The seven parts of a task brief
- 01Goal — the finished state in one sentence.
- 02Context — who this is for and why it matters.
- 03Inputs — exactly what the agent receives each run.
- 04Tools and limits — what it may use, and what it must never do.
- 05Steps — the order you would do it in, if there is one.
- 06Output — the format, length and where it goes.
- 07Stop and escalate — when to finish and when to hand over to you.
An example
Goal: every new inquiry gets a personal reply draft within five minutes. Context: we sell done-for-you automation setups to small clinics. Inputs: name, email, message from the contact form. Limits: never quote prices, never promise dates. Output: a reply under 120 words saved as a draft, plus the lead’s main need in a sheet. Escalate: anything mentioning a complaint, a refund or a legal issue.
Write limits as plainly as goals
“Be careful with pricing” is not a limit. “Never mention a price or a discount” is. Agents follow concrete rules far more reliably than tone guidance.
Keep the brief with the workflow
Store the brief next to the automation — in its description or a linked doc — and update both together. Six months from now, the brief is how you remember why the agent behaves the way it does.
Fill in six fields and copy a complete, structured prompt for any AI assistant — role, audience, goal, format, limits and voice.
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