Write clearer spreadsheet prompts and save your best ones

The most useful prompts answer three questions: what should happen, where should it happen, and how should the result look? Add a fourth detail when needed: what must stay unchanged.

• Name the sheet and range.
• Describe the output columns or format.
• Give one or two examples when the rule is subjective.
• Call out exclusions, limits, or values that must not change.
• Ask for a short explanation when you need to review the reasoning.

If the first response is close, keep the useful context and make one correction at a time. Ask for a smaller range, a different output format, or a list of exceptions. For a large edit, switch to Plan mode so you can review the approach before it runs.

Save prompts that describe a repeatable job, such as a weekly cleanup or monthly report. Update the saved prompt when your columns change so it does not quietly drift out of date.

Signed-in users can save a prompt with a title and body, search saved prompts, edit an instruction, or remove one that is no longer useful. Selecting a saved prompt inserts it into the conversation so you can add the range or current context before sending.

Save the purpose in the title, such as “Weekly order cleanup” or “Monthly pipeline summary”. Keep the body specific enough that another person could understand what it should do.

You can manage the library from the workspace prompt controls or through Prompt settings.

Good saved prompts describe the stable part of a workflow and leave room for the current sheet, range, date, or owner. For example, save “Review the current month’s pipeline” and add the exact tab and date range when you use it.

Include the output you want, such as a short summary, a review table, or a list of exceptions. Say whether the instruction should only answer a question or make a change. That small distinction prevents an instruction saved for analysis from being used accidentally as an editing request.

Do not rely on words such as “clean”, “fix”, or “make it better” without explaining the rule. Those words mean different things to different people. Replace them with an observable result, such as “trim extra spaces”, “flag duplicate order numbers”, or “sort by due date without changing the row values”.

If you want judgment rather than a fixed rule, ask the assistant to show the uncertain rows separately. That gives you a place to make the decision instead of hiding it inside a bulk change.