Prompting for Agents and Workflows
What is a Prompt?
Prompting is how you “talk” to the Knowledge Bot. Think of it like giving instructions to a smart assistant. The more specific and clear you are, the better it performs.
How to Prompt
Be clear and specific: Ensure that the question is specific enough in order to get more accurate answers
Use the same keywords: Match the terminology used in your documents (e.g. “Annual Report 2023” not “last year’s file”)
Add context: Make it easy for the bot and provide enough context like you are onboarding a new employee.
Confirm the data exists: Make sure the bot is connected to the relevant files, emails, or databases that contain the information.
Make it easy for the bot: Break down complex questions, avoid vague pronouns (“this,” “that”), and point it to the right sources.
Chat Prompts Guide
Breakdown of a Good Chat Prompt
To get the best results from your Knowledge Bot, your prompt should be clear, specific, and complete. A strong prompt always includes these key parts:
Context – Tell the bot what it should refer to or why you’re asking. You can give context in different ways:
Reference a file or data source
Example: “Based on the 2023 Sales Report in the Marketing Folder…”
Explain the purpose of your question
Example: “I need this for a client presentation, so keep the tone professional.”
Give all relevant information
Example: “This error came up when I tried to upload the CSV. The message said: ‘Invalid format in row 14.’”
Question or Task – Be clear and specific about what you want the bot to do.
Ask a direct question
Example: “…what are the top-performing campaigns by ROI?”
Give a specific instruction
Example: “…summarize the differences between File A and File B into a short report.”
Limits (optional) – Set boundaries or define what not to include to keep results focused.
Example: “Only include data from 2023.”, “Keep the summary under 100 words.”, “Do not include personal opinions or recommendations.”
Examples
Sample Prompt
Context
Question
Based on the 2023 Sales Report in the “Marketing Folder,” what were our top 3 performing campaigns by ROI?
Based on the 2023 Sales Report in the “Marketing Folder,”...
...what were our top 3 performing campaigns by ROI?
Based the files "File Name A" and "File Name B", can you make a comparison between the two and summarize it into a document?
Based the files "File Name A" and "File Name B",...
...can you make a comparison between the two and summarize it into a document?
Please turn the campaign results in the dashboard into a one-pager I can show to our sales director. Ensure that the pitch is optimized to what a sales director cares about.
...I can show to our sales director. Ensure that the pitch is optimized to what a sales director cares about.
Please turn the campaign results in the dashboard into a one-pager...
Here’s the system log + the error message I got. Can you explain what might be wrong in plain language?
Here’s the system log + the error message I got...
... Can you explain what might be wrong in plain language?
What are all my benefits as a senior employee under the Marketing department?
... as a senior employee under the Marketing department?
What are all my benefits...
Chat Prompting Tips
Give as much context as possible.
Use the exact terms found in your documents.
Mention the document name or section if possible.
Avoid vague words like "this" or "that" without clarifying what you mean.
Rephrase the question, add more context, or make the instructions more specific if you get a vague response
Chat Prompting Templates
Legal
Based on (insert contract or policy document), what clauses affects remote work eligibility for employees?
Content Creation
Based on (insert campaign brief), create (insert desired output) that follow (specific instructions)
Coding / Engineering
Can you write a sample function in (insert language) that achieves the logic described in (insert feature spec or doc)
Human Resource
Generate a hiring policy summary from (insert recruitment or compliance policy document)
Agent Prompts Guide
Agent prompts are reusable, structured instructions that automate complex tasks. They’re ideal for collecting information, generating structured outputs, or producing content in a consistent format.
Breakdown of a Good Agent Prompt
Complex questions tend to confuse AI. To create a strong Agent Prompt, include the following components:
Output Structure – Define how the result should be formatted, and be descriptive of the outline. This is often a template or structured output format.
Use bullet points, sections, or headers to organize the result.
Helps ensure consistency across different runs.
