Day 16 of 28 · ChatGPT Course
Projects
⏱ 6 min
📊 Beginner
Every time you start a new chat with ChatGPT, you start from scratch. That is fine for one-off questions, but terrible for ongoing work. If you are building a business plan, writing a book, or managing a product launch, you need continuity.
That is what Projects solve. A Project is a dedicated workspace where you organize related chats, upload files, set goals, and give ChatGPT persistent instructions. Everything inside a Project shares context, so ChatGPT always knows what you are working on.
Today you will learn how to create and manage Projects, upload files, set instructions, and use them to supercharge ongoing work.
What is a Project?
A Project is a container that groups together:
- Multiple chat threads -- all conversations related to the same objective
- Files -- documents, spreadsheets, images, and other reference material
- Instructions -- custom rules and context that apply to every chat in the Project
- Goals -- a description of what you are trying to accomplish
When you open a chat inside a Project, ChatGPT automatically has access to all the files you have uploaded and follows the instructions you have set. You do not need to repeat context or re-upload documents every time.
Think of it like a shared folder for you and ChatGPT, but smarter -- because ChatGPT actually reads and understands everything in it.
I want to create a Project for my startup's product launch. How should I set it up?
Great idea. Here's how to set up a Product Launch project:
1. **Click "New Project"** in the sidebar
2. **Name it** -- "Q2 Product Launch" or similar
3. **Set the goal** -- "Plan and execute the launch of our new analytics dashboard feature"
4. **Add instructions** like:
- "Our target audience is mid-market B2B SaaS companies"
- "Our launch date is June 15th"
- "Always reference our brand voice guide when writing copy"
5. **Upload key files:**
- Product spec document
- Brand guidelines
- Competitor analysis
- Timeline spreadsheet
Now every chat you start in this Project will have full context. You can have separate threads for copywriting, email sequences, social media, and launch logistics -- all sharing the same background knowledge.
↻ Replay conversation
Knowledge Check
What is the main advantage of using a Project instead of separate chat threads?
A
All chats within a Project share context, files, and instructions, so you do not have to repeat yourself
B
Projects allow multiple users to chat simultaneously
C
Projects are faster than regular chats
D
Projects use a more powerful AI model
The core benefit of Projects is shared context. Without a Project, every new chat starts from zero. Inside a Project, ChatGPT has access to your uploaded files, your custom instructions, and the goals you have set -- across every conversation thread.
Setting up a Project step by step
Creating a new Project. Click "New Project" in the ChatGPT sidebar. Give it a clear, descriptive name. You can also convert any existing chat into a Project by clicking the menu on that chat and selecting "Move to Project" or "Convert to Project."
Setting goals and instructions. This is the most important step. Your Project instructions act like a system prompt for every chat in the Project. Be specific:
- Bad: "Help me with marketing"
- Good: "You are helping me plan the marketing strategy for a B2B SaaS product targeting engineering managers at companies with 100-500 employees. Our budget is $5,000/month. Our tone is professional but approachable. Always suggest measurable KPIs for any strategy you recommend."
Uploading files. You can upload documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, images, and more. Pro users can upload up to 40 files per Project. These files become reference material that ChatGPT can search and cite in any conversation within the Project.
Starting conversations. Once your Project is set up, just start chatting. Each new thread inherits all the context. You might have one thread for brainstorming, another for drafting copy, and another for analyzing data -- all within the same Project.
Knowledge Check
How many files can Pro users upload to a single Project?
Pro users can upload up to 40 files per Project. These files serve as persistent reference material that ChatGPT can access across all conversations within that Project. This makes Projects ideal for complex work that involves multiple documents.
Searching and sharing
Global search. As you accumulate Projects and chats, finding specific conversations becomes important. ChatGPT offers global search across all your Projects, so you can quickly locate any thread, file reference, or piece of information. Just use the search bar at the top of the sidebar.
Sharing project threads. You can share individual chat threads from a Project with other people using a unique link. This is useful when you want to show a colleague the output from a brainstorming session or share a drafted document for feedback.
When someone opens a shared link, they see the conversation as it was at the time of sharing. They do not get access to your other Project files or instructions -- only the specific thread you shared.
I have about 30 chats scattered across regular ChatGPT about my freelance business. Can I organize them into a Project?
Yes, you can organize existing chats into Projects. Here's how:
1. **Create a new Project** -- name it something like "Freelance Business"
2. **Move existing chats** -- open each relevant chat, click the three-dot menu, and select "Add to Project"
3. **Add instructions** to the Project so future chats have context:
- Your services and rates
- Your target clients
- Your business goals for this year
4. **Upload key files** -- contracts, portfolio, rate card
From now on, start new freelance-related chats inside this Project. ChatGPT will remember your business context every time.
You can also use the search bar to find old chats by keyword if you are not sure which ones to include.
↻ Replay conversation
Tips for getting the most out of Projects
One Project per objective. Do not dump everything into a single Project. Create separate Projects for separate goals: one for your product launch, one for your content strategy, one for your hiring process.
Write detailed instructions. The more specific your Project instructions are, the less you have to repeat in individual chats. Include your audience, tone, constraints, and preferences.
Keep files current. If a document gets updated, re-upload the new version. ChatGPT always uses the latest uploaded file.
Use threads intentionally. Within a Project, each chat thread can focus on a different subtask. This keeps conversations clean and easy to find later.
Review and prune. Periodically review your Projects. Archive completed ones and update instructions for active ones.
Knowledge Check
What is the best practice for organizing Projects?
A
Create a new Project for every single chat
B
Put all your work into one big Project
C
Only use Projects for work-related tasks
D
Create one Project per objective, with clear instructions and relevant files
One Project per objective keeps things organized and ensures the right context is available. Too broad and the instructions become vague; too narrow and you lose the benefit of shared context. Match your Projects to your real-world goals.
Final Check
What happens when you share a Project thread via a unique link?
A
Sharing is not possible with Projects
B
The recipient can edit your Project
C
The recipient gets full access to all your Project files and instructions
D
The recipient sees only that specific conversation thread, not your other files or instructions
Sharing a thread gives the recipient a read-only view of that specific conversation. Your Project files, instructions, and other threads remain private. This makes it safe to share outputs without exposing your full workspace.
📁
Day 16 Complete
"Projects give ChatGPT a memory for your ongoing work. Set goals, upload files, write instructions -- and never start from scratch again."
Tomorrow — Day 17
Tasks & Scheduling
Learn how to schedule ChatGPT to do things automatically -- daily summaries, weekly reports, and more.