# Hodios paste pack: Business writing
Everything in Business writing from Hodios, the open prompt library by Hermes IDE: 19 entries, catalog 2026.1003.0.
Every entry is dedicated to the public domain under CC0 1.0. Copy, change and share them freely, no attribution needed.
Browse and search the library at https://hermes-ide.com/prompts
## How to use
Find an entry below and copy the text inside its block into ChatGPT, claude.ai or any chat. Replace each [PLACEHOLDER] with your own material. Personas, rules and styles work best as custom instructions or project instructions.
## Contents
- Business writing
- [Report writing track](#report-writing-track) (workflow)
- [Write a decision memo](#write-decision-memo) (prompt)
- [Write a formal letter](#write-formal-letter) (prompt)
- [Write a handover document](#write-handover-document) (prompt)
- [Write a professional bio](#write-professional-bio) (prompt)
- [Write a project close-out report](#write-project-closeout-report) (prompt)
- [Write a project proposal or business case](#write-project-proposal) (prompt)
- [Write a project status report](#write-status-report) (prompt)
- [Write a public consultation response](#write-public-consultation-response) (prompt)
- [Write a site visit report](#write-site-visit-report) (prompt)
- [Write a user manual](#write-user-manual) (prompt)
- [Write a white paper](#write-white-paper) (prompt)
- [Write a workplace incident report](#write-workplace-incident-report) (prompt)
- [Write an award nomination](#write-award-nomination) (prompt)
- [Write an executive summary](#write-executive-summary) (prompt)
- [Write an FAQ from source documents](#write-faq-from-documents) (prompt)
- [Write an internal announcement](#write-internal-announcement) (prompt)
- [Write an internal team newsletter](#write-team-newsletter) (prompt)
- [Write manager talking points for a change](#write-manager-talking-points) (prompt)
---
## Report writing track
`report-writing-track` · workflow · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/report-writing-track
Takes a work report from purpose and audience to an answer-first outline, an evidence check, a full draft, an executive summary and a final edit, pausing for approval between steps.
````markdown
Writes a work report one approved step at a time, as an experienced report writer and editor would: brief, answer-first outline, evidence check, draft, executive summary, then a final edit.
[REPORT_PURPOSE]
[SOURCE_MATERIAL]
Each step produces one artifact and stops for approval or edits. Later steps build on the approved versions and do not reopen them unless the writer asks. If the source material is unlabelled, label the sources S1, S2, … in the order given and use those labels throughout. Use only facts, figures and quotes from the source material; mark anything missing as `[NEEDED: …]` instead of inventing data, results, quotes or names. If the writer asks to skip the approvals, confirm once that later steps will build on unreviewed choices; if they agree, run the remaining steps in one reply and state the choice made at each skipped gate.
## Steps
Work through these steps in order. Do not skip a gate.
1. brief (plan)
2. outline (design)
3. evidence (verify)
4. draft (build)
5. summary (build)
6. edit (review)
### Step 1: Purpose and audience brief
Pin down what the report must do before any structure exists.
1. Two things are essential: what the reader should decide, do or understand after reading, and enough source material to support it. If either is missing, ask for it in one message, with the audience, deadline, template or length and who signs off, then stop. Otherwise do not ask: write the brief and list your assumptions.
2. Write a brief of no more than one page:
- **Purpose:** "After reading this, [reader] will …", one sentence. If a decision is wanted, name it exactly.
- **Readers:** who acts, who is informed, what they know and care about, and how much they will read.
- **Key questions:** the three to five questions the report must answer, in the reader's words.
- **Scope:** what is in and out, and the period or population the data covers.
- **Constraints:** length, template, house style, deadline, confidentiality.
- **Material on hand:** the sources by label and what each can answer.
- **Assumptions to confirm:** each default you chose, one line each.
Stop and wait for approval or edits. Do not outline yet.
**Gate:** stop here and wait for the user's approval before step 2 (outline).
### Step 2: Answer-first outline
Build the argument before the prose, from the approved brief.
1. State the governing message: the one sentence that answers the purpose. If the material does not yet support one, give the most likely answer, mark it provisional and say what would confirm it.
2. Group the support pyramid-style: three to five key points, each a full sentence supporting the message, with the findings beneath each. Points at one level are of the same kind and do not overlap.
3. Choose the section order and say why: answer first for decision-makers; situation, complication, resolution when context is needed; chronological only for an account of events.
4. For each section, write the heading as a takeaway ("Repeat contacts drive half of support cost", not "Support analysis"), the source labels it draws on, any table or chart it needs, and a target word count.
5. Mark what goes in appendices (method, full tables) so the body stays lean.
Stop and wait for approval or edits. Do not check evidence or draft yet.
**Gate:** stop here and wait for the user's approval before step 3 (evidence).
### Step 3: Evidence check
Test every claim in the approved outline against the sources before writing.
1. Table every claim (message, key points, findings): Claim · Sources · What the source actually says · Strength · Issue.
2. Strength: **strong** (directly stated by a reliable source, figures match), **adequate** (indirect, small sample or one source), **weak** (inferred or anecdotal), **unsupported** (no source).
3. Recompute totals, percentages and changes from raw figures where given; check units and periods; flag any figure that differs between sources.
4. Flag conflicts between sources, overreach (correlation as cause, a sample generalised to everyone) and data too old for the decision.
5. For each weak or unsupported claim, recommend: soften it, find the evidence (say what and where), or drop it. If the governing message itself is weak, say so and propose a reframe.
Stop and wait for approval or edits. The draft will use only claims the writer keeps.
**Gate:** stop here and wait for the user's approval before step 4 (draft).
### Step 4: Draft
Write the body from the approved outline and evidence decisions.
1. Follow the approved order and takeaway headings. Open each section with its takeaway, then the support, then what it means for the reader.
2. State each claim at the strength the evidence check allowed, with its limits ("in the 40 stores surveyed"); leave out dropped claims.
3. Cite sources by label or in the writer's template format. Keep figures exactly as checked, with units and periods.
4. Build the planned tables and charts, each titled with its message.
5. End with conclusions and, if the purpose asks, recommendations: each a specific action with an owner role and timing, traced to its findings.
6. Keep to the word targets: short paragraphs, plain language, active voice, terms defined once. Method and long tables go in appendices.
7. Do not write the executive summary yet.
Stop and wait for approval or edits.
**Gate:** stop here and wait for the user's approval before step 5 (summary).
### Step 5: Executive summary
Write the summary from the approved draft, for a reader who reads nothing else.
1. About 10% of the body, at most one page.
2. Open with the governing message and, if a decision is wanted, the decision and the date it is needed.
3. Then the key points by importance, each with its strongest figure; the main recommendation or next steps; the main risk or limitation.
4. Add nothing that is not in the draft, and keep figures and certainty exactly as in the body. State findings; do not describe the report ("This report examines…").
Stop and wait for approval or edits.
**Gate:** stop here and wait for the user's approval before step 6 (edit).
### Step 6: Final edit
Edit the approved summary and draft into the final report.
1. **Consistency:** figures, names, dates and terms match across summary, body, tables and appendices.
2. **Clarity:** cut throat-clearing and stacked hedges, break sentences over about 30 words, replace jargon, and fix any sentence a reader could read two ways.
3. **Honesty:** no claim stronger than the evidence check allowed; limitations stated once, where they matter.
4. **Mechanics:** spelling, numbers, capitalisation and citations consistent with the house style if given.
5. Return the final report in full, a short change log by type, and the remaining `[NEEDED: …]` items to fill before sending.
This is the last step.
````
---
## Write a decision memo
`write-decision-memo` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-decision-memo
Writes a one-page decision memo with the decision needed and by when, context, options with honest trade-offs, a recommendation and next steps. Use when asking a manager to approve something.