Context Instructions – Give the bot the background it needs to complete the task correctly. This tells the agent:
Where to extract the data from (e.g., a document, database, or user input)
What the input means or how it should be interpreted
Examples: “Request and confirm this information from the requester or document”, “Pull this from the uploaded company profile or product list”
Final Instructions & Edge Cases (Optional but Recommended) – Tell the bot additional instructions, and what to do if information is missing, unclear, or contradictory, and reminders on how to provide a quality response
What to do when information is not perfect
“If the information is missing, ask for clarification.”
“If not found, note as N/A.”
Fact Checking
"Look out for contradictions in the data"
"Ensure all aspects or elements are covered"
"Check for consistency across all sections."
Formatting, Tone, and Style
"Use simple, concise sentences."
"Only include the answers and not the questions"
Example
Agent Prompt
Output Structure
Context & Limitations
Final Instructions
Creating A Template
Situation Today: [Describe the current state or challenge]
Situation Tomorrow: [Explain the desired future state]
Financial Benefits: [Revenue or cost savings]
Qualitative Benefits: [User experience, branding, etc.]
Risk of Not Performing: [What happens if nothing is done]
Pull from the submitted business proposal or user-uploaded document.
Use simple formatting.
If something is not provided, mark it “N/A”.
Do not include the prompts, only the answers.
Situation Today: [Describe the current state or challenge] Situation Tomorrow: [Explain the desired future state]
Financial Benefits: [Revenue or cost savings]
Qualitative Benefits: [User experience, branding, etc.]
Risk of Not Performing: [What happens if nothing is done]
Pull from the submitted business proposal or user-uploaded document.
Use simple formatting.
If something is not provided, mark it “N/A”.
Do not include the prompts, only the answers.
Use the meeting notes provided from the Product Meeting, and summarize them into the following format
Date: (Date of the meeting)
Topic: (1-2 sentence description of the entire meeting)
Highlights: (Important dates, information, and other meeting highlights in bullet form)
If something is not provided, mark it “N/A”.
Ensure that it is clear and concise as if non technical team members will read this as well.
Date: (Date of the meeting)
Topic: (1-2 sentence description of the entire meeting)
Highlights: (Important dates, information, and other meeting highlights in bullet form)
Use the meeting notes provided from the Product Meeting, and summarize them into the following format
If something is not provided, mark it “N/A”
.Ensure that it is clear and concise as if non technical team members will read this as well.
Agent Prompting Tips
Make it repeatable—don’t include one-off names or details.
Be consistent with naming conventions (e.g. "Client Proposal" not "that file").
Always include reminders in the Agent Prompt (e.g. "Only include the answers and not the questions")
Always test your Agent first to see how it performs—this helps identify what reminders or final instructions you need to include for better results.
Agent Prompting Templates
Start with Blockbrain’s ready-made templates in Bot Settings, or build your own Agent Prompts using the examples below as a guide:
Data Collection
Collect and Organize Information
Request and confirm the following details from the user or uploaded document. Always get the most recent or relevant version.
1. [Insert Topic/Field] – e.g., Product Name, Department, Request Type
2. [Insert Field 2] – e.g., Budget Range, Estimated Timeline
3. [Insert Field 3] – e.g., Stakeholders, Teams Involved
4. [Insert Field 4] – e.g., Key Metrics, Current Status
Final Instructions
- If any required information is missing, ask the user clear follow-up questions.
- If content is sourced from a document, cite the document or section name.
- If something is unclear, use “N/A” but flag it as needing review.
- Add suggestions for further research or clarification if applicable.
Agent Analysis
Performance Analysis based on the following Inputs
Analyze the document(s) uploaded.
Extract and compare the following:
- Objective or Intent of Each Document
- Key Points or Findings
- Differences and Similarities- Implications or Recommendations
Final Instructions
- Use bullet points where possible.
- Add a short paragraph at the end with overall insights or takeaways.
- If details are missing in one file, note it as “N/A.”
- Cite the document names in your analysis.
