On this page
TL;DR:
- Here are 25 prompts for everyday office work: email, meetings, reports, Excel, presentations, customer replies, planning and learning.
- Each is built with the four Cs (Clarity, Context, Constraints, Customisation), which is why they beat a one-line request.
- They work in any chatbot. As of November 2026, ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini have free plans, and Microsoft 365 business users with a qualifying plan can use Copilot Chat with a work account.
- Each prompt says when to use it and what to check. The checking is your job, because your name is on the work.
- Never paste confidential work data into a personal account.
Who this is for
This is for anyone in a Kenyan office who uses a chatbot and wants better answers. If you are brand new, start with our first-week guide to using ChatGPT at work, which covers settings and your first five days. This post gives you ready prompts, grouped by task.
How these prompts are built: the four Cs
A good prompt gives the tool what a new colleague would need on day one. At FuKazee we teach four parts:
- Clarity: say exactly what you want produced.
- Context: who you are, who it is for, and why.
- Constraints: length, tone, format, and what to leave out.
- Customisation: shape it for the reader. Ask: where will this answer be used, and who will read it?
The toolmakers give similar advice. Here is how their terms line up with ours (the mapping is our own):
| The four Cs | Microsoft (Copilot) | Google (Gemini) |
|---|---|---|
| Clarity | Goal | Task |
| Context | Context, Source | Context, Persona |
| Constraints | Expectations | Format |
| Customisation | Expectations | Persona, Format |
Anthropic's guide for Claude offers a simple test: show your prompt to a colleague who knows little about the task. If they would be confused, the tool will be too.
Three rules before you copy
- Fill the [square brackets] with safe details. Use roles ("the supplier") instead of names, and made-up figures instead of real ones. The same goes for anything you paste: if it is confidential, keep it out of a personal account.
- Expect a conversation. The first answer is a draft. Reply "shorter", "more formal" or "you missed the deadline". Microsoft's own guidance says to expect back-and-forth.
- Check before you use it. Chatbots can state wrong things with full confidence.
Email prompts
1. Reply to a tricky email in three tones
When: a message annoys you, or you are unsure how firm to be.
I received the email below from [a client / senior colleague]. Context: [one line on the situation]. Write three replies under 120 words each: warm, neutral, and firm but polite. Keep my position: [what you will and will not do]. This is a fairly formal Kenyan workplace. Email, with names and confidential details removed: [paste]
Check: no reply promises something you did not agree to. Rewrite the first line in your own voice.
2. Chase a late response
When: you asked a week ago and heard nothing.
Write a follow-up email to [role] who has not replied to my request for [item], sent on [date]. I need it by [date] because [reason]. Under 80 words, friendly, no blame, deadline easy to see on a phone. Suggest one easy way they can help, such as a partial answer.
Check: the dates and the tone.
3. Find what a long thread wants from you
When: you were copied into a 15-email thread.
Below is an email thread with names replaced by roles and confidential details removed. Tell me: (1) what has been decided, (2) what is still open, (3) anything asked of [my role], with deadlines. If something is unclear, say "unclear" and do not guess. Thread: [paste]
Check: read the last three emails yourself. Summaries can miss a late change of plan.
4. Say no politely
When: you cannot take on a request but want to keep the relationship.
Help me decline a request from [role] to [task] because [honest reason]. I can offer [alternative or later date]. Write a respectful email under 100 words with no long apology, then a two-line WhatsApp version.
Check: the alternative is real and you can deliver it.
Meeting prompts
5. An agenda with timings
When: you are chairing and want to finish on time.
I am running a [length] meeting with [attendees] about [topic]. We must decide [decision]. Draft a one-page agenda with a time per item, the owner by role, and whether each item needs a decision, an update or a discussion. Leave 5 minutes for actions.
Check: the timings add up, and the key item is not squeezed at the end.
6. Questions to ask before a meeting
When: you meet a supplier, partner or your boss and want to be ready.
I am meeting [role, for example a software vendor] about [topic]. My aim is [aim]. List 6 questions in a sensible order and mark the 2 most important. Then list the things I should not agree to on the spot. I work for [type of organisation] in Kenya.
Check: add the one question only you would think to ask.
7. The follow-up email after a meeting
When: someone must send "here is what we agreed".
Using my notes below, write a follow-up email to attendees: a one-line thank you, the decisions, then a table of actions (action, owner by role, due date). Add nothing that is not in my notes. Mark anything unclear with [CHECK]. Notes, with names and confidential details removed: [paste]
Check: every owner and date. People act on this email.
Report prompts
8. Outline a report
When: you face a blank page.
I need a [monthly / quarterly] report on [area] for [reader], who cares most about [priority]. Suggest up to 6 headings. Under each, say in one line what to include and what evidence to attach.
Check: it fits your organisation's template. If one exists, paste its headings in.
9. Write the executive summary
When: the report is done and needs a short top section.
