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Prompting guide 101

A quick-start handbook for effective prompts

Frontline management

As a frontline worker manager, your team's work is indispensable to your organisation – your team may not primarily complete its day's work on a computer, but communication and collaboration remain key.

This section provides you with simple ways to integrate prompts in your daily tasks.

Getting started

First, review the general prompt-writing tips in the How to write effective prompts section.

Each prompt below is presented with an accompanying scenario to serve as inspiration for how you can collaborate with Gemini for Google Workspace. The prompt iteration example shows how you could write follow-up prompts to build on the initial generated response.

Prompt iteration example
Use case:
Find accurate information quickly

A customer just approached you with a question about an ongoing sale. You could use help navigating the numerous files you have access to so that you find the right information quickly. You prompt Gemini in the Drive side panel. You type:

  • Legend
  • Task
  • Context
Find the document
that details the [company name]’s [holiday] sale details.
Find the document
that details the [company name]’s [holiday] sale details.
Copied to clipboard.
Gemini in Drive

Gemini in Drive returns suggested relevant files. From the side panel, you can directly summarise the files or you can click into a specific document. You open a suggested Doc to help answer the question. You prompt Gemini in the Docs side panel. You type:

How much can customers save on [product type] during this sale?
How much can customers save on [product type] during this sale?
Copied to clipboard.
Gemini in Docs
The frontline worker prompts Gemini in Docs to provide specific details from a Doc. Gemini in Docs drafts a response.

Gemini returns a response, which helps you answer your customer's question in a timely manner.

Example use cases

Retail associate
Use case:
Improve team collaboration by finding and sharing information easily

Your shop recently updated its return and exchange policies. To find the information, you prompt Gemini in the Drive side panel. You type:

Find the document that discusses our new return and exchange policies.
Find the document that discusses our new return and exchange policies.
Copied to clipboard.
Gemini in Drive

Gemini returns suggested files that are related to the new policies. You directly click into the relevant file. Now, you want to send an email summarising the document for your colleagues' future reference. You open your email and prompt Gemini in the Gmail side panel. You type:

Write an email to my new colleagues summarizing @[Updated Return and Exchange Policy H2 2024].
Write an email to my new colleagues summarizing @[Updated Return and Exchange Policy H2 2024].
Copied to clipboard.
Gemini in Gmail

You select Insert and further personalise the message before sending it.

Use case:
Streamline task management

You have a list of opening and closing duties that you must perform depending on what shift you are working. You want to keep yourself organised, so you create a tracker using the duties listed in your onboarding Doc. You open a new Google Sheet and prompt Gemini in the Sheets side panel and tag relevant files by typing @file name. You type:

I am a retail manager and I need to create a checklist for my opening and closing duties. Create a template with columns for [opening and closing duties] from @[Onboarding New Hire Information].
I am a retail manager and I need to create a checklist for my opening and closing duties. Create a template with columns for [opening and closing duties] from @[Onboarding New Hire Information].
Copied to clipboard.
Gemini in Sheets

Gemini creates a spreadsheet tracker for you, listing your opening and closing duties. As you go through your day, you mark different tasks as complete. You have to leave your shift early, but first you need to communicate to the rest of the team what still needs to be done. You open your Gmail and prompt Gemini in the Gmail side panel and tag the spreadsheet that you just created. You type:

Write an email to the team telling them what still needs to be done from the AM shift from @[Opening and Closing Duties Tracker].
Write an email to the team telling them what still needs to be done from the AM shift from @[Opening and Closing Duties Tracker].
Copied to clipboard.
Gemini in Gmail
Warehouse worker
Use case:
Manage inventory

A customer wants to place a bulk order. You need to check the shop's inventory to see if you have enough to fulfil it. You open your inventory spreadsheet that tracks this information and prompt Gemini in the Sheets side panel. You type:

How many [units] of [product] do we have left in our inventory?
How many [units] of [product] do we have left in our inventory?
Copied to clipboard.
Gemini in Sheets
Use case:
Manage audits

Your warehouse is undergoing an inventory audit, and you're in charge of verifying any numbers that are misaligned between your inventory tracker product total and what was counted during the audit. You prompt Gemini in the Sheets side panel. You type:

Create a formula that helps me calculate the difference between two columns. Which items have a discrepancy in [the total number counted] versus [the quantity on hand]?
Create a formula that helps me calculate the difference between two columns. Which items have a discrepancy in [the total number counted] versus [the quantity on hand]?
Copied to clipboard.
Gemini in Sheets

You verify Gemini's response that there are only a few items whose count did not align to your inventory tracker's total. You need to write a message to your supervisor telling them that you're looking into the issue. You open your Gmail and prompt Gemini in the Gmail side panel. You type:

I’m a warehouse worker managing an audit. Write a message to my supervisor to let them know that I am looking into the products whose counts are incorrect.
I’m a warehouse worker managing an audit. Write a message to my supervisor to let them know that I am looking into the products whose counts are incorrect.
Copied to clipboard.
Gemini in Gmail

The drafted email looks good to go, so you hit send after reviewing.


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