````markdown
A decision memo exists to get a clear yes, no or choice from a busy person in a few minutes. It fails when the decision is buried under background, when the options are a straw man next to the favourite, when costs and risks are vague, or when the reader has to write back to ask what exactly they are approving. Good memos put the ask and the deadline in the first lines, compare real options on the same criteria, admit the downside of the recommendation, and say what happens next under each answer.
Write a one-page decision memo.
[SITUATION]
1. If you cannot tell what decision is needed or the situation gives no facts to weigh (only feelings or a general complaint), ask up to three short questions and stop. Missing options are not a reason to stop: propose them in step 4. A missing decision-maker is not either: address the memo to `[NEEDED: decision-maker]`, write for a busy senior reader who knows the business but not this issue, and say so under Gaps.
2. State the decision as one question with a yes, no or choice answer, and the date it is needed by (with the reason for that date, such as a notice period or a release date in the situation). If no date can be derived, mark `[NEEDED: decide-by date]`.
3. Write the context the decision-maker needs and nothing more: three to six sentences on what is happening, why it matters now, and the cost of not deciding. Fit it to what the decision-maker already knows and cares about.
4. Lay out two to four genuine options. Always include "do nothing" or "delay" if it is realistic. Compare them on the same criteria (cost, benefit, risk, time, reversibility, effect on people or customers), using only figures from the situation and marking unknowns.
5. Recommend one option and give the deciding reason in one or two sentences. Name its main downside and how it will be managed. If the facts do not support a clear recommendation, say what would settle it.
6. Write next steps if approved: who does what by when, and the first checkpoint where the decision could be revisited.
- One page: about 350 to 500 words for the memo itself.
- Use only the facts supplied. Never invent costs, dates, percentages or names; mark each gap `[NEEDED: …]` and list it.
- Present options fairly. Do not weaken the alternatives to make the recommendation look better; if an option is clearly not viable, say why in one line.
- Plain, neutral language. No hype, no hedging, no "synergies". Numbers in figures, with units.
- If the decision touches legal, HR, safety or regulatory obligations, note who must also sign off.
## Memo
**To / From / Date / Decision needed by** (names and dates from the situation, otherwise `[NEEDED: …]`)
**Decision needed:** one question.
**Recommendation:** one sentence.
**Context:** short paragraph.
**Options:** a table with options as rows and the criteria as columns, then one line per option on its main risk.
**Why this recommendation:** two to four sentences, including its downside.
**Next steps if approved:** numbered, each with owner and date.
## Gaps to fill
Each `[NEEDED: …]` with what it is and where to get it. "None" if none.
## Before you send
Two or three checks specific to this memo (for example "confirm the vendor price is still valid").
````
---
## Write a formal letter
`write-formal-letter` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-formal-letter
Writes a formal letter to a bank, council, school, supplier or official body in the layout and conventions of the chosen country, with a clear purpose, references and a specific request.
````markdown
Official bodies, banks and suppliers process letters by reference number and by the request in the first paragraph. A formal letter works when the clerk who opens it can see in ten seconds who is writing, which file it concerns and what action is being asked for by when. Layout and etiquette signal care, and getting them wrong in another country (a comma after "Mit freundlichen Grüßen", "Yours sincerely" after "Dear Sir or Madam", a missing "Objet") makes the writer look careless.
Conventions to apply:
- **us:** block format; sender address (or letterhead), date as "October 3, 2026", inside address, optional "Re:" line, "Dear Ms. Rivera:" (colon), body, "Sincerely," then name; "Enclosures:" line if any.
- **uk:** sender address top right or letterhead, date as "3 October 2026", recipient address on the left, "Dear Ms Rivera," (no full stop after titles) closing "Yours sincerely,"; "Dear Sir or Madam," closing "Yours faithfully,"; optional bold subject line after the salutation.
- **de (DIN 5008):** sender line and recipient address field top left, information block or date on the right ("3. Oktober 2026" or "03.10.2026"), reference line ("Ihr Zeichen", "Kundennummer"), bold subject line without the word "Betreff", "Sehr geehrte Frau Müller," or "Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren," then the first sentence starting in lower case, closing "Mit freundlichen Grüßen" with no comma, "Anlagen" listed at the end.
- **fr:** sender block top left, recipient block on the right, "À Paris, le 3 octobre 2026", "Objet :" line, optional "Références :", salutation "Madame," / "Monsieur," / "Madame, Monsieur,", a full closing formula that repeats the salutation ("Je vous prie d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées."), signature, "Pièces jointes :".
- **br:** place and date "São Paulo, 3 de outubro de 2026", recipient block, "Assunto:" line, "Prezado Senhor," / "Prezada Senhora," or "Prezados Senhores," (use "Ilustríssimo Senhor" only for very formal public bodies), closing "Atenciosamente," then name and CPF or CNPJ if relevant.
- **generic:** neutral international block format, date written out with the month as a word, subject line, "Dear …," and "Yours sincerely,".
Write a formal letter for this purpose, to [RECIPIENT], using the generic convention.
[PURPOSE]
1. If the purpose is unclear (you cannot tell what the recipient should do), ask one or two questions and stop.
2. Language: for de, fr and br, write the letter in German, French or Brazilian Portuguese unless the user asks otherwise, and give an English line-by-line gist under Translation notes so the sender knows what they are signing. For us, uk and generic, write in English unless the purpose is written in another language, in which case use that language.
3. Structure the body:
- Opening paragraph: who you are in relation to the recipient (customer, resident, parent, supplier) and the purpose in one or two sentences, with the reference numbers.
- Middle: the relevant facts in date order, short and verifiable, with amounts and dates exactly as supplied.
- Request: the exact action, the deadline for it and, if useful, how to reply (address, email, phone placeholder).
- Close: enclosures and one courteous line; no grovelling, no threats unless the user explicitly wants a firm notice, in which case state the next step calmly.
4. Fill the layout for the chosen convention. Use placeholders in square brackets (`[Your full name]`, `[Customer number]`) for anything not supplied. Never invent account numbers, names, addresses, dates or legal references.
5. Choose the salutation and closing correctly for whether a named person is known.
- One page: body under about 300 words.
- Formal but plain. Short sentences. No idioms that do not translate.
- If the letter cancels a contract, disputes a charge, responds to an official decision or has a legal deadline, say under Before you send that deadlines, notice periods and the right form of delivery (registered post, signature, online portal) should be checked, without asserting what they are.
- Do not cite laws, articles or regulations unless the user supplied them.
## Letter
The complete letter in a code block or as plain text with line breaks, laid out top to bottom as it should be printed.
## Translation notes
For de, fr and br: an English gist of each paragraph and any etiquette choice explained in one line. Otherwise "Not applicable".
## Before you send
Bullets: placeholders to fill, enclosures to attach, signature, delivery method to consider, and any deadline to check.
````
---
## Write a handover document
`write-handover-document` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-handover-document
Writes a handover for leave or a role change covering responsibilities, open work status, contacts, access, recurring tasks, known risks and first-week priorities, with gaps listed as questions.
````markdown
A handover is read by someone covering work they did not build, often in a hurry, on the day something goes wrong. It fails when it is a diary of history instead of a guide to action, when "status" means "in progress" with no next step, when access and passwords are an afterthought, and when the knowledge that lives only in the leaver's head (the client who needs a call not an email, the report that breaks every quarter-end) never gets written down. A good handover is organised by what the reader must do, says who decides what, and is honest about what is unfinished.
Turn these notes into a handover document.
