A request can be short without being vague. To prepare a piece of work with an AI, try a four-line prompt: what you expect, who it is for, what should serve as a source and what must not be invented.
IN SHORT
- Describe an observable result: a summary, a plan, a proposal or a list of questions.
- Set the boundaries of the sources and ask for gaps to be flagged.
- Say what you will review first.
Say what should exist at the end
Choose an observable deliverable: a summary, a plan, a proposal or a list of questions. Specify its length and format if they matter.
Replace “Help me with this file” with “Prepare a summary of this file with the three decisions that are still open”.
Set the boundaries: sources and unknowns
State which sources can be used. Leave out old versions when you know they should no longer serve as a basis.
Ask for missing information to be flagged. A field marked “to be confirmed” is better than a plausible detail added without a source: it is the best protection against a hallucination.
“Don’t add any date, budget or commitment that isn’t in the documents. Flag what is missing.”
Describe the review you expect
Say what you will look at first: clarity, faithfulness to the context, tone or the points to check. That gives the first version a concrete purpose.
Keep this brief with the deliverable. It will help you understand later why the document was prepared the way it was.
A template to reuse
Four lines are enough for most requests:
- Result: “Prepare a one-page proposal for [client].”
- Audience: “For a marketing director who is new to the project.”
- Sources: “Use only the attached brief and quote.”
- Limits: “Don’t invent any figures; list what is missing at the end.”
In Inkore
In Inkore, the sources for a conversation are chosen explicitly, and the first version arrives as a document that you correct before any export or sending. See how Inkore works from your sources.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a good prompt?
A good prompt states the expected result, who it is for, which sources to use and the limits — especially what must not be invented. It can fit in four lines: for example, a one-page proposal, for a director new to the project, based only on the attached brief, with no invented figures.
How can you stop an AI from making things up?
Limit the sources, explicitly forbid adding figures or dates that aren’t in the documents, and ask for a list of what is missing. Then review any statement that doesn’t cite a source. The risk never disappears entirely, but it becomes much easier to spot.