AI at WorkA prompt library for work: 30 prompts by job, ready to copy
Copy a prompt, replace the words in square brackets with your own facts, and read the answer carefully. Never put private data in the brackets.
These prompts are our own wording. We have not run them against every tool, and results differ between tools and over time. Always read and check the answer.
Office and email
| For | Prompt | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Polite reminder | "Write a polite reminder email of under 70 words asking [role] to send [item] by [date]. Friendly but clear." | Date and item |
| Decline a request | "Write a short, respectful email declining [request] because [reason]. Offer [alternative]. Under 80 words." | Reason is true |
| Meeting minutes | "Turn these notes into minutes with headings: decisions, action items (owner, date), open questions. Add nothing that is not in the notes: [notes without private details]" | Compare with notes |
| Shorten | "Shorten this to half its length and keep every number and date: [text]" | Numbers unchanged |
| Simplify | "Rewrite this for a reader who is not an expert, in short sentences: [text]" | Meaning unchanged |
| Subject lines | "Give me 8 subject lines under 8 words for an email about [topic]." | Honest, not clickbait |
Accounts and finance
| For | Prompt | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Variance reasons | "Monthly amounts for [expense]: [numbers]. List three questions I should ask to explain the unusual month. Do not state causes as facts." | Your own enquiry |
| Explain a term | "Explain [term] in plain words for a small business owner in 120 words, with a simple example." | Official definition |
| Outline a reply | "Outline a reply to a notice about [issue]. Headings only. Leave section numbers and dates as placeholders." | Add facts from the source |
| Checklist | "Make a month-end checklist for a [type of business]: bank, stock, advances, payroll. One line each." | Fit your business |
| Formula help | "Give an Excel formula for [goal]. Data: [describe columns]. Explain in two lines and say what could go wrong." | Test it |
Teaching and study
| For | Prompt | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson plan | "40-minute lesson plan, class [n], topic [topic], with starter, one activity, two examples, exit quiz. Simple English." | Facts, syllabus |
| Easy-medium-hard | "Write [n] questions on [topic] for class [n]: easy, medium, challenging. Answers at the end." | Solve them |
| Explain simply | "Explain [concept] to a class [n] student in six sentences with a real-life example." | Accuracy |
| Quiz me | "Quiz me on [topic], one question at a time. Tell me if I am right before the next one." | Verify answers |
| Find my mistake | "Here is my solution: [solution]. Do not solve it. Tell me where my reasoning goes wrong." | Think it through |
| Study plan | "I have [n] days and these topics: [list]. Make a timetable of [n] hours a day with revision days." | Be realistic |
Shop and small business
| For | Prompt | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Offer message | "Three WhatsApp messages under 40 words for [shop] announcing [offer] until [date]. Friendly, one emoji at most." | Offer and date |
| Product text | "A 60-word listing text for [product] with only these facts: [facts]. No exaggeration." | Facts only |
| Reply to complaint | "Polite reply under 70 words to a customer who says [problem]. Apologise once, ask for the bill number, offer to check. Do not promise a refund." | Your policy |
| Thank-you | "A two-line thank-you message for a customer who bought [item]." | Tone |
| Hindi version | "Translate into simple Hindi (Devanagari), keeping common English words, and add the English meaning: [text]" | Fluent reader |
Safety prompts: say this first
| Situation | Add this line |
|---|---|
| You need facts | "Use only the text I give you. If the answer is not in it, say so." |
| You are unsure | "Mark anything you are not sure about." |
| You need sources | "Give the source for each factual claim so that I can check it." |
| You need a plan first | "List the steps you would take and wait for my approval." |
| Privacy | "I have replaced real names and numbers with placeholders." |
Make your own
Keep what works. Write down the prompt, the tool and the date, and what you changed afterwards.
Do I need special words like "act as"?
Not usually. Say what you want, for whom and in what form.
Why does the same prompt give different answers?
Tools produce text with some randomness, and models change over time.
This is an independent guide. It is not connected with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft or any other AI company; product names belong to their owners. Statements about companies are taken from their own help pages as read on 13 and 14 November 2026. The prompts are our own wording and were not run against every tool. Not legal, financial or professional advice.