[ROLE_AND_WORK]
1. If the notes do not say what the role is or list any current work, ask for them and stop.
2. Sort everything in the notes into the sections below. Do not drop anything; if an item fits nowhere, put it under "Other notes".
3. For each open piece of work, state: what it is, current status in one line, the very next action, the owner from the handover date, the deadline, and where the files or tickets live. If any of these are missing, write `[ASK: …]` in that cell.
4. Separate decisions the cover person can make alone from ones that need someone else, and name that person or role.
5. Build a calendar of recurring tasks (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly) with the date of the next occurrence if the handover date allows it.
6. Pull out the tacit knowledge: workarounds, quirks, sensitive relationships and "if X happens, do Y" rules, and write each as a short instruction.
7. Write the first-week priorities: the three to five things the cover person must do or check first.
- Never put passwords, keys, tokens or personal data in the document. Say where access is managed (password manager, IT ticket, admin) and who grants it; if the notes contain a secret, leave it out and warn about it in Questions before you go.
- Use only facts from the notes. Do not invent names, dates, systems or statuses.
- Keep it scannable: tables for open work, contacts and recurring tasks; short bullets elsewhere. Write for someone who has never seen this work.
- Be neutral and factual about colleagues and clients; describe working preferences, not personalities.
## Handover
**Summary:** role, handover period, cover person or `[ASK]`, and how to reach the leaver if at all (or "do not contact").
**First-week priorities:** numbered.
**Open work:** table: Work | Status | Next action | Owner | Deadline | Where it lives.
**Responsibilities:** bullets, marking which are delegated, paused or covered by whom.
**Decisions:** two lists: "You can decide" and "Escalate to …".
**Recurring tasks:** table: Task | Frequency | Next due | How | Where.
**Contacts:** table: Name or role | What for | Notes on working with them.
**Access and tools:** table: System | What it is used for | How to get access.
**Known risks and quirks:** bullets with "if this happens, do this".
**Other notes**
## Questions before you go
Every `[ASK: …]` gathered into one list for the leaver to answer, plus any warning about secrets found in the notes.
## Handover meeting agenda
A 30 to 45 minute agenda for walking the cover person through it.
````
---
## Write a professional bio
`write-professional-bio` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-professional-bio
Writes the bio others read or say about you on speaker pages, programmes, proposals, author notes and team pages, at one-line to long lengths, angled to that reader and built only from your facts.
````markdown
A professional bio is usually read or spoken by someone else on your behalf: the conference programme, the host who introduces you, the proposal a client's board skims, the note at the back of a book. It answers one question for that reader: why should I listen to, hire or trust this person for this? Weak bios list job titles in date order, stack adjectives ("passionate, results-driven, visionary") and read the same for every audience. Strong ones lead with what the person does and for whom, give two or three proofs that matter to this reader (a result with a number, a body of work, a credential this audience respects), and end with one specific human detail or what the person is working on now. The same career yields different bios for a hospital board and a design meetup, because the proof each reader cares about differs. Character-limited social profiles (Instagram, X, LinkedIn headline) are a different job with platform limits; this prompt does not write them.
Write professional bios for: general professional audience. Point of view: third.
[BACKGROUND]
1. If the background lacks the person's name, current role, or anything concrete to prove it (a result, a body of work, a credential, years in a field), ask for what is missing in up to three short questions and stop. If the audience is a character-limited social profile, say that a platform bio written to that site's character limit fits better, then write only the one-liner and short bio.
2. Choose the angle: the one thing this reader most needs to know about the person, in one sentence. Pick the two or three proofs from the background that support it best for this reader, and leave the rest out rather than listing everything.
3. Write each length in the requested point of view. In third person, use the full name first, then the stated pronouns, or the surname or first name again (matching the register) if pronouns are not given:
- **One-liner:** up to 25 words, for a badge, byline or slide.
- **Short:** 50 to 70 words, for programmes and directories.
- **Medium:** 100 to 150 words, for speaker pages and proposals.
- **Long:** 200 to 250 words, for an about or team page, with a little more story and one personal detail if supplied.
4. Open every version with what the person does and for whom, not a date or a title list. End the medium and long versions with something specific and human from the background, or what the person is working on now.
5. Write a 20- to 30-second introduction (about 50 to 70 words) a host can read aloud: spoken rhythm, the name said last as the cue to walk on, nothing hard to pronounce without a marker.
- Use only facts in the background. Never invent clients, numbers, awards, publications, degrees or employers. Do not inflate: "contributed to" stays "contributed to", and "led" only when the background says so. If the person asks for claims the background does not support, leave them out and say why in Gaps.
- No empty adjectives (passionate, dynamic, visionary, results-driven, thought leader) unless a fact proves them, and then use the fact instead.
- Keep job titles and organisation names exactly as given.
- Do not include personal details the person did not offer, such as family, age, health or location.
- Match the register of the audience: formal for a board proposal, warmer for a community event. Hit each word range and show the count.
## Angle
One sentence, then the proofs chosen and why they matter to this reader.
## One-liner
## Short bio
With word count.
## Medium bio
With word count.
## Long bio
With word count.
(With `both`, give the third-person version, then the first-person version, under each heading.)
## Introduction to read aloud
The spoken introduction, with `[pronunciation?]` after any name the host should check.
## Facts used
Bullets mapping each claim to the part of the background it came from.
## Gaps
Unsupported requests left out, and details that would strengthen the bio (a number, a client type, a credential) as questions. "None" if none.
````
---
## Write a project close-out report
`write-project-closeout-report` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-project-closeout-report
Writes a close-out report for a non-software project covering objectives against results, budget and schedule variance, lessons learned and a handover of every open item to a named owner.
````markdown
A close-out report lets the sponsor formally accept the project, release the team and budget, and know who now owns what is left. It is also the organisation's memory: the next similar project (an office move, an event, a building refurbishment, a process change, a marketing campaign) should start from its lessons. Close-out reports go wrong when they are a victory lap, when variance is hidden or computed wrongly, when lessons are generic ("communication could be better"), and when open items are listed with no receiving owner, so they quietly die once the team disbands.
Variance conventions to apply and show:
- Schedule variance: actual end date minus planned end date, in days or weeks, and as a percentage of planned duration.
- Budget variance: actual cost minus approved budget, in currency and as a percentage of the approved budget. State whether the budget figure is the original or the re-baselined one, and give both if both exist.
Write a project close-out report for sponsor.
[PROJECT_NOTES]
1. If neither the notes nor the original goals say what the project set out to achieve, ask for the objectives and approved budget and dates, then stop.
2. Compare each objective with the result: met, partly met or not met, with the evidence. If an objective can only be judged later (savings, satisfaction, adoption), mark it "to be measured", with when, how and who owns the measurement.
3. Report scope: delivered as planned, added, removed or deferred, each with the reason and who approved the change if known.
4. Compute schedule and budget variance using the conventions above. Show the arithmetic under Calculations. If figures are missing, use `[need: …]` and do not estimate.
5. Write lessons learned that the next project can act on. Each lesson states what happened, the effect, and a specific recommendation ("Book the venue's technical walkthrough four weeks before the event; this year it was three days before and the projector wiring had to be redone"). Include what worked well, not only problems. No blame on individuals.
6. List every open item (snags, warranty claims, outstanding invoices, documents, follow-up work, risks still live) with the receiving owner, due date and where the supporting information lives.
7. Write a summary the sponsor can read alone: overall outcome in one sentence, headline variance, the most important lesson, and what you need from the sponsor (acceptance, a decision on an open item, closing the budget code).
- Use only the supplied facts. Never invent figures, dates, approvals or feedback.
- State bad news plainly: an overrun is an overrun, with its cause, not "a reallocation".
- If the notes contradict each other (two different final costs), show both and ask which is right instead of picking one.
- Body under about 900 words; detail goes in tables.
## Close-out report
- **Summary**
- **Objectives and results:** table with Objective · Target · Result · Status · Evidence.
- **Scope:** table with Item · Change (delivered, added, removed, deferred) · Reason · Approved by.
- **Schedule and budget:** table with Measure · Planned · Actual · Variance · Variance % · Comment.
- **Benefits to be measured:** table with Benefit · Measure · When · Owner. Omit if none.
- **Lessons learned:** grouped under What worked and What to change, each with a recommendation.
- **Open items and handover:** table with Item · Receiving owner · Due · Where the information is.
- **Sign-off:** what is requested from sponsor and a line for acceptance.
## Calculations
The variance arithmetic, line by line.
## Missing information
Bullets: each `[need: …]` and each contradiction to resolve. "None" if complete.
````
---
## Write a project proposal or business case
`write-project-proposal` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-project-proposal
Writes an internal project proposal or business case covering the problem, options, recommendation, cost, benefits and risks, and marks every missing number instead of inventing it.
````markdown
A proposal is a request for a decision. Approvers ask the same questions every time: what problem, how big, what happens if we do nothing, what else could we do, what will it cost, what do we get and when, what could go wrong, and what exactly are you asking for. Proposals fail when they sell a single solution without alternatives, state benefits with no basis, hide the cost of people's time, or leave the ask vague. A credible business case shows its assumptions so the approver can challenge them.
Write a proposal for [AUDIENCE] based on this idea:
[IDEA]
1. If the idea does not say what problem it solves or what is being asked for, ask up to three short questions and stop.
2. State the problem in the approver's terms (money, time, risk, customers, staff), with evidence from the input, and the cost of doing nothing over a stated period.
3. Lay out at least three options, always including "do nothing" and one smaller or cheaper alternative. Compare them on cost, benefit, time to value, risk and effort from existing staff.
4. Recommend one option and give the deciding reason in one sentence.
5. Cost the recommendation: one-off and recurring costs, and people's time. Use figures from the input; where a figure is missing, write `[need: …]` and say who could supply it.
6. State benefits as measurable outcomes with a basis ("saves about 6 hours a week, based on the 120 tickets a month in the data"). Label anything without a basis as an estimate and record the assumption.
7. List the main risks with likelihood, impact and a mitigation for each, and name any dependency on other teams.
8. Define success: two or three measures, the current baseline and the target, and when you will report back.
9. End with the specific ask: what decision, how much money or how many people, by when, and the first step after a yes.
- Never invent numbers, quotes, vendors or results. Every figure is from the input, a calculation from input figures shown in Assumptions, or a `[need: …]` placeholder.
- Tailor emphasis to [AUDIENCE], but do not drop risks or costs to make the case look better.
- Keep the proposal to about two pages (roughly 800 to 1,000 words). Lead with a three-sentence summary: problem, recommendation, ask.
- Plain language and active voice; define any acronym the audience may not know.
## Proposal
Sections in this order: Summary · Problem and cost of inaction · Options considered (table: Option | Cost | Benefit | Time to value | Risk | Effort) · Recommendation · Cost and resources · Benefits · Risks and mitigations (table) · Success measures · The ask and next steps.
## Assumptions
Numbered: each assumption or calculation behind a figure, with the input it came from.
## Gaps to close before sending
Bullets: each `[need: …]` placeholder, plus the hardest question the approver is likely to ask that the proposal cannot yet answer.
````
---
## Write a project status report
`write-status-report` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-status-report
Writes a project status report with an evidence-based RAG status, progress, risks, decisions needed and next steps, formatted as an email, a document or a single slide.
````markdown
A status report exists so that people outside the work can spot trouble early and make the decisions only they can make. The classic failure is the "watermelon" report: green on the outside, red inside, because the author reports activity instead of progress against the plan, or softens bad news. Readers want the status and the reason in one line, then what needs their attention.
RAG definitions to apply:
- **Green:** on track for the committed scope, date and budget; no help needed.
- **Amber:** at risk; the team has a credible recovery plan within its own control, or a decision is needed soon to stay on track.
- **Red:** will miss scope, date or budget without intervention, a decision or extra resources from outside the team.
Write a email status report for project stakeholders from these updates:
[UPDATES]
1. If the updates contain no information about progress against a goal or date, ask what the milestones and dates are and stop.
2. Set the overall RAG status from the evidence using the definitions above, not from the tone of the notes. If the notes imply green but contain a slipped milestone, an unresolved blocker past its date or a budget overrun, rate it accordingly and explain why in Status rationale.
3. Separate progress (outcomes delivered against plan) from activity (meetings held, work started). Report progress.
4. List risks and issues with impact, owner and the next action with its date. An issue is happening now; a risk might happen.
5. Pull out every decision or help needed from the readers, with who must decide and by when. If none, say "None this period".
6. List next steps for the coming period with owners.
7. Render for the format:
- email: a subject line in the form "[Project] status: – ", then in this order: one line with the status and the reason; Decisions needed; Progress (three to five bullets); Risks and issues; Next steps. A reader should absorb it in 60 seconds.
- doc: short headings in this order: Summary (status, reason, and the change since last period) · Decisions needed · Milestones (table: Milestone | Planned date | Forecast date | Status) · Progress · Risks and issues (table: Item | Risk or issue | Impact | Owner | Next action and date) · Next steps.
- slide: an assertion-style title that states the status and the reason (for example "Amber: content migration is 30 points behind; decision needed by Friday"), then at most six bullets, decisions first.
If the project name or reporting period is missing, use `[need: project name]` or `[need: period]` rather than guessing.
- Use only facts from the updates. Missing owners, dates or figures become `[need: …]`; never invent them.
- Lead with status and decisions; no "Hope everyone had a great week".
- Name problems plainly and without blame: describe what happened and its impact, not who failed.
- Keep it short: under 250 words for email and slide, under 500 for doc.
## Status report
The report in the chosen format.
## Status rationale
Two or three sentences: why this RAG status, citing the evidence, and whether it differs from what the notes implied.
## Missing information
Bullets: each `[need: …]` placeholder. "None" if complete.
````
---
## Write a public consultation response
`write-public-consultation-response` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-public-consultation-response
Writes a response to a government or regulator public consultation that answers the published questions in order, states the respondent's position with evidence and proposes concrete changes.
````markdown
Officials who analyse consultation responses usually code them question by question, often in a spreadsheet, counting positions and extracting evidence and specific proposals. A response has influence when it is easy to code (it answers each numbered question under that number, with a clear position), when it brings evidence the officials do not already have (data, costs, real cases, the experience of the people the respondent represents), and when it proposes a specific, workable change to the text or design of the proposal. Responses that restate the respondent's general views, attack motives, ignore the questions, or overstate evidence are discounted, and identical campaign letters are typically counted once.
Draft a consultation response.
[CONSULTATION_QUESTIONS]
[RESPONDENT_POSITION]
1. If the questions are missing, or you cannot tell what the respondent wants, ask for them and stop.
2. Write a short respondent statement: who is responding, whom they represent and how many, their relevant experience, and any interest to declare. Use placeholders for details not supplied.
3. Write a summary of the response in four to six bullets: the overall position and the most important changes sought.
4. Answer every question under its own number and wording, in order:
- Start with a clear position where the question invites one (Agree, Disagree, Partly agree, Do not know, or the answer options the consultation gives).
- Give the reasons, most important first, each supported by evidence from the input with its source.
- Describe the practical impact on the people the respondent represents (costs, time, risks, unintended consequences), quantified where the evidence allows.
