claude-code-ultimate-guide/cowork/prompts/README.md

Cowork Prompt Library

Ready-to-use prompts organized by category

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How to Use

1. Copy the prompt from the relevant category
2. Customize the placeholders (marked with [brackets])
3. Paste into Cowork and review the plan before approving

Prompt Structure

All prompts follow this pattern:

Task: [Clear objective]
Input: [Source location]
Output: [Destination and format]
[Additional constraints or format requirements]

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Categories

Category	Description	Prompts
File Operations	Organization, renaming, cleanup	15+
Document Creation	Reports, summaries, presentations	15+
Data Extraction	Images → data, PDF parsing	15+
Research	Web research, synthesis	10+

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Quick Reference

Most Used Prompts

Organize Downloads

Organize all files in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/ by type.
Create folders: Documents, Images, Spreadsheets, Archives, Other.
Move files (don't copy). Save a summary report to ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/organization-summary.txt

Receipt to Excel

Extract expense data from receipt images in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/receipts/
Create an Excel file with columns: Date, Vendor, Amount, Category, Notes.
Add a summary sheet with totals by category.
Use European formula syntax (semicolons).
Save to ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/expenses.xlsx

Notes to Report

Combine all notes in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/notes/ into a project status report.
Structure: Executive Summary, Progress by Area, Key Decisions, Risks, Next Steps.
Format as Word document.
Save to ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/status-report.docx

Web Research

Research the top 5 [topic] tools/solutions.
Create a comparison table with: Name, Website, Key Features, Pricing, Pros, Cons.
Include a recommendation section.
Save to ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/[topic]-research.md

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Tips for Better Prompts

Be Specific About Scope

❌ "Organize my files"
✅ "Organize files in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/ into subfolders by file type"

Specify Output Location

❌ "Create a summary"
✅ "Save summary to ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/summary.txt"

Describe Expected Format

❌ "Make a spreadsheet"
✅ "Create Excel with columns: Date, Amount, Category. Add totals row."

Handle Regional Settings

✅ "Use European formula syntax (semicolon separators)"
✅ "Use US date format (MM/DD/YYYY)"

Request Confirmation

✅ "Show me the plan before executing any file moves"

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Create Your Own

Template

Task: [What you want Cowork to do]
Input: ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/[subfolder or files]
Output: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/[filename.extension]
Format: [Specific requirements]
Constraints: [Any limitations or preferences]

Example Custom Prompt

Task: Create a client briefing document
Input: ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/client-acme/
Output: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/acme-briefing.docx

Format:
- Company Overview (1 page)
- Key Contacts with titles
- Recent News (last 3 months)
- Talking Points (5-7 bullets)
- Questions to Ask (5-7 questions)

Constraints:
- Professional tone
- Maximum 5 pages
- Include date prepared in header

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Prompt Categories

File Operations →

• Organize by type, date, project
• Rename files with patterns
• Find and handle duplicates
• Clean up and archive

Document Creation →

• Status reports
• Meeting summaries
• Presentations
• Formatted documents

Data Extraction →

• Receipts to spreadsheet
• PDF data extraction
• Image text extraction
• Structured data parsing

Research →

• Competitive analysis
• Topic research
• Comparison matrices
• Trend summaries

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