIDE checks access again when executing the operation. A saved function or an AI-generated request cannot override a disabled capability.
6. If customer identity or verified access changes, earlier commerce context outside the new access is removed from subsequent AI input. A reply generated under the previous access is discarded when that access changes before delivery.

Follow-up messages keep the existing order enquiry context while access remains unchanged. Ending the conversation cancels active AI work.

## Configure it

In **Functions**, choose **Commerce** and select only the **Enabled capabilities** your assistant needs. Set **Commerce Provider** if the function must use one particular store. That provider must support every selected capability; it does not fall back to another store.

For visitor order assistance, configure **Allow visitors to access their orders**, **Verify access using** and **Required order details** on the provider. These access controls also apply to AI commerce operations.

Assign the function through the relevant AI **Feature** or **Skill**. Use a private **Team Chat** feature for operator-wide searches. Visitor-facing configuration does not grant those searches.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commerce Provider | Settings › AI › Functions | website | Automatic routing by website, subsite and operation | Settings role, Developer role | Binds the Commerce function to a selected provider or allows automatic routing. A selected provider does not fall back to another store. |
| Enabled capabilities | Settings › AI › Functions | website | None selected | Settings role, Developer role | Chooses which commerce operations the function may use, subject to provider support and current customer access. At least one capability must be selected before saving; an unconfigured function permits none. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Manage permitted AI and commerce configuration. |
| AI | Access AI configuration when the Settings role has restricted Settings permissions. |
| Developer | Access AI Functions and Commerce Providers to configure commerce capabilities. |

## Limits and good to know

- An order number alone does not grant access unless the supported verification process establishes the required permission.
- Guest verification of one order does not permit customer-profile or order-history reads.
- An unavailable order capability must not be treated as evidence that the order does not exist. Product search cannot answer an order-status enquiry.
- Selecting a particular provider keeps the function tied to that store, including follow-up lookups.
- Visitor product results contain customer-facing catalogue information rather than private customer cards or provider diagnostics.
- Changes to commerce access filter AI commerce context. They do not erase the saved conversation transcript.
- If INSIDE cannot establish current commerce access, it can withhold the affected AI reply. It does not continue with assumed customer access.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [AI functions and required inputs](AI-016.md): Commerce is an AI Function with authorised operation execution.
- **Requires** [Commerce provider setup and selection](COM-001.md): A provider must support and enable the requested operation.
- **Configured in** [Roles and permissions](ADM-008.md): Roles control who can edit AI Functions and providers.
- **Configured in** [AI feature settings and change history](AI-001.md): The AI Feature determines the context in which the function is available.
- **Configured in** [Customer and order access](COM-012.md): Verified visitor access determines which private customer and order information is available.
- **Works better with** [Autopilot for live chat](AI-003.md): Visitor Autopilot can answer commerce questions through the configured function.
- **Works better with** [Context Compiler for AI conversations](AI-015.md): Managed continuation lets an assistant continue commerce work within the current customer access.
- **Works better with** [Reusable AI skills and instructions](AI-020.md): Skills can expose each commerce operation as a separate capability.
- **Works better with** [Team chat](CHAT-027.md): Private operator Team Chat adds access to store-wide customer and order searches.
- **Works better with** [AI customer and order search](COM-011.md): Private customer and order discovery is available only in operator Team Chat.
- **Works better with** [Store order details and history](COM-013.md): Verified order lookup and customer history can support AI answers.
- **Works better with** [Product card configuration and shopping actions](COM-014.md): Product results can be presented through product cards.
- **Works better with** [Order card configuration and access](COM-015.md): Authorised order results can be shared as order cards.

### Used by

- **Configures** [AI customer and order search](COM-011.md): The Commerce function's enabled capabilities limit private searches and follow-up reads.
- **Configures** [Store order details and history](COM-013.md): The Commerce function's enabled capabilities control AI order lookup and history.
- **Enhances** [Customer and order access](COM-012.md): AI commerce access respects the verified visitor identity.
- **Enhances** [Order card configuration and access](COM-015.md): Configured AI commerce functions can retrieve and share authorised order cards.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why can the assistant find products but not orders?

Product operations and order access are separate. Check **Enabled capabilities**, provider support and **Customer and order access**.

### Why does the visitor need to provide an email or phone number?

The provider's **Required order details** determines which details must match. The assistant should request missing verification details for the order enquiry.

### Why can an operator search customers in Team Chat while a visitor cannot?

Store-wide customer and order search is restricted to private operator **Team Chat**. Visitors receive access only to information allowed by their verification.

### Why did an answer stop after the visitor changed accounts?

Changing identity or access can invalidate the commerce context used to generate the reply. INSIDE discards a reply that no longer has the required access.

### Does re-verifying an order clear the opening question every time?

Unchanged access preserves follow-up context. Filtering applies when the customer's identity or verified access actually changes.