Quick Start Guide

Get your first AI chatbot up and running in under 5 minutes.

Prerequisites

  • A Monology account (sign up at monology.io)
  • An active free trial or plan (see below)
  • Optionally, your own OpenAI/Azure key — or use the built-in Monology provider (no key needed)
Start your free trial first. Creating a chatbot, widget, or form requires an active trial or plan. On Home, click Start Free Trial — it activates instantly, no credit card required, and unlocks the setup steps.
1

Create a Chatbot

Navigate to Chatbots and click Create Chatbot.

  1. Give your chatbot a descriptive name (e.g., "Customer Support Bot")
  2. You'll see a canvas with a Start and End step already connected
  3. These are the required entry and exit points for every conversation
2

Add an AI Agent

The AI Agent step is where the AI magic happens. It processes user messages and generates responses.

  1. Click the + on the canvas to open the Add a step picker
  2. Select AI Agent (under Talk)
  3. Configure your LLM provider (OpenAI or Azure OpenAI)
  4. Add your API credentials
  5. Write a system prompt describing your bot's behavior
Tip: Start with a simple prompt like: "You are a helpful customer support assistant for [Your Company]. Answer questions about our services politely and professionally."
3

Create a Widget

Widgets are the chat interfaces your users interact with.

  1. Go to Resources → Widgets and click Create Widget
  2. Name your widget and select the chatbot you just created
  3. Customize the appearance (colors, button text, theme)
  4. Configure integration settings (optional identity verification, token limits)
Tip: You can also create a widget directly from the Chatbot Builder by clicking on the End and using the widget attachment option.
4

Deploy Your Chatbot

You have multiple options to deploy your chatbot:

Option A: Share a Chat Link

Get a shareable URL that opens the chat directly. Choose between permanent or temporary links with configurable expiry.

Option B: Embed with JavaScript

Copy the embed code and paste it into your website's HTML:

<script src="https://your-subdomain.monology.io/chat-widget.js"></script>
<script>
  const widget = initMonologyWidget({
    containerId: 'your-widget-url-id',
    urlId: 'your-widget-url-id'
  });
</script>

Option C: React/Next.js Package

Install the npm package for React applications:

npm install @monology-io/chat-widget
⚠️ CSS Warning:

The host site should not have CSS directly applied to semantic elements like p, a, ul, li, etc. Otherwise, it will conflict with the Widget's CSS and disturb its appearance.

5

Test & Monitor

In the builder, attach a widget to the End step, then click Test & Run to try your chatbot in a live preview. When it’s ready, click Publish to make it live. After that:

  • View all chats in Inbox → Conversations (and captured forms in Submissions)
  • Monitor usage stats on Home
  • Filter conversations by chatbot, widget, device, or location

Next Steps

Core Concepts

Understand how chatbots, steps, and widgets work together

AI Agent Deep Dive

Learn about LLM configuration, tools, and knowledge bases

Embedding Options

Detailed guide for JavaScript and React integration