Claude Projects: how to set them up for a small team

The short answer

A Claude Project is a shared folder in Claude with saved instructions and files, like your price list. To set one up for a small team: create the project, write a page of instructions, upload only the files the job needs, test it on ten real cases, then share it with colleagues on the Team plan. It takes about an hour.

What a Claude Project is

A Project is a folder in Claude with two things in it: instructions that Claude follows every time, and knowledge, meaning the files it can read, like your price list or handbook. Every chat started inside the project gets both, so nobody has to explain the background again.

On the Team plan you can share a project with colleagues. Everyone then gets the same answers from the same facts. That's the difference between "some of us use AI" and "this is how we do quotes now".

Projects are on all paid Claude plans. Sharing with colleagues needs the Team or Enterprise plan. If you haven't picked a plan yet, see Claude Team or ChatGPT Team.

Step 1: Pick one job for the project

One project per job works better than one big "company" project. Good first projects:

• Customer replies: answers emails in your tone, using your prices and terms
• Quotes: drafts quotes from your price list and old quotes
• Staff handbook: answers "how do we do X here?" from your routines

Step 2: Create the project

1. In Claude, click Projects in the left menu, then Create project.
2. Give it a plain name, like "Customer replies", and a one-line description.
3. Choose who can see it. On the Team plan you can share it with the whole organisation or with chosen people, and decide if they can only use it or also edit it.

Step 3: Write the instructions

This is where most of the value is. Write them like you'd brief a new employee on day one. A good set of instructions covers:

• Who you are: "We are a plumbing company in Bergen with 8 employees."
• The job: "You draft replies to customer emails. A person always reads them before they're sent."
• The tone: "Friendly and short. We say 'du', not 'De'. No exclamation marks."
• The rules: "Never promise a date. Never give a price that isn't in the price list. If you're unsure, say that Lars will call back."
• The format: "Start with a greeting, answer in under 120 words, end with our phone number."

Keep it under a page. Add a rule each time you correct the same mistake twice.

Step 4: Add knowledge

Upload the files the job needs, and nothing else:

• Your current price list
• Terms and conditions, delivery times, opening hours
• 5-10 good examples of past replies or quotes (remove names and personal details first)

Old or contradicting files cause wrong answers. When the price list changes, replace the file in the project the same day. Give one person that job.

Step 5: Test it with real cases

Before you share it, try ten real emails from last month. For each draft, ask: would I send this with small changes? If not, fix the instructions, not just the draft. When eight out of ten are good, share it with the team.

Step 6: Show the team, then check in

Spend 20 minutes showing the team how to start a chat in the project and what to always check. After two weeks, ask what's annoying. Usually it's a missing file or a rule that's too strict, both quick fixes.

Common mistakes

• Too many files. Claude does best with the files the job really needs.
• Vague instructions. "Be professional" means little. "Max 120 words, no exclamation marks" works.
• Nobody owns it. Projects go stale when prices and routines change. Name an owner.
• Personal data in examples. Remove names, phone numbers and addresses before you upload.

Questions people ask

Can I share a Claude Project with my team?

Yes, on the Team and Enterprise plans. You choose who can see the project and whether they can only use it or also edit it.

What's the difference between a Claude Project and a custom GPT?

They do much the same job: saved instructions and files for one task. Claude Projects live in Claude, custom GPTs in ChatGPT. Use the one that matches the tool your team has.

Can I write the instructions in Norwegian or another language?

Yes. Claude works well in Norwegian, Swedish, German and most other languages, both for instructions and answers.

Want it done for you?

I set up projects like this as part of an AI workflow project, and keep them up to date as your AI workflow partner from €750 a month. If your team needs one assistant across all your documents, with no per-person fee, look at Team Raven.