How Do Small Manufacturers Use AI to Check Warranty Claims Against Written Terms Before a Person Decides?

Summary

The steps

1. 1

   Write your warranty terms as a specific, dated document aligned with 16 CFR Part 701

   Before building any workflow, your written warranty terms must exist as a specific, dated document. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) requires that written warranties on consumer products be made available to buyers before purchase and honored as written. The FTC's implementing regulation at 16 CFR Part 701 specifies five required disclosures for written consumer product warranties:

   1. What is covered (the defects or malfunctions the warranty applies to)
   2. What is excluded (what the warranty does not cover)
   3. What the warrantor will do to correct a defect (repair, replace, or refund)
   4. When the warranty period begins and ends
   5. How the consumer can obtain warranty service (the address or contact method)

   If your warranty terms exist only in someone's head or in a loosely worded email template, the AI agent cannot check claims against them reliably. The agent compares submitted claim details against the exact text you provide. Vague text produces vague output. The general approval-workflow pattern, where a manager must approve before any action goes out, is covered at How Do I Build a Refund Request Workflow in Dave by voolama Where a Manager Must Approve Every Refund? This guide extends that pattern with the five specific 16 CFR Part 701 elements the agent must check. A warranty check is different from a conflict check (covered at Conflict Checks at Law Office Intake) in that the agent evaluates a claim against five statutory disclosure elements rather than searching for name matches in a list.

   Do this

   • Write the warranty terms as a plain-text document. Use the five required disclosures from 16 CFR Part 701 as your checklist: coverage, exclusions, remedy, duration, and how to obtain service.
   • Date the document and give it a version number, for example: 'Warranty Terms v1, effective 2026-01-01.'
   • Save the document somewhere your team can find it. You will paste the full text into the workflow's Information node in Step 4.
   • If you have multiple product lines with different warranty terms, create a separate document for each. You can build a Routing node in the workflow to branch on product line before the agent runs.

   Example

   A hypothetical small appliance manufacturer might write: 'This warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship for 12 months from the date of original purchase by the end user. It does not cover damage from misuse, accidents, unauthorized modifications, or normal wear and tear. Proof of purchase is required for all warranty claims. To obtain warranty service, contact us at [address] within the warranty period. We will repair or replace the defective product at our option.' That covers all five 16 CFR Part 701 elements. An agent can compare a submitted claim against each element and report which are satisfied, which are not, and which cannot be determined from the information provided.

   Best practice

   • Keep the warranty terms in plain English. Legal language that is ambiguous to a human is also ambiguous to an AI agent.
   • List exclusions explicitly rather than using catch-all phrases. 'Damage from misuse' is harder to check than 'damage from use outside the conditions described in the product manual.'
   • Review and update the terms document whenever you change your warranty policy, and update the workflow's Information node at the same time. Save a new workflow version so the previous version's terms remain on record.
2. 2

   Set up your Dave by voolama workspace and assign roles

   Dave by voolama (hellodave.ai) is a managed AI workflow platform operated and hosted by voolama LLC. You run no servers and install nothing. To build the warranty claim workflow, you need at least one user with the Admin or Curate role to open the Workflow Editor, and at least one user with the Admin or Use role to complete the Human Review tasks the workflow generates.

   Dave by voolama has six default roles: Admin, Create, Curate, Use, Reporting, and Financial. All six are editable. The Workflow Editor is accessible only to users with the Admin or Curate role. The Task Inbox, where reviewers see and decide warranty claims, is accessible only to users with the Admin or Use role. If a team member cannot see the Workflow Editor or the Task Inbox, their role assignment is the first thing to check. The resource at Why Can't I See Agents, Workflows, or Other Sections in Dave by voolama? explains the role-to-section mapping in detail.

   You also need at least one AI provider configured under Admin, then API Management, then Providers. Dave by voolama supports seven AI provider types: OpenAI, Anthropic, Azure OpenAI, Google, OpenAI-compatible, local (Ollama), and custom. You bring your own API key. Dave by voolama never proxies or marks up AI usage.

   Do this

   • Log in to Dave by voolama and navigate to Admin, then Settings, then Users and Roles.
   • Assign the Curate role to the person who will build the workflow, or use an Admin account.
   • Assign the Use role to the person or people who will review and decide warranty claims in the Task Inbox.
   • Confirm that at least one AI provider is configured under Admin, API Management, Providers. The Agent Interaction node in Step 4 needs an active provider to run.

   Example

   A hypothetical small manufacturer with three office staff might assign Admin to the owner, Curate to the office manager who will build the workflow, and Use to the customer service representative who will review claims in the Task Inbox. The owner can also complete tasks as an Admin. No IT staff are needed.

