> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.cleftnotes.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Custom Instructions Library

> Ready-to-use custom instructions to get better results from your voice notes

# Custom Instructions Library

Transform your raw voice recordings into structured, actionable content with these proven custom instruction templates.

## What Are Custom Instructions?

Custom instructions tell Cleft how to process and format your voice notes. Instead of just transcribing what you said, Cleft can organize, summarize, and structure your content automatically.

<Note>
  Custom instructions are available with Cleft Plus. [Upgrade here](/user-guides/upgrade-to-plus) to unlock AI-powered note processing.
</Note>

## Essential Templates

### Daily Planning & Review

<Accordion title="Morning Brain Dump Processor">
  **Use for**: Daily morning thought capture

  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Organize this morning brain dump into:

  PRIORITIES TODAY:
  - [List top 3 urgent/important items]

  THOUGHTS & IDEAS:
  - [Random thoughts and insights]

  CONCERNS & BLOCKERS:
  - [Things causing stress or blocking progress]

  QUICK WINS:
  - [Small tasks that can be completed quickly]

  Make the priorities actionable with specific next steps.
  ```

  **Example Input**: "I'm feeling overwhelmed today, need to finish the client proposal, call mom about dinner plans, thinking about that new project idea for automation, worried about the budget meeting, also should update my LinkedIn profile..."

  **Example Output**:

  ```
  PRIORITIES TODAY:
  - Finish client proposal - review sections 2-3 and send by 3pm
  - Prepare for budget meeting - gather Q3 numbers and talking points

  THOUGHTS & IDEAS:  
  - New project idea for automation workflows
  - Update LinkedIn profile with recent achievements

  CONCERNS & BLOCKERS:
  - Budget meeting preparation causing stress

  QUICK WINS:
  - Call mom about dinner plans
  - LinkedIn profile update (20 minutes)
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="End-of-Day Review Processor">
  **Use for**: Evening reflection and planning

  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Process this end-of-day reflection into:

  ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
  - [What was completed today]

  LESSONS LEARNED:
  - [Insights and key learnings]

  TOMORROW'S PRIORITIES:
  - [Top 3 items for tomorrow]

  FOLLOW-UP NEEDED:
  - [Items requiring action from others]

  Keep accomplishments specific and make tomorrow's priorities actionable.
  ```
</Accordion>

### Meeting & Communication

<Accordion title="Meeting Notes Processor">
  **Use for**: Converting meeting recordings into structured notes

  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Structure these meeting notes into:

  MEETING: [Topic/Title]
  ATTENDEES: [Who was present]

  KEY DECISIONS:
  - [Important decisions made]

  ACTION ITEMS:
  - [Who] will [do what] by [when]

  NEXT STEPS:
  - [Follow-up meetings or activities needed]

  PARKING LOT:
  - [Items mentioned but not resolved]

  Make all action items specific with clear owners and deadlines.
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Email Draft Generator">
  **Use for**: Converting voice thoughts into professional email drafts

  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Convert this voice note into a professional email draft:

  Subject: [Suggest clear, specific subject line]

  Hi [Name],

  [Opening greeting and context]

  [Main message organized into clear paragraphs]

  [Clear call-to-action or next steps]

  [Professional closing]

  Keep tone professional but friendly. Make requests specific and actionable.
  ```
</Accordion>

### Project & Task Management

<Accordion title="Project Planning Processor">
  **Use for**: Converting project ideas into structured plans

  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Organize this project thinking into:

  PROJECT: [Clear project name]

  OBJECTIVE:
  - [What success looks like]

  KEY MILESTONES:
  - [Major checkpoints with rough timing]

  NEXT ACTIONS:
  - [Immediate steps to get started]

  RESOURCES NEEDED:
  - [People, tools, or budget required]

  POTENTIAL OBSTACLES:
  - [Risks and mitigation strategies]

  Make milestones specific and next actions immediately actionable.
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Task Breakdown Processor">
  **Use for**: Converting complex tasks into manageable steps

  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Break down these tasks into actionable steps:

  MAIN TASK: [Overall objective]

  STEP-BY-STEP PLAN:
  1. [First specific action]
  2. [Second specific action]
  3. [Continue...]

