Recipes by role
Copy one of these into Claude with your folder selected. Fill the brackets. Leave the last line in. If the draft is wrong in the same way twice, turn it into a skill rather than pasting the prompt forever.
Sonnet is enough for all of these, on Medium effort, unless the note says otherwise. Opus for a contract, a tone file, or a pack you'll stand behind.
Open the role you actually do. Each prompt has a line on when to use it.
Founder or MD
Board note. When the board needs the decision, not a story.
GOAL
A one-page board note. The decision is in the first three lines.
CONTEXT
I'm the founder. The decision is [decision]. The pack is attached. The board already knows [what they know]. They don't know [the awkward bit].
CONSTRAINTS
One page. Numbers from the pack only. No new strategy ideas.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
What to stop. When the calendar is full and the work that matters isn't in it.
GOAL
What I should stop doing this month, based on my calendar and sent mail.
CONTEXT
Folder is selected. Look at the last four weeks. I want to protect [the work that matters].
CONSTRAINTS
Five items max. Each one names the meeting or the type of email, and what I'd do instead. Don't lecture me.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Meeting prep. When you need to walk in knowing what you already promised.
GOAL
A one-page prep for [meeting] so I walk in knowing what we already promised.
CONTEXT
Use the transcript and the last emails with [person or company]. I'm [role]. The outcome I want is [outcome].
CONSTRAINTS
Promises, with the date they were made. Open questions. Three things I should not agree to in the room. Don't invent a promise.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Decision note. When the team needs to hear the choice.
GOAL
A decision note I can send to the team after I've chosen.
CONTEXT
The choice was [choice]. The alternative was [alternative]. The reason is [reason]. People affected: [who].
CONSTRAINTS
Short enough to read on a phone. What changes on Monday. What doesn't. No pep talk.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Weekly note to yourself. When the week needs half a page, not a status pack.
GOAL
A weekly note to myself: what moved, what's stuck, what I'm avoiding.
CONTEXT
Use this week's calendar, transcripts, and the folder. I'm the MD of [type of business].
CONSTRAINTS
Half a page. Plain language. Flag anything I said I'd do and haven't.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Finance
Variance commentary. When the pack needs a cause, not a restatement of the number.
GOAL
Commentary I can paste under this month's pack. Variances over [threshold] need a cause, not a restatement of the number.
CONTEXT
I'm the FD. Compare to budget and to last year. The export is attached. Timing differences should be marked as timing, not performance.
CONSTRAINTS
Table: line, variance, likely cause, question for the owner. Under 400 words. No cause you can't point at in the export.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Policy sweep. When you're checking an export against the policy, not writing an audit opinion.
GOAL
A list of expenses in this export that don't match the policy in the folder.
CONTEXT
Policy is in the folder. Export is attached. I'm doing a monthly sweep, not an audit opinion.
CONSTRAINTS
Table: date, supplier, amount, which rule it might break, what I'd ask. Don't email anyone. If the policy doesn't cover it, say "policy silent".
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Cash question for a founder. When they won't read the model.
GOAL
A plain-English answer to [cash question] for a founder who won't read the model.
CONTEXT
The model or the export is attached. Define cash as [what you mean]. The audience is [who].
CONSTRAINTS
One page. State the assumption that would change the answer. Don't invent a figure that isn't in the file.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Five lines for the chair. When the pack is too long for the person who has to remember it.
GOAL
Turn this board pack's numbers into the five lines the chair will actually remember.
CONTEXT
Pack attached. Our year end is [date]. The sensitive comparison is [what].
CONSTRAINTS
Five lines. Each one has the number and why it moved. No adjectives like "strong" unless the number supports them.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Overdue invoices. When you need chase drafts, and you will send them yourself.
GOAL
A chase list for overdue invoices, in the tone we use with customers.
CONTEXT
The ledger export is attached. Tone file is in the folder. Don't chase anything under [amount] or newer than [days].