   Best practice

   • Do not give the Use role to people who also need to edit workflows or agents. Keep the roles separate so the reviewer's Task Inbox is not cluttered with builder tools.
   • Configure at least one AI provider before building the workflow. The Agent Interaction node will not run without one.
3. 3

   Create the warranty terms checker agent with temperature 0.1

   In Dave by voolama, an agent is a reusable AI component with a versioned configuration: a system prompt, a model, and behavior parameters. Navigate to Agents in the sidebar to create the warranty claim checker agent. Users with the Admin or Create role can create agents; the Curate role can view but not create them.

   The agent's system prompt instructs the AI to read the warranty terms provided, read the claim details submitted by the customer, and produce a structured checklist that lists each of the five 16 CFR Part 701 warranty elements, whether the submitted claim satisfies each one (yes, no, or cannot determine from information provided), and what specific information is missing or outside the terms.

   The key Config JSON parameter for this agent is temperature. Temperature controls output randomness: 0.0 is fully deterministic, 1.0 is most varied. Set temperature to 0.1 for a warranty checker. Warranty checking is a deterministic task: you want the same claim to produce the same checklist every time. A temperature above 0.3 introduces variation that may cause the agent to omit conditions or vary its output format between runs of the same claim.

   Do this

   • Navigate to Agents in the sidebar and click New Agent.
   • Name the agent 'Warranty Claim Checker' and add an optional description. Click Create Agent.
   • On the agent detail page, click Create Version. In the Config JSON editor, paste a JSON object with at minimum: systemPrompt, model, temperature (set to 0.1), and maxTokens. Example: {"systemPrompt": "You are a warranty claim checker for a small manufacturer. You will be given the written warranty terms and a customer's submitted claim. For each of the five warranty elements required by 16 CFR Part 701 (coverage, exclusions, remedy, duration, how to obtain service), state whether the claim satisfies it: yes, no, or cannot determine from information provided. List any required information that is missing from the claim. Do not approve or deny the claim. Your output is a numbered checklist for a human reviewer.", "model": "gpt-4o", "temperature": 0.1, "maxTokens": 1024}
   • Click Create Version. The system assigns version number v1 automatically. Version numbers are auto-incrementing integers (v1, v2, v3). Each version is immutable once created.

   Example

   A hypothetical manufacturer with a 12-month defect warranty might write a system prompt that lists the five 16 CFR Part 701 elements as numbered items and instructs the agent to evaluate the claim against each one. When the agent runs, its output is a five-item checklist. The human reviewer sees a structured checklist rather than a free-form AI summary, making the review faster and the decision more defensible if the customer disputes it.

   Best practice

   • Keep the system prompt specific about the output format. If you want a numbered checklist, say so. If you want the agent to flag missing fields by name, say so.
   • Do not instruct the agent to make a recommendation about whether to approve or deny. The agent's job is to check, not to decide.
   • If you need to change the system prompt later, create a new version rather than editing v1. Old versions are immutable and remain in the version history, giving you a record of what instructions were active for each claim.
4. 4

   Build the workflow canvas in the Workflow Editor

   Navigate to Workflows in the sidebar and create a new workflow named 'Warranty Claim Intake.' Open it in the Workflow Editor. The editor uses a three-panel layout: the Node Palette on the left lists all ten node types, the Canvas in the center is where you place and connect nodes, and the Properties Panel on the right appears when you select a node.

   The warranty claim workflow uses five node types in sequence. Drag each node from the Node Palette onto the canvas and connect them by dragging from the source handle (bottom circle) of one node to the target handle (top circle) of the next. The connection direction is always source (bottom) to target (top).

   The five nodes and their codes from the Node Palette:

   • Start (code: start, green icon): entry point. Every workflow requires exactly one Start node.
   • User Interaction (code: user_interaction, blue icon): pauses the workflow and creates an intake task in the Task Inbox. Configure its fields to collect product name, model number, purchase date, defect description, and supporting documentation.
   • Information (code: information, indigo icon): documentation node, does not affect execution. Paste the full text of your written warranty terms into the node's config. The Agent Interaction node references this text in its system prompt. This is the same Information node pattern used in the RFP response workflow at Building an RFP Response Workflow in Dave by voolama, where approved answers are stored in an Information node for the drafting agent to reference.
   • Agent Interaction (code: agent_interaction, purple icon): invokes the Warranty Claim Checker agent. In the Properties Panel, open Agent Assignment and select the Warranty Claim Checker agent, version v1.
   • Human Review (code: human_review, amber icon): creates a review task in the Task Inbox. The reviewer sees the agent's checklist in the task Payload section and clicks Approve, Reject, or Request Changes. Assign it to the reviewer's user account or the Use role in the Properties Panel.

   Add an End node (code: end, red icon) after the Human Review node. Optionally, add a Routing node (code: routing, purple icon) between the User Interaction and Agent Interaction nodes to check whether required fields are populated before the agent runs.

