TemplatesPlan

Hand off a task to someone else

Turn a task you do in your head into a plain hand-off for another person, with the materials listed, the steps written, nothing sensitive left in, and a fresh reader's questions answered.

  • Who it is for: Anyone who hands work to someone else, whether a colleague, a new hire, a volunteer or a part-time helper.
  • Time: 20 minutes

Download it, in the format you use

  • Prompt chain

    Copy each step into ChatGPT or Claude, one after another.

  • Checklist

    Follow the steps and tick off the checks by hand.

  • Claude skill

    A folder Claude loads, so it follows the steps by itself.

  • n8n file

    Import into n8n and connect your own AI account.

Open in the Editor

The steps, and the check on each

  1. Step 1: Sort the pieces

    Split the task into pieces and sort each into hand over, keep or decide first.

    Hands back: A table that sorts every piece into hand over, keep or decide first.

    Check:Each piece is hand over, keep or decide first

    Counted automatically. If it fails, the step runs again.

  2. Step 2: List what to have ready

    List everything the new person needs in hand, and write any short template that is missing.

    Hands back: A list of materials to have ready and any short templates or examples.

    No separate check on this step.

  3. Step 3: Write the plain steps

    Write the hand-over steps in plain words that someone new can follow without asking you.

    Hands back: A plain hand-over note with numbered steps, things to watch for and when to ask.

    No separate check on this step.

  4. Step 4: Sweep for sensitive information

    Find anything private or risky in the hand-over and replace it with where to ask.

    Hands back: The hand-over with sensitive items replaced, and a list of what was removed.

    Check:The list of removed items is there

    Counted automatically. If it fails, the step runs again.

  5. Step 5: Read it as someone new

    Read only the hand-over, as the new person would, and list everything missing or unclear.

    Hands back: A table of questions a fresh reader would have, each pointing to the exact words.

    No separate check on this step.

  6. Step 6: Close the gaps

    Answer each question from what you told us, and mark the ones only you can answer.

    Hands back: The final hand-over, ready to give to the person, with a short list of what you still need to fill in.

    No separate check on this step.

After the last step

  • Check:Nothing sensitive is left in

    A second look by the AI. If it fails, the run stops.

  • Check:You checked it for private details

    You check this one. If it fails, the run stops.

  • Check:A fresh reader could follow it

    You check this one. If it fails, it is flagged for you.

What you need first

  • The task and how you do it(needed)

    Describe the task and how you usually do it, in any order. Include where things are kept and what goes wrong. Rough is fine.

  • Who is taking it over(needed)

    Say who it is and what they already know about the work.

  • Files, links or text you can include(optional)

    Paste any templates, examples or lists you already have. Leave empty if there are none. Do not paste passwords.

Ways to adapt it

  • If the task has a risky step (money, deleting things, messaging customers), add a line to the Write step's rules that the person must check with you before that step.
  • To hand off a task to a team, change "who is taking it over" to describe the team and add a step that says who does what.
  • After the first real run, ask the person what was unclear and add the answers to the task description, then run the template again.
  • Keep logins and secrets out of the hand-over file. Give them in person or through your password manager.

Change any step or check in the Editor, then download it again.

Related templates

All Plan templates

Plan

Write

Setup

Last tested
October 5, 2026
Works with
ChatGPT, Claude, n8n 2.20
Version
1.0
What changed
First release.

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