  TIME ESTIMATES:
  - [Rough time needed for each step]

  DEPENDENCIES:
  - [What needs to happen first or who needs to be involved]

  Make each step specific enough that you could start immediately.
  ```
</Accordion>

### Learning & Knowledge Management

<Accordion title="Learning Notes Processor">
  **Use for**: Converting learning sessions into structured knowledge

  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Organize these learning notes into:

  TOPIC: [Main subject]

  KEY INSIGHTS:
  - [Most important takeaways]

  PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS:
  - [How to use this information]

  CONNECTIONS:
  - [How this relates to other knowledge/projects]

  FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS:
  - [What to explore further]

  ACTION ITEMS:
  - [Specific things to do based on this learning]

  Focus on actionable insights and practical applications.
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Book/Article Summary Processor">
  **Use for**: Creating structured summaries of content you've consumed

  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Create a summary of this content:

  SOURCE: [Book/article title and author]

  MAIN ARGUMENT:
  - [Central thesis or key message]

  KEY POINTS:
  - [3-5 most important supporting points]

  ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS:
  - [Specific things I can implement]

  QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
  - [Memorable quotes or insights]

  QUESTIONS RAISED:
  - [What this makes me think about]

  Focus on practical application and personal relevance.
  ```
</Accordion>

## Industry-Specific Templates

### For Sales Professionals

<Accordion title="Sales Call Follow-up">
  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Process this sales call into:

  CLIENT: [Company/Contact name]
  DATE: [Call date]

  CURRENT SITUATION:
  - [Their challenges and needs]

  OUR SOLUTION FIT:
  - [How we can help]

  NEXT STEPS:
  - [Specific actions with timeline]

  PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS:
  - [What they need to see]

  DECISION TIMELINE:
  - [When they're looking to decide]

  FOLLOW-UP SCHEDULE:
  - [When and how to reconnect]
  ```
</Accordion>

### For Consultants

<Accordion title="Client Discovery Notes">
  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Structure this client discovery into:

  CLIENT CONTEXT:
  - [Industry, size, current situation]

  CORE CHALLENGES:
  - [Primary problems they're facing]

  SUCCESS CRITERIA:
  - [How they'll measure success]

  STAKEHOLDERS:
  - [Key people and their interests]

  CONSTRAINTS:
  - [Budget, timeline, or resource limitations]

  OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT:
  - [Our ability to help and potential value]

  Next meeting should focus on [specific areas to explore].
  ```
</Accordion>

### For Researchers

<Accordion title="Research Notes Processor">
  **Custom Instruction**:

  ```
  Organize this research session into:

  RESEARCH QUESTION: [What I'm investigating]

  SOURCES REVIEWED:
  - [Papers, articles, or data examined]

  KEY FINDINGS:
  - [Important discoveries or patterns]

  METHODOLOGY NOTES:
  - [How research was conducted]

  IMPLICATIONS:
  - [What this means for the larger question]

  NEXT RESEARCH STEPS:
  - [What to investigate next]

  HYPOTHESIS UPDATES:
  - [How thinking has evolved]
  ```
</Accordion>

## Using Custom Instructions Effectively

### Best Practices

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start Simple">
    Begin with basic templates and customize as you learn what works for your workflow
  </Step>

  <Step title="Be Specific">
    The more specific your instructions, the better the output. Include examples when helpful.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Iterate and Improve">
    Refine your custom instructions based on the results you get
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create Templates for Repeated Tasks">
    If you do something regularly, create a custom instruction template for it
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Customization Tips

<CardGroup cols={2} role="group" aria-label="Custom instruction improvement tips">
  <Card title="Add Your Terminology" icon="language" aria-label="Include industry-specific terms in custom instructions">
    Include industry-specific terms or company jargon in your instructions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Specify Format Preferences" icon="list" aria-label="Tell Cleft how to format your notes">
    Tell Cleft exactly how you want information organized and formatted
  </Card>

  <Card title="Include Context" icon="circle-info" aria-label="Add background information for better processing">
    Add background information that helps with processing your specific situation
  </Card>

  <Card title="Set Output Length" icon="ruler" aria-label="Specify note length preferences">
    Specify if you want brief summaries or detailed breakdowns
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Creating Your Own Custom Instructions

### Template Structure

```
PURPOSE: [What this instruction is for]

PROCESSING RULE: [How to organize the content]

FORMAT:
[Specific structure you want]

GUIDELINES:
- [Specific requirements]
- [Quality standards]
- [What to emphasize]

EXAMPLE OUTPUT:
[Show what good output looks like]
```

### Testing and Refining

<Accordion title="Iteration Process">
  1. **Start with a basic version** of your custom instruction
  2. **Test with real voice notes** - try it on actual content
  3. **Identify gaps** - what's missing or unclear in the output?
  4. **Refine the instruction** - add specificity or adjust format
  5. **Test again** - verify improvements work consistently
  6. **Save successful templates** - build your library over time
</Accordion>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Advanced Formatting" icon="paint-brush" href="/user-guides/advanced-formatting">
    Learn advanced techniques for custom instruction formatting
  </Card>

  <Card title="Prompt Templates" icon="file-lines" href="/user-guides/prompt-templates">
    Browse more ready-to-use prompt templates
  </Card>
</CardGroup>