25 handy prompts for work you can copy right away
Ready-made prompts for work: emails, meetings, Excel, social media and planning. Copy, fill in and go. Plus tips for working safely.
You know AI can help you, but what do you actually type into that blank box? With these 25 prompts for work, you do not need to think about that anymore. Copy a prompt, fill in your own situation, and within a minute you have a first draft of your email, diary or plan.
How do you use these prompts for work?
Copy a prompt, replace everything in square brackets with your own situation, and paste it into an AI chatbot. The prompts work in every well-known chatbot, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and Claude.
Are you not quite sure what a prompt actually is? Then first read our explanation of what a prompt is. If you have never used a chatbot before, our guide Using ChatGPT for beginners will help you get started.
Why do these prompts work well? They tell the AI what you want, who it is for and what it should look like. Microsoft recommends exactly that in its tips for better Copilot responses: state your goal, give context and say what you expect. OpenAI also advises in its guidelines for ChatGPT to be clear and specific.
| Part | What you fill in | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | What should the AI make? | Write a reminder |
| Context | For whom and why? | To a customer, invoice has been open for 14 days |
| Expectation | Length, tone and form | Friendly, maximum 80 words |
| Source | Which text or data does the AI use? | Paste your earlier email below |
Which prompts help with emails and messages?
Use AI mainly for the first draft, shortening text and finding the right tone. You remain responsible for what you send.
- Write a friendly but clear email to [persoon] about [onderwerp]. Maximum 120 words.
- Make this email shorter and friendlier, without changing the content: [tekst].
- Write a polite reminder about [onderwerp] that has been open for [aantal] days.
- Help me say no to [verzoek] in a friendly way, with an alternative.
- Translate this email into business English and keep the tone the same: [tekst].
How do you prepare a meeting with AI?
Let AI make an agenda, questions or notes, so you have more time for the conversation itself. Always check that the action points are correct.
- Make an agenda for a meeting of [duur] about [onderwerp] with [aantal] participants.
- Turn these notes into minutes with a list of action points per person: [aantekeningen].
- Think of five good questions I can ask in a meeting about [onderwerp].
- Summarise this text in five points for someone who does not have time to read everything: [tekst].
Can AI help you with Excel and numbers?
Yes, AI is good at coming up with and explaining formulas. Do test a formula on a copy of your file first, though, because AI sometimes makes mistakes.
- Give an Excel formula that [wat je wilt berekenen]. My data is in column [letter] from row [nummer]. Explain how the formula works.
- What does this formula mean and why does it give an error? [formule]
- Think of a clear layout for a spreadsheet to keep track of [doel].
Which prompts do you use for writing and presenting?
With these prompts, you can quickly get a structure, better titles or a text that everyone understands. Then add your own examples and experience, because the AI does not know them.
- Create a structure with headings for a presentation of [duur] about [onderwerp] for [publiek].
- Rewrite this text at B1 language level, so everyone can understand it: [tekst].
- Give three possible titles for [stuk] and explain why they work.
- Check this text for language mistakes and unclear sentences. Explain your changes: [tekst].
- Write a short introduction about myself for [situatie]. I am a [beroep] and good at [kwaliteiten].
How do you use AI for social media and marketing?
AI helps you with ideas and first drafts for posts, product copy and customer replies. Then make the text personal, so it really suits your business.
- Write three LinkedIn posts about [onderwerp] in a personal tone, each no more than 100 words.
- Come up with ten post ideas for [soort bedrijf] for the coming month.
- Write a product description of [product] for [doelgroep] in 80 words. Features: [lijst].
- Give five answers to frequently asked customer questions about [onderwerp], in a friendly tone.
Are you an entrepreneur and want to go further than one-off prompts? Then also read the first steps with AI for entrepreneurs.
Which prompts help with planning and learning?
AI can organise your tasks, explain something new and take a critical look at your plans. That last prompt is especially useful: the AI points out things you may have missed yourself.
- Make a weekly plan for these tasks, with the most important ones first: [taken].
- Explain [onderwerp] as if I were a beginner, and then ask me three questions to check whether I understand it.
- I want to learn [vaardigheid] in four weeks with one hour per week. Make a plan.
- Look at this plan critically. What am I missing and what could go wrong? [plan]
What should you avoid putting in a prompt?
Do not put personal data, customer data or confidential business information in a prompt. What you enter is often stored on the servers of the company behind the chatbot.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority has already received reports of data breaches caused by AI chatbots, Security.NL reports. In one of those cases, an employee at a GP practice had put patients’ medical data into a chatbot. Replace names and details with general terms, such as the customer or project A. You can read more tips in our article on using AI safely and protecting your privacy.
Frequently asked questions
Do these prompts work in every AI chatbot?
Yes. The prompts are ordinary Dutch sentences. They work in ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude and other chatbots. The answer can differ a little from one chatbot to another.
What do I do if the answer is not good?
Ask follow-up questions in the same conversation. For example, say: make it shorter, write it more formally or give an example. Your first prompt does not have to be perfect.
Can I just send AI-written texts?
Always read them through first. AI can invent facts or get the tone slightly wrong. You remain responsible for what you send.
Do I have to pay to use these prompts?
No, you can also use them in the free versions of the well-known chatbots. If you use AI for work, do check which tools your employer allows.
Can I type the prompts in Dutch?
Yes. The well-known chatbots understand Dutch well and also reply in Dutch.
Ready to get started? Pick a task you often do today, such as an email or an agenda, and try the prompt that matches it. Save the prompts that work. Want to use AI more broadly? Then read how to start using AI at work.
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