The parts of a workflow

Adapting a template

Every template is a starting point. Swap the inputs, change the reader, or add a check, and the template becomes yours.

Your inputThe stepThe resultYour owncheck
A template
Start from a template that is close to what you need.

A real example

What this template says about adapting it

From the template: Turn meeting notes into decisions and actions
  1. Way 1If your team tracks actions in a tool, change the actions step to return one line per action in the shape your tool imports (for example a spreadsheet row).
  2. Way 2If your notes come from an automatic transcript, add a first step that removes filler words and speaker labels before pulling out items.
  3. Way 3If you only need actions, delete the first step and the lines in the later steps that refer to its decisions.
  4. Way 4Change NOT STATED and FLAGGED to the words your team uses, but change them in every step and in the checks too.

What this template says about adapting it

From the template: Write a summary of a long document
  1. Way 1To change the length, change 300 in the Tighten step's prompt, purpose and check, all three.
  2. Way 2If the document is too long for your assistant to read at once, run the Summarize each part step once per part, pasting only that part, then paste all the notes into the Merge step.
  3. Way 3For a summary in a set layout (a briefing note, a one-page memo), replace the shape at the end of the Merge step with your layout.
  4. Way 4For several documents on one topic, run the first two steps on each document, then merge all the notes together.

Three ways to make it yours

  1. 1Swap the inputsUse your own notes, your own document, your own sources.
  2. 2Change the readerThe same steps, written for someone else: a manager, a client, a colleague.
  3. 3Add a checkA rule your work needs, as one plain question after the step. The Editor shows the change as you make it.

Templates that use this part

  1. Write a summary of a long document4 ways to adapt it, listed on its page.
  2. Draft three versions and pick the best4 ways to adapt it, listed on its page.
  3. Check whether a draft reads like AI, and fix it4 ways to adapt it, listed on its page.
  4. Review a draft before you send it4 ways to adapt it, listed on its page.
  5. Turn meeting notes into decisions and actions4 ways to adapt it, listed on its page.
  6. Find themes in comments or interview notes4 ways to adapt it, listed on its page.
  7. Scope a job before you start4 ways to adapt it, listed on its page.
  8. Hand off a task to someone else4 ways to adapt it, listed on its page.
  9. Compare options and get a recommendation4 ways to adapt it, listed on its page.
  10. Build your "how I like work done" file4 ways to adapt it, listed on its page.