CONSTRAINTS
One draft email per account, plus a table of who I'm not chasing and why. Don't send.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Marketing
Campaign brief. When a messy note has to be tight enough for a designer to start.
GOAL
A campaign brief from this messy note, tight enough for a designer to start.
CONTEXT
The note is below. Brand files are in the folder. Audience is [who]. The single thing they should remember is [one thing].
CONSTRAINTS
One page: who, offer, proof, what we won't say. No slogans yet.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
[paste the note]
Customer email. When the email has to sound like the brand, not the board.
GOAL
A customer email in our voice, for [audience], about [thing].
CONTEXT
Tone file is in the folder. Use the [audience] section, not the board voice. Offer details: [facts].
CONSTRAINTS
Under 180 words. One ask. Don't invent a review, a number, or a deadline.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Content ideas from customer questions. When you want ideas that came from questions people already ask.
GOAL
Content ideas we should make, based on questions customers already ask.
CONTEXT
Scan transcripts from [period]. Brand is in the folder. We publish on [channels].
CONSTRAINTS
Eight ideas. Each one quotes the question that prompted it. Skip anything that only came up once.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Competitor Monday note. When you only want what changed, with the source named.
GOAL
What changed about [competitor] this month that we'd put in a Monday note.
CONTEXT
Only these sources: [links or files]. We sell [what]. I care about price, range, and who they're hiring.
CONSTRAINTS
Bullets with the source named. If you couldn't open a source, say so. No strategy lecture.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Product copy a buyer can scan. When the facts are in the folder and the copy has to stay short.
GOAL
Product copy for [product] a buyer can scan.
CONTEXT
Facts are in the folder or attached. Audience is [buyer]. Price is [price]. Words we don't use: [list].
CONSTRAINTS
Material, who it's for, price. Under 80 words. Don't call it premium. Don't add a benefit that isn't in the source.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Operations
Shipping note. When a stockist needs what's going, what's not, and when.
GOAL
A shipping note to [stockist] for this order.
CONTEXT
Order is attached. Our usual tone with stockists is in the tone file. Dispatch date is [date]. Missing items: [list or none].
CONSTRAINTS
Short email. What's going, what's not, when. Don't promise a date that isn't on the order.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Stock line. When you need what's below the line you set.
GOAL
What's below the stock line we set, from this file.
CONTEXT
The stock file is attached. The rule is in the folder. I'm [role] at [type of business].
CONSTRAINTS
Table: item, on hand, the line, how late we are. Don't recommend a purchase order unless the file contains the rule for one.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Write the process down. When someone else has to do the job for a day.
GOAL
A one-page process for [job], from this rough description, so someone else could do it for a day.
CONTEXT
I'll describe it out loud or paste notes. The person following it is [new starter / cover]. Tools they have: [tools].
CONSTRAINTS
Numbered steps. Where each file lives. What to do when the usual person is away. Ask me when my description skips a step.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Friday ops note. When the team needs late items and decisions, not a status on everything that's fine.
GOAL
A Friday note for the ops team: what shipped, what's late, what needs a decision from me.
CONTEXT
Use this week's transcripts and the folder. Team is [size]. I don't need a status on work that's on track.
CONSTRAINTS
One page. Late items include the customer impact. Decisions are yes/no questions.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Supplier chase. When one email has to be firm and specific.
GOAL
A chase email to [supplier] about [order or issue].
CONTEXT
The last email and any transcript are attached. What we need from them: [need]. Tone: firm, not theatrical.
CONSTRAINTS
Under 120 words. One clear ask and a date. Don't invent a clause from a contract I haven't attached.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Legal and HR
These are a first pass for a human. They are not advice.
NDA first pass. When a reviewer should start from the odd clauses. Use Opus. This is not advice.
GOAL
A first pass of this NDA so our reviewer starts from the odd clauses.
CONTEXT
We are the party receiving information. The draft is attached. We usually accept [term] and mutual obligations. We don't accept [what you won't sign].
