Quick Start Guide

Article updated: March 20, 2023 · