30 Things Claude Cowork Can Do in Under 60 Seconds
Each one takes less than a minute to set up. Each one saves you more time than it takes. Click any prompt to copy it.
The fastest way to see what's possible
New to Cowork mode? Pick any card below, copy the prompt, paste it into Claude, and watch it work. These are the tasks that make people say "wait, it can do that?" — and they all take under a minute to start.
1
📋⚡ ~10 seconds
Summarise any document instantly
Drop a file in your workspace and get the key points in seconds.
Read [filename] and give me a 5-bullet summary of the most important points.
2
✉️⚡ ~20 seconds
Write a professional email in your tone
Describe what you want to say and get a polished draft instantly.
Write a professional email to [name] asking [what you need]. Keep it under 100 words. Confident, friendly tone.
3
📊⚡ ~30 seconds
Clean up a messy spreadsheet
Tell it what's wrong and it fixes it.
Read [filename.xlsx]. Fix: inconsistent formatting, duplicate rows, and standardise the date column to DD/MM/YYYY. Save as [filename-clean.xlsx]
4
🔍⚡ ~30 seconds
Research a company in 30 seconds
Get a quick briefing on any company before a call or meeting.
Give me a 5-point briefing on [Company Name]: what they do, size, recent news, main competitors, and one interesting fact.
5
📝⚡ ~20 seconds
Turn rough notes into a meeting summary
Paste your scrawled notes and get a clean summary with actions.
Read my meeting notes in [notes.txt]. Format as: attendees, key decisions, action items with owners, and next steps. Professional but concise.
6
📄⚡ ~45 seconds
Create a one-page report from data
Turn raw numbers into a formatted report ready to share.
Read [data.xlsx]. Create a one-page executive summary: headline number, 3 key insights, 1 risk, and 1 recommendation. Save as exec-summary.docx
7
🗂️⚡ ~15 seconds
List everything in a folder
Get a quick overview of what's in any folder.
List all files in [folder name] with their file type, size, and date modified. Sorted by date, newest first.
8
✏️⚡ ~20 seconds
Improve any piece of writing
Paste text and get a cleaner, more professional version back.
Improve this text: fix grammar, improve clarity, cut any filler words, keep sentences under 20 words. Don't change the meaning: [paste text]
9
📅⚡ ~30 seconds
Build a meeting agenda
Describe your meeting and get a structured agenda in seconds.
Create a 45-minute meeting agenda for [meeting purpose] with [attendees]. Topics: [list them]. Include time slots and a parking lot section.
10
🔢⚡ ~20 seconds
Add a formula to a spreadsheet
Describe what you want calculated and it writes the formula.
In [filename.xlsx], add a column called "Profit Margin" that calculates (Revenue - Cost) / Revenue as a percentage. Format as %. Save changes.
11
🔄⚡ ~15 seconds
Convert a CSV to Excel
Turn raw CSV data into a nicely formatted spreadsheet.
Convert [filename.csv] to Excel. Add bold headers, auto-fit columns, freeze the header row, and add alternating row colours. Save as [filename.xlsx]
12
🚀⚡ ~30 seconds
Write a LinkedIn post
Share an insight or update in a format that actually gets read.
Write a LinkedIn post about [topic/insight]. Hook in the first line, 3-4 short paragraphs, end with a question. Professional but conversational. Under 200 words.
13
🏷️⚡ ~20 seconds
Rename files systematically
Add dates, clean up names, or apply a naming convention in bulk.
Rename all files in [folder] to add today's date as a prefix: YYYY-MM-DD_filename. Show me the first 5 renames before doing all.
14
💡⚡ ~30 seconds
Brainstorm 10 ideas fast
Get a quick list of ideas on any topic to spark your thinking.
Give me 10 specific, actionable ideas for [topic/challenge]. Be creative and varied. Rate each on likely impact (High/Med/Low).
15
📰⚡ ~45 seconds
Get today's news on any topic
Search the web and get a quick digest on anything.
Search for the latest news about [topic] from the past 48 hours. Give me the 3 most important stories with a 2-sentence summary of each.
16
📋⏱️ ~60 seconds
Create a checklist
Turn any process or project into an actionable checklist.
Create a detailed checklist for [task/process]. Include every step someone would need to complete it successfully, in the right order. Save as checklist-[name].docx
17
⚖️⚡ ~30 seconds
Pros and cons of any decision
Get a structured breakdown to help make a decision.
Give me a pros and cons analysis of [decision/option]. Context: [brief background]. Include a recommendation at the end with a one-sentence rationale.
18
🔗⚡ ~20 seconds
Translate a document
Translate any file to another language while keeping the formatting.
Read [filename.docx] and translate it to [language]. Keep all formatting, headings, and structure intact. Save as [filename-[language].docx]
19
📦⚡ ~30 seconds
Write a product description
Describe your product and get copy that actually sells it.
Write 3 versions of a product description for [product]: (1) short (50 words), (2) medium (150 words), (3) detailed (300 words). Audience: [target customer]. Focus on benefits over features.
20
🎯⚡ ~20 seconds
Extract action items from any document
Read a document and pull out only what needs to be done.
Read [filename]. Extract all action items, tasks, and commitments mentioned. For each: who needs to do it, what they need to do, and any deadline mentioned.
21
🗒️⏱️ ~60 seconds
Write a one-pager on any topic
Need a quick briefing document? Done in a minute.
Write a one-page briefing on [topic] for [audience]. Cover: what it is, why it matters, key facts, and what action should be taken. Professional tone. Save as briefing-[topic].docx
22
🧮⚡ ~20 seconds
Do a quick calculation
Ask it to crunch numbers and show working.
Calculate [what you need calculated]. Show your working step by step. Also show the result if I change [variable] to [alternative value].
23
📤⚡ ~30 seconds
Write a polite decline
Say no clearly and professionally without burning bridges.
Write a polite but firm decline to [what you're declining]. Reason (optional): [reason]. Tone: warm, definitive, no ambiguity about the answer. Under 80 words.
24
🔍⚡ ~15 seconds
Find something in a document
Search a large document for specific information.
Read [filename]. Find and quote every mention of [term/topic]. Also tell me which section or page number each mention appears in.
25
💬⚡ ~30 seconds
Write social media captions
Get platform-specific versions for any post.
Write social media captions for this content: [describe what you're posting about]. Give me versions for: LinkedIn (professional), Twitter/X (punchy, under 280 chars), and Instagram (engaging with emojis).
26
🧹⚡ ~15 seconds
Check a document for errors
Get a list of typos, inconsistencies, and formatting issues.
Read [filename]. Check for: spelling and grammar errors, inconsistent formatting, unclear sentences, and any obvious factual errors. List everything you find.
27
🎯⚡ ~20 seconds
Set SMART goals
Turn a vague goal into specific, measurable targets.
Take this goal: "[your vague goal]" and turn it into 3 SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Include a success metric for each.
28
📑⏱️ ~60 seconds
Create a slide outline
Plan a presentation structure before building it.
Create a 10-slide outline for a presentation on [topic] for [audience]. For each slide: title, 3-4 bullet points of content, and what visual or data would work best.
29
🔑⚡ ~15 seconds
Explain anything simply
Get a plain-English explanation of any complex topic.
Explain [complex topic] in plain English for someone with no background in it. Use a real-world analogy. Keep it under 150 words.
30
🌟⚡ ~30 seconds
Write a recommendation or reference
Draft a recommendation letter for a colleague or client.
Write a professional recommendation for [name] who [their role/work]. Key qualities to highlight: [list 3]. Audience: [who will read it]. Warm but professional. One page max.
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