- Propose a specific change: revised wording, a threshold, a transition period, an exemption or an alternative mechanism. Say what problem the change solves.
- Acknowledge the policy aim and any trade-off honestly; officials discount responses that pretend there is none.
If the respondent has no view or evidence on a question, write "No response" rather than padding.
5. Respect word limits per question or overall; if the evidence will not fit, prioritise the questions most central to the respondent's position and say which were shortened.
- Use only the evidence supplied. Never invent statistics, studies, cases, quotes or legal references. Where a claim would need evidence that is not given, mark it `[evidence needed: …]`.
- Distinguish data from anecdote and from opinion in the wording ("in a survey of 212 members, 64% said…" versus "several members told us…").
- Respectful and precise; no attacks on officials or other stakeholders.
- Responses are often published. Flag anything in the input marked confidential or that identifies individuals, and keep it out of the main response unless the user says otherwise.
- This is drafting help, not legal advice. If the proposal has legal consequences for the respondent, note that a legal adviser should review the position before submission.
## Response
Respondent statement · Summary · Answers by question number (heading = number and question text).
## Evidence used
Table: Claim · Question number · Source from the input · Type (data, case, expert view, member experience).
## Gaps and risks
Bullets: `[evidence needed: …]` items, questions left unanswered, possible weaknesses officials may probe, confidentiality flags, and the deadline and submission route if given.
````
---
## Write a site visit report
`write-site-visit-report` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-site-visit-report
Turns field or site visit notes into a structured report with observations, evidence, issues rated by severity and owned follow-ups. For consultants, inspectors, auditors and area managers.
````markdown
A site visit report has two jobs: give someone who was not there an accurate picture of the site, and turn what the visitor found into actions that get done. Readers trust it when every finding is anchored in evidence (what was seen, measured, photographed or shown in a document) and when the report is honest about what was only heard from site staff. It loses value when findings are vague ("housekeeping could be better"), when minor and serious issues sit in one undifferentiated list, when good practice goes unrecorded, and when follow-ups have no owner or date.
Severity scale, applied consistently:
- **Critical:** immediate risk to people's safety, legal compliance or the core purpose of the site; act now.
- **Major:** a significant gap against the standard or objective that will cause harm, loss or failure if left; act within an agreed short period.
- **Minor:** an isolated lapse with limited impact; fix in normal course.
- **Observation:** not a breach; an improvement opportunity or something to watch.
Write a site visit report for client.
[SITE_AND_PURPOSE]
[VISIT_NOTES]
1. If the notes contain no findings at all, or you cannot tell which site or what the visit was for, ask in one short message and stop.
2. Group observations by area or topic in the order a reader would walk the site or follow the purpose of the visit.
3. For each observation, record the evidence type: seen, measured, photo (keep the visitor's photo references), document reviewed, or stated by site staff (by role). Keep statements by staff clearly attributed; do not present them as verified. If photos are attached, describe only what is visible in them, cite them by their number or file name, and do not infer readings, dates or causes the image does not show.
4. Turn problems into issues. Each issue states the condition found, the standard or expectation it falls short of (only if the notes or purpose name one; otherwise describe the expectation in plain terms and do not cite a regulation or clause that was not given), the impact, and a severity from the scale above. Explain any Critical rating in one line.
5. Record what is working well, with the same specificity. Good practice is a finding too and helps the site accept the rest.
6. Write follow-ups for every Critical and Major issue and any Minor issue the notes suggest acting on: the action, the owner (role), the due date and how completion will be shown. Use `[need: owner]` or `[need: date]` when the notes do not say.
7. Write a summary for a reader who reads nothing else: overall impression in one sentence, the number of issues by severity, the most important one or two actions, and any Critical item.
8. If anything in the notes points to immediate danger to people, put it first in the summary marked as Critical and say what should happen today.
- Use only what is in the notes. Never invent measurements, names, clause numbers, photos or conversations.
- Neutral, specific language: describe conditions and actions, not people's attitudes. "Two of six fire extinguishers had no inspection tag dated within the last 12 months" rather than "fire safety is sloppy".
- Do not rate an issue Critical or Major without evidence in the notes that supports it; if the severity depends on a fact you lack, give the likely rating and the question that would settle it.
- Match the register to client: a client report avoids internal shorthand; a report to the site itself can be more operational.
- Keep the body under about 900 words; put long lists of minor items in a table rather than prose.
## Visit report
- **Header:** site, date, visitor(s), people met (roles), purpose, scope (what was and was not covered).
- **Summary:** three to five sentences as described in step 7.
- **Observations by area:** short subsections with bullet findings, each ending with its evidence in brackets.
- **Issues:** table with # · Area · Issue · Evidence · Severity · Impact.
- **Good practice:** bullets.
- **Follow-ups:** table with # · Action · Owner · Due · Evidence of completion.
- **Next visit or review:** what to check next time, if the notes suggest it.
## Questions for the visitor
Bullets: facts you need to confirm, including each `[need: …]`, any severity that depends on a missing fact, and any finding where the notes were ambiguous. "None" if none.
````
---
## Write a user manual
`write-user-manual` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-user-manual
Writes a task-based user manual for a physical product, appliance, office system or service, with safety notices, setup, everyday tasks, care and troubleshooting organised by symptom.
````markdown
People open a manual when they are trying to do something or something has gone wrong, not to read about features. Task-based manuals (the minimalist approach from technical communication research) organise content around what users want to do, start each task with the action, put one action in each step, show what should happen after a step, and let readers recover from errors. Manuals fail when they describe each button in turn, bury safety warnings in the middle of steps, use names that differ from the labels on the product, assume knowledge the reader lacks, or invent specifications the product does not have.
Safety notices follow the widely used signal-word hierarchy: **DANGER** (will cause death or serious injury), **WARNING** (could cause death or serious injury), **CAUTION** (could cause minor or moderate injury), **NOTICE** (property damage only, no injury). Each notice names the hazard, the consequence and how to avoid it, and sits before the step it applies to.
Write a user manual for a novice reader.
[PRODUCT_DESCRIPTION]
1. If you cannot tell what the product is, what its main controls are, or how it is used, ask for those details and stop.
2. List the user's tasks in the order they meet them: unpacking and checking the contents, setup, first use, everyday tasks, occasional tasks (settings, cleaning, refilling, replacing parts), and end of life (storage, disposal) where relevant.
3. Write each task as: a heading that names the goal ("Make a double espresso", "Add a new user"), any prerequisite, safety notices that apply, then numbered steps. One action per step, imperative mood, the control named exactly as labelled and in bold, and the expected result in italics after the steps where users need confirmation.
4. Pitch the detail to novice: novices get every step and a one-line explanation of unfamiliar terms; regular users get compact steps; experts get reference tables and shortcuts.
5. Write troubleshooting as a table organised by what the user notices (the symptom), not by internal cause: Symptom · Possible cause · What to do. Use known issues first, then obvious checks (power, connection, consumables). Escalation to support or a qualified technician goes last.
6. Add safety notices only for hazards that follow from the description (heat, electricity, moving parts, pressure, chemicals, weight, children, data loss) and mark any you inferred with `[confirm]`.
7. Keep a list of every fact you needed but did not have (dimensions, voltages, capacities, button names, temperatures, warranty terms, support contacts) and use `[confirm: …]` in the text rather than inventing them.
- Never invent specifications, settings, part numbers, certifications, warranty terms or contact details.
- Use the product's own names for controls and screens consistently; if the description uses two names for one thing, pick one and note it.
- Plain language: short sentences, active voice, second person, no marketing claims.
- For electrical, gas, pressure, children's, medical or vehicle products, note under Facts to confirm that legally required manual content and safety wording differ by market and must be checked against the applicable regulations before publication.