Here are my report's main points: [bullets, sensitive figures removed]. Write an executive summary of up to 150 words for [reader]. Open with the most important finding. End with what I am asking them to decide. Plain English.
Check: every number against your report, and that the final ask is the one you want.
10. Red-pen your draft as the reader
When: before you send something important.
Act as [reader, for example a busy finance director] reading this draft. Do not rewrite it. List: (1) 3 places you got confused, (2) claims that need evidence, (3) vague wording, (4) one way to make the main point clearer. Draft, with confidential details removed: [paste]
Check: you know your reader better than the tool does, so decide what to accept.
Excel prompts
These ask for the method, so your real data stays in your own file. For hands-on help, see our Excel and AI training in Nairobi.
11. Explain an inherited formula
When: one cell in someone else's spreadsheet makes no sense.
Explain this Excel formula step by step, as if I know only basic formulas: [paste formula]. Then tell me what would break it, such as blank cells or text in a number column, and how to make it safer.
Check: test it on two rows where you already know the answer.
12. Match two lists
When: you need to match payments to invoices.
In Excel, Sheet1 has [Invoice No, Customer, Amount (KES)] and Sheet2 has [Invoice No, Date Paid]. Give me a formula that brings Date Paid into Sheet1 by Invoice No and shows "Not paid" when there is no match. I use [Excel version]. Also give an alternative in case my version lacks the first function.
Check: a few matches by hand. Watch for invoice numbers stored as text in one sheet.
13. Clean messy phone numbers and names
When: your data has extra spaces, mixed capitals or five phone formats.
My column of Kenyan phone numbers mixes formats like 0712 345 678, +254712345678 and 712345678. Some start with 01, such as 0110 123 456. Give me Excel formulas to convert them all to 254 followed by 9 digits (for example 254712345678), kept as text, and flag any of the wrong length. Then a formula to remove extra spaces from names and use proper capitals. Explain each in one sentence.
Check: the examples are made up on purpose. Never paste a real customer list, and test on a copy of your file.
14. Choose the right chart
When: you need one clear picture for a report or slide.
My table has columns [names] showing [what] over [period]. My reader needs to see [your point]. Which Excel chart should I use and why? Give steps to build it and a title that states the main finding.
Check: the title does not claim more than the data shows.
Presentation prompts
15. Slides from a report
When: you must present a report next week.
Turn this summary into a [number]-slide outline for [audience]. For each slide: a headline that states the point, up to 3 short bullets, and a chart or photo idea. End with the decision or next step. Summary, with confidential details removed: [paste]
Check: every headline is supported by the report.
16. Speaker notes for a short slot
When: you have 5 minutes and tend to run over.
Here are my slide headlines: [paste]. Write speaker notes I can say in about [number] minutes, in a natural voice, with one example idea for the key slide. Mark where to pause for questions.
Check: read them aloud with a timer.
17. Prepare for tough questions
When: you face senior people or a sceptical room.
I am presenting [topic] to [audience] and recommending [recommendation]. List the 6 hardest likely questions with a short, honest answer for each. Flag any where I need more evidence first.
Check: the flagged questions are your homework. The tool cannot do them for you.
Customer reply prompts
18. A WhatsApp reply to an enquiry
When: customers ask the same questions all day.
A customer asked on WhatsApp: "[question, no name or number]". Using only these facts: [product details, prices, terms], write a friendly reply under 60 words. If the facts do not answer it, say we will confirm and get back to them. End with one next step. Then give the same reply in natural Kiswahili.
Check: every price against your official list. A fluent colleague should read the Kiswahili.
19. Answer a bad public review
When: someone leaves a one-star review on Google or social media.
A customer posted this review: "[paste]". Our side: [short, honest facts]. Write a public reply under 80 words that thanks them, owns what we got wrong, does not argue, and invites them to [official email or line]. Mention no personal details or order numbers.
Check: it admits only what is true, and a manager approves it before it goes up.
20. Turn a policy into FAQs
When: customers keep asking about returns, delivery or refunds.
Here is our public [policy name]: [paste]. Turn it into 8 questions and answers customers would really ask, in plain English, using only what the policy says. List common questions it does not cover under "Not covered".
Check: each answer against the policy. The "Not covered" list is often the most useful part.
Planning prompts
21. Break a project into weeks
When: a big task, a fixed deadline.
I need to [project] by [date], with about [hours] a week alongside normal work. Break it into weekly steps, each with a clear output, in a table. Flag steps that depend on other people so I can ask them early.
Check: the plan fits your real weeks, including public holidays and month-end.
22. Sort a long to-do list
When: Monday morning, and everything feels urgent.
Here is my to-do list: [paste, nothing confidential]. This week's main goal is [goal]; deadlines are [deadlines]. Sort it into: do today, this week, delegate, and postpone. One-line reason each. Tell me honestly if it is too much for the time I have.
Check: you decide. Move items if the tool misjudged what matters to your boss.
23. Find what could go wrong
When: before an event, launch or big change.
