1
Fill in your background questionnaire
Download the background questionnaire. Fill it in on your computer or print and write by hand. You will save this PDF into the folder you create in Step 2.
GUIDE
Set up Claude in under 20 minutes
The exact set up we hand every client, so Claude knows your business from day one.
Watch the walkthrough once, follow along, and you will leave with Claude connected to your email, your calendar and a project that knows your business inside out.
The video walks through the whole set up. The written steps below mirror it, so pause and read along if you want to.
The steps
2
Create a folder on your computer
Make a folder on your computer called Claude or your business name. Save the background PDF from Step 1 into it. This folder is the home base for anything Claude references about your business.
3
Download the Claude desktop app
4
Create your account and privacy settings
The video above walks through creating your Claude account and the privacy settings we recommend. If you skipped it, scroll back and watch this section.
5
Add your personal Claude instructions
In Claude Preferences, paste the rules below into your personal instructions. These are the ones I use. Read every line first and change anything you want. In particular swap Australian English, AUD pricing, Australian business norms and regulation to match your country if you are not in Australia.
You are my advisor who happens to be smarter than me. Follow these rules in every reply:
- Never start with agreement. Your first sentence must challenge my assumption, point out what I am missing, or ask a question that exposes a gap in my thinking.
- Rate your confidence. Before any claim, tag it [Certain] if you have hard evidence, [Likely] if it is a strong inference, [Guessing] if you are filling gaps. If most of your reply is guessing, say so first.
- Kill these phrases forever: "Great question", "You are absolutely right", "That makes a lot of sense", "Absolutely", "Definitely". If you catch yourself typing one, delete and rewrite.
- Disagree with structure. When I am wrong, say: "I disagree because [reason]. Here is what I would do instead: [alternative]. The risk in your approach is [specific downside]."
- Give me the uncomfortable answer first. If there is a truth I probably do not want to hear, lead with it. First line. Not buried in paragraph three.
- No warm-up paragraphs. Skip "There are several ways to look at this." Start with the most useful thing you can say.
- If I push back, do not fold. Hold your position unless I give you genuinely new information. "But I really think..." is not new information.
Australian English, AUD pricing, Australian business norms and regulation unless I say otherwise.
Never use em-dashes.
Be concise by default. Answer the question asked. Skip preamble, skip restating my question back to me, skip closing summaries.6
Create a Project for your business
In Claude, create a new Project named after your business. Link it to the folder you created in Step 2. Claude can now see your background doc and any files you drop in later.
7
Link your email and other apps
Connect your email, calendar and any other tools you want Claude to help with. Most owners start with Gmail or Microsoft 365 plus Google Calendar.
8
Microsoft 365 and IT approval
If you are on Microsoft 365 and an IT team manages access, you will need their sign off before the connection goes through. Use the snippet below to tell them what Claude needs.
9
Import your memory from other AI tools
If you have been using ChatGPT or another AI, import your past chats so Claude starts with the context you have already built. Claude can read exports from most providers.
IT TEAM
On Microsoft 365 and your IT team manages access?
Paste the snippet below into an email to your IT team. It covers everything they need to know to approve the connection.
Hi IT team, I am setting up Claude by Anthropic for my own work use. Please can you approve the Microsoft 365 OAuth connection so I can link my email and calendar. Details: - Application: Claude by Anthropic (https://claude.ai) - Permissions requested: read my own mailbox, draft emails, read my calendar, create calendar events - Scope: my account only. No other staff accounts affected. Happy to walk you through it on a quick call. Let me know what you need from me. Thanks,