CONSTRAINTS
Table: clause, what it says in their words, why it matters, what we'd ask to change. Quote the draft. Mark anything you're unsure of. Don't present a guess as a verdict. Use Opus for this one.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Law-change brief. When the board needs what changed, not a legal opinion.
GOAL
A board brief on [law or rule change]: what changed, who it affects here, what we might need to decide.
CONTEXT
Sources I'll trust: [links]. The business is [what you do] in the UK. This is a brief, not a legal opinion.
CONSTRAINTS
One page. Link every claim. If a source doesn't say it, leave it out. End with questions for our adviser, not with instructions to the staff.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Offer email. When the terms are already in the folder and you need a first draft.
GOAL
A first draft offer email for [role], using our standard terms.
CONTEXT
Terms are in the folder. Candidate: [name]. Start date: [date]. Manager: [name]. Anything non-standard: [or "nothing"].
CONSTRAINTS
Match the structure of the last offer in the folder. Don't add a benefit that isn't in the terms. Don't send.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Plain-English policy. When a new starter has to follow it, and a human still checks the meaning.
GOAL
Rewrite this policy in plain English a new starter can follow.
CONTEXT
The policy is attached. Audience is [who]. What must not change legally: [list, or "ask me"].
CONSTRAINTS
Short sections. Keep the obligations. Flag any sentence you simplified in a way that might have changed the meaning. Don't publish it.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
People-meeting actions. When you need what was said, not a judgement that wasn't.
GOAL
Actions from this people-meeting, carefully.
CONTEXT
Transcript attached. I need my actions only, plus anything that sounds like a commitment to [employee].
CONSTRAINTS
Quote the line. Don't infer a performance judgement that wasn't said. Don't email the employee.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Sales
Call prep. When you walk in knowing what they care about, and what you've already promised.
GOAL
A one-page call prep for [company].
CONTEXT
Last transcript and recent emails are available via the connector, or attached. I sell [what]. The meeting is [date]. What I want from it: [outcome].
CONSTRAINTS
What they care about, what we've already promised, three questions, what I should not pitch. Quote the source. Don't invent a complaint.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Follow-up after the call. When the email has to match the transcript.
GOAL
A follow-up email after today's call.
CONTEXT
Use the transcript, not the summary. I was on the call. They were [names]. Next step I think we agreed: [step].
CONSTRAINTS
Under 150 words. Only commitments that were said. If I have the next step wrong, say so and don't paper over it. Don't send.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Objections that repeat. When you want the ones that come up more than twice.
GOAL
The objections that come up more than twice in sales transcripts from [period].
CONTEXT
Connector is on, or the transcripts are in the folder. We sell [what] to [who].
CONSTRAINTS
Group them. Quote the meeting. Ignore one-offs. Don't suggest a new script unless I ask.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
First-draft proposal. When the structure and the pricing rules are already in the folder.
GOAL
A first-draft proposal for [prospect], in our structure.
CONTEXT
Their brief or transcript is attached. Our offer and pricing rules are in the folder. What they asked for: [ask].
CONSTRAINTS
Use our sections. Don't discount, and don't add a service that isn't in the folder. Mark every assumption.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Account plan. When the next quarter needs one page, and no invented targets.
GOAL
A one-page account plan for [customer] for the next quarter.
CONTEXT
Transcripts and emails for this account. Current revenue or orders, if they're in the folder: [or "not in the folder, don't guess"].
CONSTRAINTS
What they buy, what's at risk, the next conversation, who owns it. No targets you invented.
If anything is missing, ask me first.
Where to start in 30 minutes
- Pick the role you actually do, not the one you aspire to.
- Run one prompt on a real file or a real meeting.
- Delete any line in the answer you wouldn't say yourself.
- If you changed the prompt to get there, save your version.
- Stop. One useful draft is the point. A folder full of unused prompts is not.