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docs: complete Cowork documentation v1.0 (Phase 2)

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- Create comprehensive Cowork docs (23 files in cowork/)
  - 6 guides: overview, getting started, capabilities, security, troubleshooting
  - 60+ ready-to-use prompts across 4 categories
  - 5 step-by-step workflows
  - Reference materials: cheatsheet, FAQ, comparison, glossary

- Integrate Perplexity research (P0/P1/P2)
  - Exact error messages with solutions (VPN, Chrome host, context limits)
  - Competitive analysis (vs Copilot/Gemini/ChatGPT/Apple Intelligence)
  - Enterprise validation (TELUS, Rakuten, Zapier stats)
  - OCR accuracy benchmarks (97% field, 63% line-item)
  - Token budget planning per task type

- Document critical limitations
  - VPN incompatibility (#1 community issue)
  - Context limit reality (165K vs 200K theoretical)
  - Platform constraints (macOS only)
  - Usage limits and pricing (Pro $20, Max $100-200)

- Update central files
  - README.md: detailed Cowork section with tables
  - VERSION: 3.9.6 → 3.9.7
  - machine-readable/reference.yaml: add cowork_reference entry
  - machine-readable/cowork-reference.yaml: new LLM-optimized index (~1.5K tokens)

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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# Getting Started with Cowork
> **Reading time**: ~10 minutes
>
> **Goal**: Go from zero to your first successful Cowork workflow
---
## Prerequisites
Before starting, ensure you have:
| Requirement | How to Check |
|-------------|--------------|
| **Pro or Max subscription** | claude.ai → Settings → Subscription shows "Pro" or "Max" |
| **macOS** | Apple menu → About This Mac |
| **Claude Desktop app** | Applications folder or Spotlight search |
| **Latest app version** | Claude Desktop → Check for Updates |
### Subscription Tiers
| Tier | Cost | Cowork Usage |
|------|------|--------------|
| **Pro** | $20/mo | Light use (~1-1.5h intensive before reset) |
| **Max** | $100-200/mo | Heavy use (5x-20x Pro's limit) |
### Don't Have Access?
| Situation | Action |
|-----------|--------|
| Free tier | Upgrade to Pro ($20) or Max ($100+) |
| Windows/Linux | Wait for platform expansion (Windows planned, Linux not announced) |
---
## Step 1: Enable Cowork
### 1.1 Open Settings
1. Launch **Claude Desktop** app
2. Click your **profile icon** (top right)
3. Select **Settings**
### 1.2 Enable the Feature
1. Navigate to **Features** or **Beta Features** section
2. Find **Cowork** toggle
3. Enable it
> **Note**: The exact location may vary as the app is updated during research preview.
### 1.3 Verify Activation
After enabling, you should see:
- New "Cowork" option in conversation mode selector
- Or a dedicated Cowork section/tab
---
## Step 2: Create Your Workspace
**Critical**: Never grant Cowork access to Documents, Desktop, or home folder directly.
### 2.1 Create Dedicated Folder
Open Terminal and run:
```bash
mkdir -p ~/Cowork-Workspace/{input,output}
```
This creates:
```
~/Cowork-Workspace/
├── input/ # Files you want processed
└── output/ # Where Cowork puts results
```
### 2.2 Grant Folder Access
1. Start a new Cowork conversation
2. When prompted for folder access, navigate to `~/Cowork-Workspace/`
3. Grant access **only** to this folder
### 2.3 Verify Access
Ask Cowork:
```
List the contents of my workspace folder
```
Expected response: Shows `input/` and `output/` directories.
---
## Step 3: Your First Workflow
Let's do a simple but complete workflow to verify everything works.
### 3.1 Prepare Test Files
Create some test files in your input folder:
```bash
cd ~/Cowork-Workspace/input
# Create sample files
echo "Meeting notes from Monday" > meeting-monday.txt
echo "Meeting notes from Wednesday" > meeting-wednesday.txt
echo "Project status update" > project-status.txt
echo "Random thoughts" > misc-notes.txt
```
### 3.2 Run Your First Task
In Cowork, enter:
```
Organize the files in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/ into subfolders
by category. Create a summary of what you organized in the output folder.
```
### 3.3 What Should Happen
1. **Plan display**: Cowork shows its intended actions
2. **Your approval**: You review and approve the plan
3. **Execution**: Cowork reorganizes files
4. **Report**: Creates summary in output folder
### 3.4 Verify Results
Check the result:
```bash
ls -la ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/
ls -la ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/
```
You should see:
- Organized subfolders in `input/`
- A summary file in `output/`
---
## Step 4: Understanding the Workflow
### The Cowork Cycle
Every Cowork task follows this pattern:
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ YOUR REQUEST │
│ "Organize my files by category" │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ANALYSIS │
│ Cowork examines your files │
