This page focuses on the starting package: the prompt, source material, constraints, and context the tool needs to do useful work. Treat completeness as a checklist to inspect, not a claim that every case is fully covered.
Input Guide: What the Tool Needs to Work Well
Learn what to include, what to clarify, and what to leave out so the tool can produce a more useful result.
See overviewInput Guide: What the Tool Needs to Work Well
Required fields
Identify the minimum information the tool needs to begin: task, audience, desired output, and any hard limits.
Context and constraints
Add background, scope boundaries, format rules, time limits, and any assumptions the output must respect.
Examples and source packaging
Use examples, reference files, and clearly labeled excerpts to reduce ambiguity and make the source material easier to use.
Common questions
What if I do not know every required input?
Provide the known pieces, mark unknowns clearly, and separate facts from guesses. That gives the tool a clearer starting point and shows what still needs research.
Can I leave out context if the prompt is short?
Only when the task is truly narrow. If the result depends on audience, domain, or constraints, missing context is a common reason outputs become generic or misaligned.
How do I tell whether source material is messy or incomplete?
Look for missing dates, unnamed references, conflicting instructions, and unlabeled excerpts. Flag those gaps before execution so the next research pass can target them.