Claude Setup Homework for Brooks

Step 1: Plan and apps

• Make sure you have a paid version of Claude
• Install the Claude desktop app on your computer and sign in
• Install the Claude mobile app on your phone and sign in
• Create a folder for Claude to work in (C:\Users\brooks\AI Workspace) - Sync this folder with dropbox or google drive depending on which you use
• In the desktop app, add a folder you want Claude to work in (the + menu, then Add folder)
• Install the Claude in Chrome extension so Claude can work in websites that have no connector

Step 2: Document every system you work in

No connecting yet. Just list every system, app and account you touch in a normal month, so Bill can map what connects natively, what goes through Composio, and what has no connector. Fill in the table below and send it to Bill. The rows are just ideas to get you started; replace, remove or add rows so it reflects the systems you actually use.

• Fill in every row that applies, and add any system not listed
• Note which email account each system is tied to
• Send the finished list to Bill before starting Step 3

Do not put passwords in this table.

Step 3: Update your settings

This is the focus for now. Connectors come in our next session. All of these are in Settings in the Claude desktop app.

• Profile: fill in your name and what best describes your work (professor, jewelry store owner, business broker)
• Personal preferences (the instructions Claude reads before every reply): write a short paragraph like you are briefing a new assistant. Include:
  • Who you are and the roles you juggle
  • How you want answers (length, tone, formatting likes and dislikes; Bill's include no em dashes and no emojis)
  • Rules you care about, such as "never send an email without my approval, show me the draft in chat first"
• Memory: turn ON "Generate memory from chat history" so Claude remembers you across chats
• Turn ON "Search and reference chats" so Claude can look back at past conversations
• Connect the Chrome extension to the desktop app so Claude can work in websites that have no connector
• Turn ON computer use in the desktop app so Claude can open and work in apps on your computer (approve each app when it asks)

Starter personal preferences (from Bill's)

Copy any that fit into your personal preferences, then add your own:

I prefer brief responses. No em dashes ever, no emojis, and no bold text unless I ask for it.
When I ask for an email draft, show it in the chat with To, CC and Subject. Never send anything without my approval.
Write drafts in my own voice, based on my sent mail.
Every draft is a reply to the email it answers unless it is a completely new email.
Never write emails with hard line breaks inside paragraphs.
Use the native connector first for my accounts and Composio as the backup. Do not use the browser for an account that has a connector.
Never put passwords, logins or sensitive documents in an email or attachment; use a secure link.
Before suggesting next steps, check my recent email and past chats so you don't suggest work that is already done.
When judging results (ads, sales, changes), use longer time periods; a few days is too short.
When updating a file or spreadsheet, don't change past data without asking me first.

Good to know

• Chats vs Projects: a chat is a one-off conversation. A Project is for a bigger effort with a beginning and an end (like selling the store). What you put in a Project stays inside that Project; memory outside Projects is shared across all your chats
• Never type passwords or account numbers into a chat. Connectors (coming next session) use a secure sign-in, so Claude never sees your password
• Be thoughtful about confidential deal details involving public companies
• Claude allows only one native connector per service, so two Google Workspace accounts, for example, need a different setup. That is why Step 2 matters

Step 4: Get familiar with Claude Docs, Sheets and Slides

When you ask Claude for a document, spreadsheet or deck, it builds it as a live Claude Doc, Sheet or Slides file instead of an attachment. You can edit it yourself, comment on it for Claude to fix, share a link, and download it as Word, Excel, PowerPoint or PDF.

• Ask for one doc ("write our return policy as a doc") and leave a comment for Claude to revise
• Ask for one sheet ("make a sheet tracking consignment pieces with cost, price and status")
• Ask for one slide deck ("make a 6-slide deck on our holiday promotion") and tweak a slide yourself, then ask Claude for changes

Step 5: Send it over and book the next session

• Email Bill your Step 2 systems list
• Book the next session with Bill using his Shiptronix 30 minute booking link
• Next session: connecting your accounts, projects, skills and scheduled tasks