Most small teams start using Claude one person at a time: each person opens a new chat, pastes in the same background, and gets slightly different results. A Project fixes that. It holds the instructions and reference files for one recurring job, so every chat inside it starts with the same context.

This guide sets up one Project for a single, specific job. Pick something your team does every week, like answering client document requests, writing proposals, or summarizing meeting notes.

1. Pick one job, not a whole department

A Project works best when it's narrow. "Client intake emails" beats "Admin." If you can't describe what a good result looks like in two sentences, the job is too broad – split it.

2. Write instructions like you'd brief a new hire

Open Projects in Claude, create a new one, and add instructions. Cover:

  • Who it's for: "You help the office team at a 6-person bookkeeping firm."
  • What good looks like: tone, length, format. Paste one example you were happy with.
  • Hard rules: "Never include account numbers. Always end with the portal link. A person reviews every email before it's sent."

Keep it to a short page. You can refine it as you see what comes back.

3. Add the reference files it needs

Upload the documents someone would need open to do the job well: a checklist, a template, a style guide, your AI use policy. Leave out anything with client data you wouldn't want in the tool – your use policy should say what's allowed.

4. Test it on three real examples

Run three recent, real requests through the Project (with any sensitive details removed). For each one, ask: would I send this with light edits? If not, change the instructions, not the request. Most fixes are one added sentence.

5. Share it and set the review rule

On a Team or Enterprise plan you can share the Project with the people who do the job. Agree on one rule before anyone uses it with clients: Claude drafts, a person approves.

What to do next

Once the first Project is working, add a second for the next most repetitive job. Most small teams end up with three to five Projects that cover the bulk of their writing work.

Want this set up for your whole team, with a use policy and training on your real work? That's what the Claude Setup covers.