How Do I Set Up and Use a ChatGPT Project?
By Dr. Hernani Costa — Jun 23, 2025
Step-by-step: Creating a new Project in ChatGPT and customizing it with files and instructions
Creating a Project in ChatGPT is simple and takes your AI workflow to the next level. Whether you're optimizing business processes or implementing AI automation consulting, Projects help you organize context and maintain consistency across related tasks.
Here's how to get started:
In the ChatGPT sidebar, you'll find a section called "Projects." Click the "+" icon or "New Project" there. You'll be prompted to name your project – choose a descriptive name (for example, "Budget Analysis Q1" or "Novel Writing"). Once created, the Project opens as a new, blank workspace. Now you can customize it: at the top, you'll see options like "Add Files" and "Add Instructions."
Add Files lets you upload documents or data that you want ChatGPT to have access to within this project (for instance, PDFs, images, CSV datasets, or code files). Just click it and select the file from your computer – it will be attached to the Project. This is particularly valuable for AI tool integration and workflow automation design, allowing you to maintain all relevant materials in one organized space.
Add Instructions is a powerful feature where you can give ChatGPT project-specific guidance. For example, you might instruct, "In this project, responses should be in a formal tone," or provide context like "We are working on a healthcare report, so keep answers compliant with health data privacy." These instructions tailor the AI's responses within that project, making it ideal for AI governance and compliance requirements. You can also move existing chats into a project: find an old chat, click the three-dot menu next to it, and choose "Add to project" (then select your project name). Each Project is color-customizable too – click the folder icon on the Project page to set a color that helps you visually identify it on the sidebar.
Once set up, using your Project is just like a regular chat – but now ChatGPT will remember that project's context, can reference the attached files, and follow your custom instructions for all conversations in that Project. It's a game-changer for keeping long-term or multifaceted work organized, whether you're managing operational AI implementation or business process optimization across your team.
Ready to boost your productivity? Create a new Project in ChatGPT and consolidate all your related chats and files – your future self will thank you for the organization!
Written by Dr Hernani Costa and originally published at First AI Movers. Subscribe to the First AI Movers Newsletter for daily, no‑fluff AI business insights, practical and compliant AI playbooks for EU SME leaders. First AI Movers is part of Core Ventures.
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