│ Identifies patterns and categories │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PLAN PROPOSAL │
│ "I will create 3 folders and move X files..." │
│ ⚠️ YOU REVIEW THIS BEFORE EXECUTION │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ YOUR APPROVAL │
│ "Yes, proceed" or "No, modify the plan" │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ EXECUTION │
│ Cowork performs the approved actions │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ REPORT │
│ Summary of what was done │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
### Key Points
1. **Always review the plan** — This is your safety checkpoint
2. **Be specific** — Vague requests lead to unexpected results
3. **Start small** — Test with few files before large batches
4. **Check results** — Verify output before proceeding
---
## Step 5: The CTOC Framework
Power users structure every Cowork prompt with four components:
```
CONTEXT → TASK → OUTPUT → CONSTRAINTS
```
### The Framework
| Component | What it is | Example |
|-----------|------------|---------|
| **C**ontext | Background, files, situation | "I have 50 receipts from a business trip to Paris..." |
| **T**ask | Clear single objective | "Extract all expenses into a spreadsheet" |
| **O**utput | Exact format and location | "Save as ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/paris-expenses.xlsx" |
| **C**onstraints | Rules, limits, preferences | "Use EUR currency, semicolon formulas, categorize by type" |
### CTOC Example
```
CONTEXT: I have meeting notes from the past month in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/notes/.
They're from different team members with inconsistent formatting.
TASK: Create a consolidated status report from these notes.
OUTPUT: Save as ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/team-status-january.docx
with sections: Executive Summary, Progress by Project, Blockers, Next Steps.
CONSTRAINTS: Keep under 3 pages. Focus on actionable items.
Highlight any risks mentioned.
```
### Quick Patterns
| Pattern | Example |
|---------|---------|
| **Be explicit** | ✅ "files in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/" not ❌ "my files" |
| **Specify output** | ✅ "save to ~/output/report.docx" not ❌ "create a report" |
| **Describe format** | ✅ "columns: Date, Amount, Category" not ❌ "make a spreadsheet" |
| **Add constraints** | ✅ "use European formula syntax" |
### Break Down Complex Tasks
Instead of:
```
❌ "Process all my receipts, create expense reports, and organize by month"
```
Do this:
```
✅ Step 1: "List all receipt files in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/"
✅ Step 2: "Extract expense data from these receipts into a single Excel file"
✅ Step 3: "Add monthly summary sheets to the Excel file"
```
This batching approach also optimizes token usage (see [Cheatsheet](../reference/cheatsheet.md) for token budgets).
---
## Step 6: Chrome Integration (Optional)
Cowork can use Chrome for web research tasks.
### Enable Chrome Access
1. When Cowork requests Chrome permission, review carefully
2. Grant only for specific research tasks
3. Revoke after task completion
### Example Web Research Task
```
Research the top 5 project management tools for small teams.
Save your findings to ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/pm-tools-research.md
with a comparison table.
```
### Security Note
- Review each web action Cowork proposes
- Don't let Cowork fill forms or make purchases
- Revoke Chrome access when not needed
---
## Troubleshooting First Run
### "Cannot access folder"
1. Go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Files and Folders
2. Find Claude Desktop
3. Ensure your workspace folder is listed and enabled
### "Cowork option not visible"
1. Update Claude Desktop to latest version
2. Check Settings → Features → ensure Cowork is enabled
3. Restart the app
### "Plan seems wrong"
1. **Don't approve** the plan
2. Say "Stop. Let me clarify: [your clarification]"
3. Cowork will revise its plan
### "Incomplete results"
1. Check if Cowork showed any errors
2. Try breaking the task into smaller steps
3. Verify folder permissions
---
## Next Steps
You're now ready to:
1. **[Explore Capabilities](02-capabilities.md)** — Learn what Cowork can do
2. **[Review Security](03-security.md)** — Safe usage practices
3. **[Try Workflows](../workflows/)** — Step-by-step tutorials
4. **[Use Ready Prompts](../prompts/)** — Copy-paste templates
---
## Quick Reference Card
| Action | How |
|--------|-----|
| **Start Cowork** | New conversation → Select Cowork mode |
| **Grant access** | Browse to ~/Cowork-Workspace/ when prompted |
| **Review plan** | Read each step before saying "proceed" |
| **Stop execution** | Type "Stop" or close the conversation |
| **Check results** | Always verify output folder after tasks |
---
*[← Overview](00-overview.md) | [Cowork Documentation](../README.md) | [Capabilities →](02-capabilities.md)*