Purpose
Structure the question with the context that changes the answer: store, cluster, department, role, date, SKU(s).
When to use
Start of every assist run - any policy/product/promotion question from the floor.
Inputs
The question as asked (chat/voice transcript); store profile (id, format, cluster); asking role. Emits the entry hop of rtl.store-associate-assist.v1 (schema in contracts/).
Steps
- Capture the question verbatim; extract topic hints, SKU/GTIN(s) if named, compare list if two products.
- Attach store_context (store id, cluster, department) and asked_on date - promo eligibility depends on all three.
- Validate against the contract; write question.json.
Output
question.json - the entry hop.
Grounding requirements
The question text stays verbatim; store context cites the store master.
Constraints
- No answering here; resolution belongs to policy-retrieve.
- Never guess a GTIN - ask the associate to scan if ambiguous.
Escalation / uncertainty
Missing store context blocks promo checks - ask for the store id.