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How to Use Projects in ChatGPT to Keep Your Work Organized

Create a project in ChatGPT’s sidebar for each ongoing piece of work, like a client, a course or your website. Add the files and instructions that work needs once; every chat inside the project can use them, so you don’t paste the same background again.

By Published Last updated 2 min read

The short version

A project is a folder with a memory. Put your chats about one thing in it, add the background files and instructions once, and every new chat in that project starts already knowing the context.

Step by step

  1. Create a project from the sidebar (look for Projects or New project) and give it a clear name: “Website rewrite”, “Client: Green Leaf Café”, “Biology 201”.
  2. Add instructions for how ChatGPT should work in this project: the audience, the tone, the rules.
  3. Add files it should know: a style guide, a price list, course notes.
  4. Start chats inside the project, or move existing chats into it.
  5. Keep it tidy: update files when they change, and remove outdated ones.

Project ideas

  • One per client: their brief, brand guide and past emails.
  • Your website: the plan, page drafts and customer questions.
  • A course: the syllabus and your notes, for explanations and quizzes.
  • Marketing: your voice examples, product list and campaign calendar.
  • Job search: your resume, target roles and each cover letter.

Instructions to copy

For a client project:

text
This project is for [client], a [type of business] in [city]. Audience: [who].
Tone: [tone]. Always follow the attached brand guide. Never mention prices unless I give them.
Flag anything that contradicts the brief.

For a course:

text
I'm studying [course]. Explain using the attached notes where possible and tell me when you go beyond them.
Quiz me when I say "quiz".

Mistakes to avoid

  • One giant project for everything. Mixing clients or subjects confuses the answers.
  • Outdated files. If your prices changed, replace the file, or ChatGPT will use the old ones.
  • Confidential files you shouldn’t share. Projects don’t change what’s safe to upload.

Good to know

Project features, limits and sharing depend on your plan and can change. If a menu isn’t where this page says, search OpenAI’s Help Center for “projects”.

Related: set custom instructions.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Projects and custom instructions?

Custom instructions apply to all your chats. Project instructions apply only to the chats in that project, so each client or subject can have its own.

Is a project shared with other people?

Not unless you share it, where your plan allows that. Treat files you add the same way as anything else you paste: only add what you're allowed to share.

Sources

  1. OpenAI Help Center: projects in ChatGPT

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