- Keep each task under about ten steps; split longer ones.
## Manual
Title, then: Safety information · What is in the box (or What you need) · Parts and controls (table: Part · What it does) · Setup · Everyday tasks · Occasional tasks · Care and maintenance · Troubleshooting (table) · Specifications (only supplied facts) · Getting help.
## Facts to confirm
Bullets: every `[confirm: …]` placeholder and inferred safety notice, grouped by section, plus any naming inconsistencies found.
````
---
## Write a white paper
`write-white-paper` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-white-paper
Writes a B2B white paper that frames an industry problem with cited evidence and sets out a solution approach, citing a supplied source for every factual claim and flagging unsupported ones.
````markdown
A white paper earns trust by teaching before it sells. Its readers are evaluators, often sceptical specialists building a case internally, who will forward it only if it is accurate, specific and fair. White papers fail when they are brochures with footnotes: vague market claims, statistics without sources, a "solution" section that is just the product, and no acknowledgement of trade-offs or alternatives. The structure that works is problem, cost of the problem, why common approaches fall short, a principled approach (criteria a good solution must meet), how to apply it, and a short, honest note on how the author's organisation fits.
Write a white paper on:
[TOPIC]
Evidence you may cite (and nothing else):
[EVIDENCE]
1. If the evidence has fewer than three usable sourced items, or the sources are not identified, ask for more or for their origins and stop.
2. Identify the reader's core question and the paper's thesis in one sentence each. If no audience was given, infer the most likely evaluating reader from the topic, state that assumption above the paper, and pitch the depth to them.
3. Outline before writing: title, executive summary, the problem, its cost or consequences, why current approaches fall short, the recommended approach as a set of principles or criteria, implementation steps or a maturity path, a short section on the author's offering if the topic mentions one, and a conclusion with a next step.
4. Write the paper at 1,500 to 2,500 words, in confident, plain, specific prose for this audience. Use subheadings that state the point, short paragraphs, and a table or numbered list where it clarifies a comparison or process. Suggest one or two figures (what they show and which source they use).
5. Cite every factual claim (number, trend, study finding, quote, customer result) inline with a numbered reference [1] that maps to the evidence, and list references at the end in a consistent format. Any sentence that states a fact but has no source in the evidence must be rewritten as an opinion, removed, or marked `[SOURCE NEEDED]`.
6. Keep the solution vendor-neutral until the dedicated section; the principles should be useful even to a reader who never buys.
- Never invent statistics, studies, quotes, customer names or results, and never attribute a claim to a source that does not support it. Do not upgrade a claim beyond its source ("a survey of 200 firms" does not become "the industry").
- Distinguish clearly between evidence, the author's interpretation and recommendations.
- Acknowledge at least one limitation, trade-off or situation where the approach does not fit.
- Avoid hype words (revolutionary, game-changing, best-in-class, seamless) and unexplained jargon.
- Internal data is allowed but must be labelled as such, with its sample and period if given.
## White paper
Title, subtitle, executive summary (about 150 words), then the sections with stated-point subheadings, conclusion and next step, and a References list numbered to match the in-text citations.
## Claim and source check
A table: Claim (short) | Reference | Exact supporting detail from the evidence. Include every factual claim.
## Gaps
Each `[SOURCE NEEDED]` and any evidence that would strengthen a weak section. "None" if none.
## Repurposing notes
Three short ideas for reuse (a blog post, a slide, a sales email line), each pointing to the section it comes from.
````
---
## Write a workplace incident report
`write-workplace-incident-report` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-workplace-incident-report
Writes a factual, blame-neutral report of a workplace accident, near miss, customer, property or security incident, separating observed facts from statements and listing actions with owners.
````markdown
A workplace incident report is a record that other people act on: a supervisor fixes the hazard, HR supports the people involved, facilities repairs the damage, an insurer or regulator may read it months later. It is useful only if it is accurate, dated, and written so that a reader who was not there can see what happened without being told whom to blame. The common failures are mixing opinion into facts ("he was being careless"), guessing at causes before anyone has looked, leaving out times and locations, recording more personal or medical detail than the reader needs, and listing actions with no owner.
Write as an experienced health and safety or operations coordinator would: neutral, specific, in the past tense, with every statement either observed, reported by a named role, or marked as unknown.
Write a other incident report for manager and HR from these notes:
[INCIDENT_NOTES]
1. If the notes do not say what happened, or give no indication of when or where, ask for those details in one short message and stop.
2. Check for urgency first. If the notes suggest someone may still be at risk, a hazard is still in place, a person needs medical attention, or a crime may be in progress, say so at the top under Urgent checks before anything else.
3. Sort every statement in the notes into one of three kinds and keep them apart in the report:
- **observed:** seen or measured directly by the person reporting;
- **reported:** told to the reporter by someone else, attributed by role ("the shift lead said…");
- **inferred:** someone's opinion or guess about cause. Move these to "Possible contributing factors (to be confirmed)" and word them as questions for the investigation, never as findings.
4. Rewrite blaming, emotional or judgemental language into neutral description of actions and conditions ("the floor was wet near bay 4; no sign was in place" instead of "the cleaner left it soaking wet as usual"). Record every change under Language changes.
5. Identify people by role or initials unless the audience needs full names, and record only the injury or health information the reader needs (body part, nature as described, first aid given, whether the person went to hospital). Do not diagnose or speculate about medical outcomes.
6. Propose immediate and follow-up actions that follow from the facts (make the area safe, preserve evidence, check similar equipment, support the person, review the procedure). Give each an owner and date if the notes supply them; otherwise use `[need: owner]` and `[need: date]`.
7. Under Notifications, list who has been told and when, and flag whether this type of incident may have to be reported to an external body (for example a workplace safety regulator, insurer, data protection authority or the police) so the reader can check the rules that apply. Do not state that it is or is not reportable.
- Use only the facts in the notes. Never invent times, names, witnesses, measurements, injuries or quotes; use `[need: …]`.
- No conclusions about fault, negligence, liability or disciplinary outcomes, even if the notes ask for them. A report that blames is less credible and can harm the people involved.
- Keep exact quotes only when they matter to what happened, attributed by role and in quotation marks.
- Use 24-hour or clearly marked times and a full date if given.
- Keep the report under about 600 words; a reader should grasp what happened from the Summary alone.
## Urgent checks
Anything that needs action before the report is filed, or "None identified".
## Incident report
- **Summary:** two or three sentences: what happened, when, where, outcome.
- **Details:** table with Date and time · Location · Incident type · People involved (role) · Reported by · Report date.
- **What happened:** numbered, chronological, factual steps, each marked (observed) or (reported by …).
- **Injuries, damage or loss:** as described, or "None reported".
- **Immediate actions taken:** what was done, by whom, when.
- **Witnesses:** role and a one-line summary of what each saw.
- **Possible contributing factors (to be confirmed):** conditions and questions for the investigation.
- **Actions:** table with Action · Owner · Due date · Status.
- **Notifications:** who has been told, and external reporting to check.
## Language changes
Bullets: original wording → neutral wording, with the reason. "None" if none.
## Missing information
Bullets: each `[need: …]`, with why it matters. "None" if complete.
````
---
## Write an award nomination
`write-award-nomination` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-award-nomination
Writes an award or recognition nomination that maps a colleague's specific achievements and evidence to each published criterion, within the word limit, and shows where the case is weak.
````markdown
Award panels read many nominations quickly, usually scoring each against a published criterion. Nominations lose not because the nominee is weaker but because the writer praised the person in general ("tireless, inspiring, always goes the extra mile") instead of proving each criterion with specific evidence, or skipped a criterion altogether. Strong nominations do three things: answer every criterion explicitly, in the panel's own words; prove claims with outcomes, numbers, scale and third-party voices; and show what was distinctive about this person's contribution, beyond doing their job well.
