Stop repeating yourself. Projects give ChatGPT permanent context about VPT, your role, and your workflows -- so every conversation starts smart.
Watch
Projects Walkthrough
Video coming soon -- Max will walk through setting up your first Project
The Concept
What Is a ChatGPT Project?
A Project is a persistent workspace inside ChatGPT. It remembers your instructions, your uploaded files, and every conversation you put inside it.
Without a Project
Every new conversation starts blank. You re-explain who you are, what VPT does, your compliance rules, and your preferences. Every. Single. Time.
This is what most of the team is doing today.
With a Project
You write instructions once. Upload reference files once. Every conversation inside that Project starts with full VPT context, your role, your preferences, and your compliance guardrails already loaded.
This saves 2-5 minutes per conversation, permanently.
Think of it this way: A Project is like giving a new assistant a binder on their first day. Instead of explaining VPT from scratch every morning, they open the binder and they're ready.
Step by Step
Creating Your First Project
This takes 5-10 minutes and saves hours over the next month. Here's exactly how.
1
Open ChatGPT and find Projects
In the left sidebar, look for Projects (it may say "New project" with a folder icon). Click it. If you don't see it, make sure you're on ChatGPT Plus, Team, or Enterprise -- Projects aren't available on the free plan.
2
Name your Project
Use a clear name that tells you what it's for. Examples: "VPT Client Emails", "VPT Meeting Prep", "VPT Analysis". Don't use generic names like "Work stuff" or "My project."
3
Paste Project Instructions
This is the most important step. Click "Set project instructions" (or the gear icon) and paste the instructions template below. Edit the placeholders to match your role. These instructions apply to every conversation inside this Project.
4
Upload Reference Files (Optional)
You can drag files into a Project for ChatGPT to reference. Great for: sample emails you like, process docs, meeting agenda templates, compliance checklists. Don't upload anything with client PII.
5
Start a conversation inside the Project
Click "New chat" from within the Project. Every conversation you start here automatically inherits your instructions and files. You'll see a small project label at the top of the chat confirming you're inside the right Project.
Copy & Paste
VPT Project Instructions Template
This is your starting point. Copy it, edit the bracketed sections for your role, and paste it into your Project's instructions field.
You are an AI assistant for a financial advisor at VPT Financial (Vantage Point Financial), a fee-based RIA in St. Louis, MO.
VOICE: Professional, warm, and educational. We don't talk down to clients. We explain complex concepts in plain language without oversimplifying. We use "we" language -- the client and advisor are a team.
COMPLIANCE RULES (NON-NEGOTIABLE):
- Never include specific dollar amounts in client-facing communications unless I explicitly approve it
- Never provide specific investment recommendations or guarantees
- Never reference specific securities, funds, or products by name in outreach materials
- Always include "Please contact us with any questions" or equivalent in client emails
- Flag anything that might need compliance review before sending
MEETING TYPES AT VPT:
- What's Possible: First meeting with prospects. Exploratory, warm, no hard sell.
- Envision: Deep discovery. Goals, fears, dreams. Emotional, not technical.
- Planning Meeting: Technical. Actual numbers, strategies, recommendations.
- Annual/Bi-Annual Review: Check-in on progress. Adjustments. Life changes.
- 90-Day Review: New client check-in. Are we on track? Any concerns?
- Strategy Session: Focused on one specific issue (Roth conversion, estate plan, etc.)
MY ROLE:[Edit this -- describe your position, what you do day-to-day, and what you'll mainly use this Project for]OUTPUT DEFAULTS:
- Emails: Under 250 words unless I say otherwise
- Summaries: Bullet points, not paragraphs
- Analysis: Lead with the recommendation, then the reasoning
Customize it. The template is a starting point. After a week of use, you'll know what to add -- maybe you always ask ChatGPT to "keep it under 3 bullet points" or "always mention our next meeting." Add those preferences to your instructions so you stop repeating them.
Recommended Setup
VPT Project Architecture
You don't need a dozen Projects. Start with one for your primary workflow. Add more only when you find yourself switching contexts.
Project Name
What It's For
Who
Files to Upload
VPT Client Comms
Recap emails, follow-ups, meeting prep briefs
Advisors
Sophia's 5 example recap emails (voice calibration)
Past seminar outlines, attendee feedback summaries
Default Advice
"Create a ChatGPT Project for each major workflow. Upload relevant documents and write clear instructions."
VPT-Specific Advice
Build Projects around decision types, not generic categories. VPT advisors don't think in terms of "email drafting" vs. "analysis" -- they think in terms of meeting stages. A What's Possible follow-up is a fundamentally different communication than a Planning Meeting follow-up, even though both are "emails." The Project instructions should encode VPT's meeting taxonomy so the model knows where in the client relationship a communication sits. Upload Sophia's 5 example recap emails as voice calibration -- not templates to copy, but references for warmth, specificity, and structure.
Reference Files
What to Upload (and What Not To)
Files you add to a Project become permanent context. ChatGPT reads them in every conversation inside that Project.
Upload These
Sample emails you're proud of (for voice matching)
VPT process documents and SOPs
Meeting agenda templates
Brand voice guidelines
Compliance checklists
Seminar outlines or topic lists
Your personal "cheat sheets" for recurring workflows
Never Upload These
Files with client full names or SSNs
Account statements or portfolio reports
Documents with account numbers
Client-signed agreements
Anything from your CRM export with PII
Internal documents marked confidential
Compliance Reminder
Grace flagged this specifically: client PII in any AI tool is an SEC audit risk. If you're unsure whether a file is safe to upload, ask yourself: "Does this contain any information that could identify a specific client?" If yes, don't upload it.
