Agent chat
Prompting tips
No magic words, just the four things every good instruction has.
There's no secret language. Brief an agent like a capable colleague: say what you want, hand over the materials, describe "done" and name the constraints.
The four parts of a good ask
| Part | Example |
|---|---|
| Goal | Build a payment schedule for this loan |
| Inputs | from @Hillview Loan Agreement |
| Output shape | as an Excel file, one row per instalment, with date, principal, interest and balance |
| Constraints | Dates in DD/MM/YYYY. Round to cents. Flag anything you're unsure of. |
Attach your inputs or @-mention them by name. A vague ask like "help me with this loan doc" leaves the agent guessing all four.
Iterate on the result
Don't polish one big prompt for ten minutes. Send a decent brief, look at the result, then steer:
"Good, now add a column for cumulative interest." "Column B should be currency." "Use the revised agreement instead: @Loan Agreement v2."
Each correction is a small, cheap turn on work that already exists.
Habits that help
Ask for one job per message. Five unrelated asks get uneven attention. For big jobs, use Plan first or break the work up.
Show an example. "Format it like @March Report" beats three sentences of rules.
Say what to do when unsure. "If a field is missing, leave it blank and list the gaps at the top" turns silent guesses into visible gaps.
Name the audience. "For the client" and "for internal notes" rightly produce different drafts.
Starting points
A new chat with an agent from the Agent Library may show Try these prompts. Click one to put it in the box, then edit it before you send.
The third time you type the same instructions, save them as a skill. Then it's one pick from the / menu for everyone the agent is shared with.