Write a nomination.
[AWARD_CRITERIA]
[NOMINEE_ACHIEVEMENTS]
1. If the criteria are missing, ask for them and stop; a nomination written without them usually misses what the panel scores.
2. Build a criteria map first: for each criterion, list the pieces of evidence that support it and rate the strength of the case (strong, adequate, thin) with a reason. Each piece of evidence goes where it scores best; reuse one only if it genuinely serves two criteria.
3. Write the nomination:
- An opening of one or two sentences that states who the nominee is and the single most impressive thing they did, with its result.
- One section per criterion, using the criterion's wording as the heading (or the form's section order). Lead each section with the strongest evidence. Use the pattern: situation in a clause, what the nominee specifically did, the measurable or observable result, and who benefited.
- Quotes from colleagues, customers or students, only if supplied, attributed by role.
- A short closing line on why this person and why now.
4. Fit the limits. If the evidence will not fit, cut weaker evidence rather than squeezing sentences until they are unreadable. Report the word count per section and in total.
5. Under Strengthen the case, list criteria rated thin and the evidence that would help (a figure, a testimonial, a before-and-after), so the nominator can gather it before the deadline.
- Every claim comes from the achievements supplied. Never invent figures, quotes, awards or outcomes. Use `[add: …]` only where a specific missing fact would clearly help.
- Concrete over adjectival: at most one adjective of praise per section, and only after the evidence.
- Credit the nominee's own contribution accurately when the work was a team effort: "led", "designed", "persuaded" only if the notes support it.
- Third person, present the nominee by name as given, past tense for achievements.
## Criteria map
Table: Criterion · Evidence used · Strength (strong, adequate, thin) · Note.
## Nomination
The text, with a heading per criterion or form section, then "Word count: N / limit" (per section where limits exist).
## Strengthen the case
Bullets: what to add or confirm, by criterion. "Nothing to add" if all criteria are strong.
Weak: "Maria is a passionate and dedicated leader who always puts customers first."
Strong: "When complaint volumes doubled after the 2025 price change, Maria set up a daily call-back rota and rewrote the five most-used reply templates. Within six weeks the average resolution time fell from 6 days to 2, and the team's satisfaction score rose from 71% to 88%."
````
---
## Write an executive summary
`write-executive-summary` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-executive-summary
Writes an executive summary of a long document that leads with the bottom line, the key points and the ask, using only facts from the source. Use before sending a report to busy readers.
````markdown
An executive summary is read instead of the document, not before it. Many readers stop after the first paragraph, so it must stand alone: what the document concludes, why that matters to this reader, and what the reader is being asked to do. Weak summaries describe the document ("This report examines…") instead of stating its findings, follow the document's chronology instead of its importance, bury the ask, or quietly change numbers and certainty while compressing.
Write an executive summary of the document below for [AUDIENCE], at most 250 words.
[DOCUMENT]
1. If the document is empty or is only a title or topic, ask for the full text and stop.
2. Find the governing thought: the single conclusion or recommendation the whole document supports. If the document has none, say so and summarise its main findings instead; do not invent a recommendation.
3. Find the ask: the decision, approval, money or action the reader is expected to give, with any deadline. If there is no ask in the document, state "No action requested" rather than making one up.
4. Pick the three to five points that most support the governing thought for this audience. Prefer points with numbers, consequences, costs or risks. Drop methodology and history unless the audience needs them to trust the result.
5. Order by importance, top-down: bottom line first, then the supporting points, then the ask and next steps.
6. Translate jargon the audience does not share into its consequence, and keep the document's level of certainty (an estimate stays an estimate, a pilot result stays a pilot result).
7. Count the words and cut until you are within the limit.
- Use only facts, figures and claims from the document. Copy numbers exactly; never round, recompute or combine them.
- Do not open with "This document", "This report" or a restatement of the title. The first sentence is the bottom line.
- Keep risks and caveats the document gives if they would change the reader's decision.
- If the document contradicts itself on a key figure, do not pick one: write "[CHECK: …]" and list the conflict under Left out.
- Plain, active sentences. No bullet longer than two lines.
## Executive summary
**Bottom line:** one or two sentences.
**Key points:** three to five bullets, most important first.
**The ask:** the decision or action needed, from whom and by when, or "No action requested".
Then the line "Word count: N / 250".
## Source check
A table: claim or number in the summary | where it appears in the document (section heading or a short quoted phrase).
## Left out
Bullets: material you cut that a reader might expect, and any conflicts or gaps you found. "None" if nothing material.
````
---
## Write an FAQ from source documents
`write-faq-from-documents` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-faq-from-documents
Builds an FAQ from scattered policies, emails and documents, phrasing entries as real readers ask them, tracing each answer to its source and listing conflicts and unanswered questions.
````markdown
A good FAQ answers the questions people actually have, in the words they would use, so they stop emailing the organiser. Most FAQs fail because they are written from the document's structure instead of the reader's situation ("What is the scope of the policy?" instead of "Can I work from abroad for two weeks?"), because answers are padded or vague, or because they quietly paper over places where two source documents disagree. When the answer is wrong, the FAQ does more damage than no FAQ, so every answer must trace back to a source, and anything the sources do not settle must be visible to the owner, not guessed.
Build an FAQ for this audience: [AUDIENCE]. Include at most 15 questions.
[SOURCE_MATERIAL]
1. If there is no usable source material, ask for it and stop. If the sources are unlabelled, label them S1, S2, … in the order given and use those labels throughout.
2. Imagine the reader's real situations: before, during and after the thing the sources cover, and what goes wrong. List the questions they would ask, phrased in their words (first person, plain language, specific: "What if my flight is cancelled?" not "Flight disruption procedures").
3. Rank them by how many readers will ask and how costly a wrong guess would be (money, deadlines, safety, eligibility). Keep the top 15; note the rest under Gaps as "not included".
4. Answer each from the sources only:
- Lead with the direct answer (yes, no, the number, the deadline), then the condition or exception, then what to do or whom to contact.
- Quote exact figures, dates and limits as written in the source.
- End the answer with its source label(s) in brackets, for example "[S2]".
- If a source answers only part of the question, answer that part and say what is not covered.
5. Where two sources disagree, do not choose silently. Give the most recent or most authoritative answer only if the sources make the order clear, and list every disagreement under Conflicts.
6. Questions the audience will clearly ask but the sources do not answer go under Gaps with a suggested owner to answer them. Do not include them in the FAQ with an invented answer.
7. Group the questions under three to six short headings in the order the reader will need them.
- No answer may contain a fact that is not in the sources. Plausible-sounding policy details are the main risk here.
- Answers under about 80 words each; link or point to the source for the full detail.
- Plain language: second person ("you"), active voice, no internal jargon unless the audience uses it.
- Do not reproduce personal data from the sources (names, phone numbers, personal emails) unless it is clearly meant as a public contact point.
## FAQ
Grouped questions as `### Heading` then `**Question?**` followed by the answer and source label.
## Source map
Table: Source label · Source title or description · Questions it answers.
## Conflicts
Bullets: the question, what each source says (with labels), and who should resolve it. "None found" if none.
## Gaps
Bullets: questions readers will ask that the sources do not answer, plus any questions cut by the limit, each with a suggested owner. "None" if none.
Weak: **What is the expense policy for meals?** Meals are reimbursed in line with company policy.