Memory
Teaching ChatGPT About You
Memory is separate from Projects. It lives across all your conversations and remembers personal preferences you tell it. Think of it as ChatGPT's long-term notepad about how you work.
How Memory Works
When you tell ChatGPT something about yourself -- "I prefer bullet points," "I'm a financial advisor in St. Louis," "Don't use jargon in my emails" -- it saves that to Memory. Next time you start any conversation (even outside a Project), it remembers.
You can view and manage your saved memories in Settings → Personalization → Memory.
Copy & Paste
Memory Setup by Role
In your first conversation, paste the block for your role. ChatGPT will save each line to Memory. You only need to do this once.
Remember these things about me:
I'm a financial advisor at VPT Financial (Vantage Point Financial) in St. Louis, MO.
My clients are primarily pre-retirees and retirees (ages 55-75).
I use the Bucket Plan strategy for retirement income planning.
When I say "recap email," I mean a client follow-up after a meeting.
I prefer bullet points over long paragraphs.
Never put specific dollar amounts in client-facing emails unless I say so.
When I say "Planning Meeting," I mean the technical meeting where we present actual strategies and numbers.
When I say "What's Possible," I mean the first exploratory meeting with a prospect -- warm, no hard sell.
I always want a warm sign-off in client emails, not a formal one.
Remember these things about me:
I work in operations and client service at VPT Financial (Vantage Point Financial).
I handle client onboarding, scheduling, and document management.
Our CRM is Redtail. We use Outlook for email.
When I ask for a template, I want something I can copy-paste immediately.
Keep language warm and professional -- we're not a call center.
I often need checklists for new client setups.
When I say "onboarding," I mean the full process from signed agreement to first review meeting.
I prefer step-by-step instructions over general overviews.
Remember these things about me:
I handle marketing and business development at VPT Financial (Vantage Point Financial).
Our target audience is pre-retirees and retirees in the St. Louis metro area.
Nick and Tim are the partners and subject matter experts -- I create content from their expertise and client interactions.
We do educational seminars, LinkedIn content, and email campaigns.
Our brand voice is educational and warm. We teach, we don't sell.
Never use "financial freedom" or "retire rich" -- we don't do clickbait.
When I say "seminar content," I mean educational workshop material, not sales presentations.
I need all content to be compliance-reviewable before publishing.
Remember these things about me:
I'm a partner at VPT Financial (Vantage Point Financial) in St. Louis, MO.
We're a fee-based RIA with 15 employees across advisory, ops, marketing, and executive support.
I manage both client relationships and firm operations.
When I ask for analysis, lead with the recommendation first, then the reasoning.
I think in terms of the Bucket Plan strategy for retirement income.
When I'm working on firm strategy, I want concise options with tradeoffs -- not long essays.
I often need meeting prep for client reviews and prospect meetings.
I value my team's time -- when I ask you to draft something for the team, keep it actionable and short.
Default Advice
"Tell ChatGPT your role, preferences, and common tasks so it personalizes responses."
VPT-Specific Advice
Memory is for behavioral preferences, not factual knowledge. Don't memorize client names, account numbers, or financial details -- that's a compliance risk Grace already flagged. Instead, memorize how you work: "I always send recap emails within 2 hours of a meeting." "When I say Bucket Plan, I mean VPT's three-bucket strategy, not a generic budgeting tool." "Give me drafts to edit, not finals to send." These behavioral memories make every future conversation start faster because ChatGPT already knows your working style.
Putting It Together
Projects + Memory: How They Work Together
Projects and Memory serve different purposes. Using both gives you the best results.
ChatGPT saves what you tell it (you can also edit in Settings)
Example
"When I draft recap emails, always include a next-steps section and sign off warmly."
"I'm a financial advisor at VPT Financial. I prefer bullet points."
The 80/20: If you only do one thing from this module, set up the VPT Client Comms Project with the instructions template above. That single Project will improve every client email and meeting prep you generate. Add Memory setup when you have 5 minutes.
Organization
Keeping Your Projects Clean
Projects get messy fast if you don't organize conversations. A few habits will keep things useful long-term.
Name your conversations
ChatGPT auto-names chats, but they're often useless ("Help with email" x 15). Rename important conversations so you can find them: "Q2 Review Prep - Johnson" or "Roth Analysis - 2026."
One topic per chat
Don't use the same conversation for meeting prep AND email drafting AND tax questions. Start a new chat for each distinct task. The Project context carries over automatically.
Archive when done
After a meeting or project wraps, archive the conversation rather than deleting it. You may want to reference it later. Archived chats are hidden but searchable.
Watch Out
Common Project Mistakes
Mistake: Chatting outside your Project
If you click "New chat" from the main ChatGPT screen instead of from inside your Project, none of your instructions or files apply. Always start chats from within the Project. Look for the project label at the top of the chat window to confirm.
Mistake: Writing a novel in Project Instructions
Instructions should be concise -- think 200-400 words, not 2,000. If your instructions are longer than a page, you're probably including content that should be in an uploaded file instead. Keep instructions for rules and preferences. Put reference material in files.
Mistake: Creating too many Projects
Start with one. Get comfortable. Add a second when you genuinely feel limited. Most people on the team will need 1-2 Projects, not 7. More Projects means more context-switching and more instructions to maintain.
Mistake: Uploading stale files
If you upload a process doc that gets updated quarterly, set a reminder to replace the file in your Project. ChatGPT doesn't know the file is outdated -- it'll keep referencing the old version.