Effective Prompting
Learn how to write better prompts for better results with InfuseOS.
Effective Prompting
The quality of your prompts directly affects the quality of InfuseOS responses. This guide teaches you how to write prompts that get you exactly what you need.
The Fundamentals
1. Be Specific
Vague prompts lead to vague results. Include specific details about what you want.
Less Effective
Check my emailsMore Effective
Search my Gmail for unread emails from my team (@company.com)
from the last 24 hours and summarize any that need my response2. Provide Context
Tell the AI what you're trying to accomplish and why.
Less Effective
Write a message to JohnMore Effective
Write a professional email to John (john@client.com) thanking him
for yesterday's meeting. Mention we'll send the proposal by Friday
and ask if he has any questions about the timeline.3. Specify the Format
Tell the AI how you want information presented.
Less Effective
Tell me about my calendarMore Effective
Show my calendar for today in a simple list format with:
- Time
- Event name
- Location (if any)
- Attendees count4. Break Down Complex Tasks
For multi-step tasks, be explicit about each step.
Less Effective
Help me prepare for my meetingMore Effective
Help me prepare for my 2pm meeting with the marketing team:
1. Find the meeting details in my calendar
2. Search my email for recent messages about the campaign launch
3. Check my memory for any notes about marketing priorities
4. Create a brief prep doc with key talking pointsAdvanced Techniques
Combine Related Tasks
Reduce credit usage and save time by combining related requests:
Check my calendar for tomorrow, identify any meetings that need prep,
search my email for context on those meetings, and create a summary
document I can review tonight.Use Examples
Show the AI what you want with examples:
Reformat this data into a table like this:
| Name | Role | Department |
|------|------|------------|
| John | Manager | Engineering |
Data to format:
Sarah is a Designer in Marketing
Mike is an Analyst in FinanceSet Constraints
Define boundaries for the response:
Summarize this document in exactly 3 bullet points,
each no more than 20 words.Reference Previous Context
Build on earlier conversation:
Using the report we discussed earlier, extract the key metrics
and create a one-page executive summary.Prompts for Each Integration
Gmail Prompts
Searching:
Search my Gmail for:
- Emails from john@example.com
- With attachments
- From the last month
- About the project proposalComposing:
Draft a follow-up email to sarah@example.com:
- Thank her for the meeting
- Confirm next steps we discussed
- Professional but friendly tone
- Keep it under 100 wordsCalendar Prompts
Viewing:
Show me my schedule for this week, grouped by day,
highlighting any conflicts or back-to-back meetings.Scheduling:
Find a 1-hour slot next week for a team meeting:
- Preferably Tuesday or Wednesday
- Between 10am and 4pm
- Not during lunch (12-1pm)Drive/Docs Prompts
Finding files:
Find all documents in my Drive that:
- Were modified in the last week
- Contain "Q4" in the name
- Are Google Docs or PDFsCreating documents:
Create a meeting notes template with:
- Header for date and attendees
- Sections for Agenda, Discussion, Action Items
- Clean, professional formattingMemory Prompts
Saving:
Save this to my memory with the title "Project X Requirements":
[content]
Tag it as high priority for easy retrieval.Retrieving:
Search my memory for everything related to the client onboarding
process, especially any notes about common issues or FAQs.Prompt Patterns
The Task + Context + Format Pattern
[Task]: Summarize my unread emails
[Context]: I've been away for a week and need to catch up quickly
[Format]: Group by sender, highlight urgent items firstThe Step-by-Step Pattern
I need to prepare a weekly report. Please:
1. Check my calendar for meetings I had this week
2. Search emails for project updates I received
3. Look in my memory for the report template
4. Create this week's report following the templateThe Constraint Pattern
Write a project update email that:
- Is under 200 words
- Includes 3 key achievements
- Mentions one challenge and how we're addressing it
- Ends with next week's prioritiesThe Example Pattern
Respond to customer emails in this style:
Example:
"Hi [Name], Thanks for reaching out! [Acknowledgment of issue].
[Solution or next steps]. Let me know if you need anything else!"
Now respond to: [customer email content]Common Mistakes
Too Vague
❌ "Help me with work stuff"
Missing Context
❌ "Send an email" (to whom? about what?)
Too Many Unrelated Tasks
❌ "Check my email, update my calendar, search the web for recipes, and create a document about AI"
Not Reviewing Results
❌ Approving actions without checking the preview
Iteration is Key
Don't expect perfection on the first try. Refine your prompts:
- Start simple: Get a basic result
- Identify gaps: What's missing or wrong?
- Add specifics: Refine your prompt
- Repeat: Until you get what you need
First: "Summarize this document"
Then: "Focus more on the financial projections"
Then: "Add specific numbers and percentages"
Final: "Format as bullet points for a presentation"