Reusable Prompt Templates for Your Job

By now you have written prompts that work well. The next step is to stop rewriting them from scratch. A prompt template is a tested prompt with blanks for the parts that change. Fill the blanks, paste, done.

Templates save time, give consistent results, and let colleagues who are new to AI get the same quality you do.

What makes a good template

A good template has four parts:

1. Fixed instructions you have already tested: role, format, rules.
2. Clearly marked blanks in [SQUARE BRACKETS].
3. A short note on when to use it.
4. One filled-in example, so others see how to use it.

Example template: customer complaint reply

WHEN TO USE: replying to a customer complaint by email.

You are a customer support executive at [COMPANY], a [TYPE OF BUSINESS].
Write a reply to the complaint below.
- Apologise once, sincerely, without blaming anyone.
- Explain what happened in one or two sentences: [WHAT HAPPENED].
- Offer this solution: [SOLUTION].
- Give a clear next step and date: [NEXT STEP].
- Under 120 words. Warm, professional, no jargon.

Complaint:
"""
[PASTE COMPLAINT]
"""

Example template: weekly status update

WHEN TO USE: Friday update to my manager.

Turn my notes into a weekly status update for [MANAGER ROLE].
Sections: Done this week, In progress, Blocked (with what I need),
Next week. Bullet points, max 3 per section, each under 15 words.
Do not add anything that is not in my notes.

Notes:
"""
[PASTE NOTES]
"""

Example template: explain a document

WHEN TO USE: understanding a long circular, contract or policy.

Explain the document below to [WHO: e.g. a new employee].
1. What it is about, in 2 lines
2. What I must do, with any deadlines (table: Action, Deadline)
3. What changes compared to before, if it says so
4. Anything unclear that I should ask about
Base the answer only on the document. Quote the line for each deadline.

"""
[PASTE DOCUMENT]
"""

Where to keep templates

• Personal: a notes app or a single document called "My AI prompts".
• Team: a shared document, OneNote page or a pinned message in your team chat, with one section per template.
• Inside the AI tool: some assistants let you save custom instructions or build simple custom assistants with saved instructions. Names and availability differ by tool and plan, so check your tool's settings.

Keep templates healthy

• Test before sharing. Run each template on three real cases.
• Date and version them. "Complaint reply v2, Nov 2026" makes it clear which is current.
• Improve from feedback. If people keep editing the same part of the output, fix the template.

Practice task

Pick your three most repeated tasks this month. For each, turn your best prompt into a template with fixed instructions, marked blanks, a "when to use" note and one example. Test each on a real case.

Key takeaways

• A template is a tested prompt with blanks for the parts that change.
• Good templates have fixed instructions, marked blanks, a usage note and an example.
• Keep them where you and your team can find them, with a date or version.
• Test on real cases and improve templates from feedback.