Report or Document Template
Create a Structured Document
Use the information provided to generate the following sections:
1. Title: [Insert Title]
2. Summary: [Insert Brief Overview]
3. Key Details: - Section 1: [Insert Info] - Section 2: [Insert Info] - Section 3: [Insert Info]
4. Observations or Insights:5. Conclusion or Recommendations:
Final Instructions
- Use professional, concise language.
- Follow the above outline exactly.
- If any sections are missing data, note it as “N/A.”
- If writing based on a document, reference the source in the summary.
- End with a suggested next step or recommendation on how the requester can proceed based on the document (e.g. Create a pitch, Draft an email)
What Are Workflow Prompts?
Workflow prompts are the individual instructions given to an AI at each step of a Workflow—a multi-step automation that guides the AI through a structured conversation or task.
Rather than asking the AI one big question, you break the task into smaller, focused prompts. Each prompt (or “step”) builds on the previous one, helping the AI understand context better and deliver more accurate and refined results.
Why Use Workflow Prompts?
They improve accuracy
Help the AI retain context
Make complex tasks scalable and repeatable
Let you add control or automation (Human-in-the-Loop or Autopilot)
Think of it like this:
A single prompt: "Write a brand strategy for our company." → may lead to a generic or incomplete answer.
A workflow using prompts:
"Analyze current industry trends."
"Identify key competitors and their positioning."
"Assess our internal strengths and service gaps."
"Based on the above, create a tailored brand strategy."
Each workflow prompt has:
A title
An instruction (the actual prompt)
A chosen AI model (LLM)
Optional: Web research or embedded agent tools
Note: Enabling Web Research allows the AI to search the internet for relevant information. It will not access your internal files or database during this step.
Parts of a Good Workflow Prompt
Each prompt should include:
Title – Short and clear, e.g.: “Company Overview”, “Identify Risks”, “Summarize Pitch”
Instruction – The actual prompt to the AI (e.g., “Based on the database provided to you, summarize the company’s business model in detail. Highlight key revenue streams, customer segments, and cost structure.”)
LLM Model – Choose which AI model to use
Optional settings – Add Web Search or reuse an Agent if needed
Best Practices
One Prompt = One Task Don’t overload a step. If needed, split into smaller steps.
Use Context from Previous Steps Phrase prompts like: “Based on the previous findings…”
Make Prompts Clear & Connected Ensure each step flows logically and contributes to the final outcome.
Keep It Simple Avoid complex instructions. Simpler prompts = faster, more accurate results.
Test Your Workflow Always review the full output to ensure each step is delivering what you expect.
Prompt Examples
Deep Research on a Company
Company Overview “Summarize the company’s business model based on internal documents or prior research. Identify the value proposition, core products/services, customer segments, and major partners.”
Recent Developments “Search for and summarize any significant company news from the past 12 months. Focus on product launches, leadership changes, M&A, and legal issues.”
SWOT Analysis “Generate a SWOT analysis using all prior findings. Provide bullet points for each category with supporting facts from earlier steps.”
End-of-Year Company Evaluation
Performance Summary “Review internal performance reports and summarize the top 3 achievements and 3 challenges from this year. Focus on impact, not just activity.”
Leadership Summary “Create a high-level summary for leadership: major wins, key risks, and strategic areas needing focus in the upcoming year.”
Pitch Making (with Research)
Client Research “Based on the database provided to you, analyze the target client’s pain points based on uploaded case notes, prior interactions, or online research. List 3–5 key challenges with brief explanations.”
Solution Mapping “Map our product/service features directly to the client’s challenges. These products/services are available to you in the database. The clients needs are outlined ___. Show clear benefit alignment, using bullet points.”
Draft the Pitch “Write a persuasive pitch summary using the solution mapping using the insights from the prior query. Use a confident, consultative tone. Limit to 250 words.”
Refinement “Review the pitch. Improve structure, tone, and clarity. Ensure it speaks directly to the client’s business goals.”
Quick Checklist for an Effective Workflow
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