Strong: **How much can I spend on dinner when I travel?** Up to 40 EUR per person per day, including tips. Alcohol is not reimbursed. Keep the itemised receipt and submit it within 30 days. [S1]
````
---
## Write an internal announcement
`write-internal-announcement` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-internal-announcement
Writes an internal announcement of a reorg, policy change or launch that explains what is changing, why, the impact on each group and where to ask, plus an FAQ and a pre-send check.
````markdown
People read a change announcement asking four questions in order: what is changing, does it affect me, why, and what do I do now. Announcements fail when the change is buried under a preamble about values, when the reason is vague or spun ("to unlock synergies"), when they cheer about news that is bad for some readers, or when nobody knows where to ask. For changes that affect people's jobs, managers, roles or pay, the order of communication matters as much as the words: the people most affected should hear it directly, before a broadcast.
Write an announcement for [AUDIENCE] about this change:
[CHANGE]
1. If the input does not say what is changing or when, ask for that and stop.
2. Open with a subject line or headline that states the change itself, and a first paragraph that says what is changing and when it takes effect.
3. Explain why, using the actual reason from the input. If no reason is given, insert `[need: the reason]` rather than writing a generic one.
4. Explain the impact by group: who is affected and how, and say explicitly what is not changing.
5. List what readers need to do, with deadlines. If nothing, say "No action needed".
6. Say where to ask: a named channel, person, session or form from the input, or `[need: where to ask]`.
7. Match the tone to the news. A launch can be upbeat. A reorg, a cut or a policy that removes a benefit is plain and respectful: acknowledge that it is a real change for some people, without corporate euphemism and without over-apologising.
8. Draft an FAQ of five to eight questions readers will actually ask, including the uncomfortable ones (Is this a cost cut? Will there be more changes? What happens to my role?). Answer only from the input; where the answer is unknown, write the honest holding answer ("We don't know yet; we will tell you by [date]").
- Never invent reasons, numbers, dates, names or commitments.
- No euphemisms that hide what is happening ("rightsizing", "transitioning roles"). Say "roles will be eliminated" if that is the fact.
- Do not mention any individual's performance, health or personal circumstances.
- Keep the announcement under 350 words; detail goes in the FAQ.
- If the change involves job losses, pay or contract changes, or anything with legal implications, add to Before you send that HR or legal should review it, and that affected people must be told directly first.
## Announcement
Subject line, then the message with short sections: What is changing · Why · What it means for you · What you need to do · Questions.
## FAQ
Numbered questions with short answers.
## Before you send
A checklist: who must hear before this goes out, any `[need: …]` placeholders, reviews required, and the best channel and timing.
````
---
## Write an internal team newsletter
`write-team-newsletter` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-team-newsletter
Writes an internal team or company newsletter from updates, wins and dates, with a lead story chosen for readers, short sections and recognition that names specific contributions.
````markdown
Internal newsletters compete with every other message in the inbox and usually lose. The ones people read lead with the item that matters most to the reader (not to the most senior person), keep each item short with a link for more, and make recognition specific enough that the person recognised feels seen and others learn what good looks like. "Thanks to the ops team for their hard work" is noise; "Priya rebuilt the returns process so refunds now take two days instead of nine" is news. Newsletters also go wrong by leaking things not yet announced, praising only the visible roles, or burying the one action people need to take.
Write a short newsletter for whole company from these updates:
[UPDATES]
1. If the updates are too thin to fill even a short issue (fewer than two real items), say what is missing and suggest the kinds of items to gather, then stop.
2. Choose the lead story by impact on the readers: what changes their work, what they will be asked about, or a win that affects many of them. Explain the choice in one line under Check before sending.
3. Write the lead in three to five sentences: what happened, why it matters to the reader, and what happens next or where to learn more.
4. Group the rest into short sections, using only those that have content: Updates · Wins and shout-outs · People news · Coming up (dates in date order) · One ask (the single action readers should take, if any).
5. For each shout-out, name who did what and the effect, using only details in the updates. If the updates thank someone without saying what they did, write `[add: what they did and the effect]` rather than generic praise.
6. Write three subject line options: specific, under 60 characters, no clickbait.
- Use only facts in the updates; never invent numbers, names, quotes or dates.
- Short: up to about 350 words for short, about 700 for standard. Each item two to four sentences.
- Warm and plain, like a well-written note from a colleague. No "exciting times ahead", no exclamation marks in every line.
- Flag anything that looks confidential or not yet announced (unreleased financials, unannounced departures or hires, customer names under NDA, personal health or family details) instead of publishing it.
- If recognition clusters on one team or role, note the imbalance under Check before sending.
## Subject lines
Three numbered options.
## Newsletter
The issue with a short title, the lead story, then the sections in order.
## Check before sending
Bullets: why this lead, items flagged as possibly confidential, `[add: …]` placeholders to fill, recognition balance, and links to add. "Nothing to check" if none.
````
---
## Write manager talking points for a change
`write-manager-talking-points` · prompt · Business writing · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-manager-talking-points
Writes talking points, likely questions with honest answers and a do-not-say list so every manager can cascade an organisational change to their team consistently and truthfully.
````markdown
When a change is cascaded through managers, each team hears a slightly different version. Within a day the differences become rumours, and the most anxious version wins. Talking points exist so that every manager says the same true things, admits the same unknowns, and answers the predictable questions without improvising. The failures are predictable too: false reassurance ("nobody's job is affected") that later turns out wrong, corporate language that sounds evasive, managers speculating about undecided details, and managers distancing themselves ("I don't agree with this either, but…"), which destroys trust in both the change and the manager.
Write as an experienced internal communications lead who has run many cascades: plain words, honest about uncertainty, specific about what happens next.
Prepare a cascade pack for managers.
[CHANGE_SUMMARY]
[WHAT_IS_CONFIRMED]
1. If you cannot tell what is changing, for whom, or when, ask up to three questions and stop.
2. Separate confirmed facts from open questions. Every talking point must rest on a confirmed fact; open items become honest "not decided yet" answers with when people will hear more (or `[need: date of next update]`).
3. Write the core message: three sentences a manager could say from memory, covering what is changing, why, and what it means for the team.
4. Write talking points in the order a team meeting would go: what is changing; why now; what it means for this team (with a placeholder for the manager to add team-specific detail); what is not changing; timeline; what happens next and where to get help. Use short spoken sentences, not slide fragments.
5. Draft the questions people will actually ask, including the uncomfortable ones (job security, pay, workload, "was this decided already?", "why weren't we consulted?", "what happens to my project?"). For each, give an honest answer of two to four sentences. Where the answer is unknown, say so plainly and say when or how it will be answered.
6. Write a do-not-say list: phrases that would be false, speculative, legally risky, or that undermine the message, each with what to say instead. Include anything in the sensitive points that must not be shared yet.
7. Add notes for managers: how to open the conversation, how to respond to strong emotions, what to do with questions they cannot answer (write them down and send them to a named route), and when to escalate individual concerns to HR.
- Never state as fact anything not in what_is_confirmed. No false reassurance, no guesses about numbers, dates or individuals.
- If the change affects jobs, pay, contracts or working conditions, add a line advising that HR (and where relevant legal or employee representatives) review the pack before use, because consultation and disclosure rules may apply.
- Plain spoken language. Ban jargon such as "synergies", "right-sizing", "going forward we will leverage".
- The manager speaks for the organisation: no talking points that blame leadership or disown the decision, and no spin that hides real downsides.
## Core message
Three sentences.
## Talking points
Numbered sections as in step 4, with `[Manager: add …]` where team-specific detail belongs.
## Likely questions
`**Q:** …` then `**A:** …`, hardest questions first.
## Do not say
Table: Do not say · Why · Say instead.
## Notes for managers
Short bullets.
## Open items
Bullets: undecided points and missing facts, with who owns each. "None" if none.
````