I am planning [event or change] on [date] for [who]. List the 8 most likely problems, including practical ones such as power cuts, poor network, traffic or late payments where relevant. For each, one way to prevent it and one backup plan, in a table.
Check: add the risks only you know, such as the approval that always comes late.
Learning prompts
24. Learn a concept, then get quizzed
When: a term keeps coming up in meetings.
Explain [concept, for example a service-level agreement] in plain English, as if I am new to it, with one example from a Kenyan business. Then ask me 3 questions one at a time and correct me gently if I am wrong.
Check: confirm it in one trusted source, such as your professional body, before relying on it.
25. Learn a feature in software you already use
When: you know a feature exists in Word, Excel, Outlook or Google Sheets, but not how to use it.
Teach me to [task, for example do a mail merge in Word] step by step. First ask which program and version I use, and whether I am on a laptop or phone. One action per step, and wait for me to say "done" before the next.
Check: menus change. If a button is missing, tell the tool what you see.
Why prompts fail, and how to fix them
| What you see | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bland, generic answers | No context | Say who it is for and why |
| Wrong tone for your office | The tool guessed the audience | Say how formal your workplace is |
| Made-up facts | You asked for facts it lacks | Supply the facts and ask for "not stated" when unsure |
| Good once, never again | The prompt was not saved | Keep a shared prompt document or a ChatGPT Project |
| Worse as the chat goes on | The conversation drifted | Start a new chat with your improved prompt |
Our guide to ChatGPT Projects shows how to keep your best prompts and files in one place.
Keep work data safe
The rule is simple: never paste confidential data into a personal account. That means customer lists, staff records, salaries, ID numbers, KRA PINs, M-PESA statements, board papers, tender bids and passwords.
Personal accounts can use your chats to improve the toolmaker's models, depending on your settings. As of November 2026:
- ChatGPT: OpenAI's pricing page says content on personal plans, including Free, is used for training, with an opt-out available.
- Gemini: Google says that with Keep Activity on, chats can be used to improve its services, and some are read by human reviewers.
- Claude: Anthropic says chats are used for training if you allow it in the Model Improvement setting, if a chat is flagged for safety review, or if you rate a reply with the thumbs up or down buttons.
Turning these settings off is a good habit. It still does not make a personal account the place for your employer's secrets. Use the tool your employer approves, with a work account where there is one. For the legal side, read our guide on staff use of ChatGPT under Kenya's Data Protection Act.
Questions people ask
What is the best ChatGPT prompt for work?
There is no single best prompt. Good ones say what you want, who it is for, the limits, and where the answer will be used. Pick the prompt above closest to your most common task and adapt it.
Do these prompts work in Copilot, Gemini and Claude?
Yes. They use plain English and no tool-specific commands. Try one prompt in two tools and keep the better result.
Do I need a paid plan?
No. Every prompt here works on a free plan as of November 2026. Free plans limit things such as file uploads, so you may hit a cap on a busy day.
Why does the same prompt give different answers?
These tools do not give a fixed answer to each input, and Microsoft notes that rerunning a prompt may give a slightly different response. When you get a good answer, save the prompt.
How many prompts should I learn?
Start with three that match your weekly work, and add more once they feel natural.
Sources
- OpenAI, ChatGPT plans and pricing, last checked 12 November 2026
- Anthropic, Claude pricing, last checked 12 November 2026
- Anthropic Privacy Center, "Is my data used for model training?", last checked 12 November 2026
- Anthropic, Prompting best practices, last checked 12 November 2026
- Google, Gemini subscriptions, last checked 12 November 2026
- Google, Gemini Apps Privacy Hub, last checked 12 November 2026
- Google Workspace blog, "5 tips for writing great prompts for Gemini in the Workspace side panel" (29 July 2024), last checked 12 November 2026
- Microsoft Support, "Learn about Copilot prompts", last checked 12 November 2026
- Microsoft Support, "How Copilot Chat works with and without a Microsoft Copilot license", last checked 12 November 2026
- FuKazee, About, AI training in Kenya and Rodney Maina, last checked 12 November 2026
Where FuKazee fits in
FuKazee is a training company in Westlands, Nairobi. Since 2022 we have trained more than 3,000 people, from corporate teams to postgraduates and KCSE candidates. We assume nobody knows AI yet, avoid jargon, show the free version of each tool and never push one brand.
These prompts are yours to use and share. If your team wants to practise prompts like these on its own tasks, with masked data, see our ChatGPT training in Kenya page, or prompt engineering training for teams that already have the basics.
To ask about training for your team, email lead@fukazee.com.
Want guided support instead?
Not sure which programme fits? Tell us who you are and we will point you to the right path: corporate AI training, the ScholarShift Accelerator for postgraduates, or KCSE study plans and tuition.
Rodney has run FuKazee's training since 2022 and still teaches inside every programme line: corporate sessions, the postgraduate cohort and the KCSE examiner webinars. First Class Honours in Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Nairobi.