   Do this

   • Navigate to Workflows in the sidebar. Click New Workflow. Name it 'Warranty Claim Intake.' Open the Workflow Editor.
   • Drag a Start node onto the canvas.
   • Drag a User Interaction node below it. Connect Start to User Interaction. Rename it 'Collect Claim Details' in the Properties Panel.
   • Drag an Information node below that. Connect User Interaction to Information. Rename it 'Warranty Terms.' Paste the full text of your warranty terms into the node config.
   • Drag an Agent Interaction node below that. Connect Information to Agent Interaction. Rename it 'Check Claim Against Terms.' In the Properties Panel, open Agent Assignment and select the Warranty Claim Checker agent, version v1.
   • Drag a Human Review node below that. Connect Agent Interaction to Human Review. Rename it 'Reviewer Decision.' Assign it to the reviewer's user account or the Use role.
   • Drag an End node and connect it. Click Save Version in the top-right corner.

   Example

   A hypothetical manufacturer builds a canvas with seven nodes: Start, Collect Claim Details (User Interaction), Warranty Terms (Information), Check Claim Against Terms (Agent Interaction), Reviewer Decision (Human Review), and two End nodes labeled 'Claim Resolved' and 'Claim Returned.' A Routing node between User Interaction and Agent Interaction checks whether the purchase date field is populated. If it is missing, the workflow routes to a second User Interaction node that asks the customer to provide proof of purchase before the agent runs.

   Best practice

   • Name every node descriptively in the Properties Panel. 'Human Review' as a label tells a future editor nothing. 'Reviewer Decision - Warranty Claim' tells them exactly what the node does.
   • Save frequently. Each save creates a new immutable version. The Workflow Editor does not auto-save.
   • Ensure all paths lead to an End node. A node with no outgoing edge and no End node will cause the workflow instance to hang at runtime.
5. 5

   Activate the workflow and process the first claim

   Once the workflow is saved, move it from Draft to Active status. Only an active workflow can accept new instances. Navigate to the Workflows list, open your warranty claim workflow, and change its status to Active.

   When a customer submits a warranty claim, start a new instance of the workflow. The instance pauses at the User Interaction node and creates a task in the Task Inbox. The customer or a staff member fills in the claim details and clicks Approve to submit. The workflow then passes the claim details and the warranty terms to the Agent Interaction node, which runs the Warranty Claim Checker agent. The agent produces a five-element checklist aligned with 16 CFR Part 701 and the workflow pauses again at the Human Review node, creating a new task in the Task Inbox for the assigned reviewer.

   The reviewer opens the task, reads the agent's checklist in the Payload section, and clicks Approve, Reject, or Request Changes. They can add a comment explaining their reasoning. Every decision is recorded in the audit trail with the reviewer's name and a timestamp. These records support SOC 2 CC6.1 (logical access) and GDPR Article 30 (records of processing activities) when those compliance modes are enabled in the Dave by voolama workspace.

   Do this

   • Navigate to Workflows, open the warranty claim workflow, and set its status to Active.
   • Start a new instance for the first test claim. Use a hypothetical claim with known details so you can verify the agent's output.
   • Navigate to Tasks in the sidebar to open the Task Inbox. The User Interaction task appears with a pending status (amber badge).
   • Complete the User Interaction task by filling in the claim details and clicking Approve.
   • Wait for the Agent Interaction node to run automatically. When it completes, the Human Review task appears in the Task Inbox with a pending status.
   • Open the Human Review task and read the Payload section. The agent's checklist lists each of the five 16 CFR Part 701 warranty elements and its status for this claim.
   • Click Approve, Reject, or Request Changes. Add a comment explaining the decision.
   • Confirm the workflow reaches an End node and the instance status shows completed.

   Example

   A hypothetical reviewer opens a Human Review task and sees the agent's five-element checklist: '1. Coverage (product covered by warranty): Yes. 2. Exclusions (no excluded conditions present): Cannot determine - customer states product was used as directed but no additional detail provided. 3. Remedy (repair or replacement applicable): Yes. 4. Duration (within 12-month warranty period): Cannot determine - purchase date submitted is 2025-10-01 but no proof of purchase was attached. 5. How to obtain service (claim submitted to correct contact): Yes. Missing information: proof of purchase document.' The reviewer clicks Request Changes and adds a comment: 'Please provide proof of purchase before we can proceed.'

   Best practice

   • For the first several claims, have the reviewer compare the agent's checklist against the warranty terms manually to verify the agent is checking correctly. If the agent misses a condition or misreads the terms, update the system prompt and create a new agent version (v2).
   • Use the comment field on every decision, not just rejections. A brief note on an approval creates a useful record if the customer disputes the decision later.
   • The Task Inbox is available to Admin and Use roles only. If a reviewer cannot see their tasks, check their role assignment using the guidance at Why Can't I See Agents, Workflows, or Other Sections in Dave by voolama?

What makes warranty claim decisions legally different from general approval decisions

The five node types this workflow uses and what each one does

Where this advice stops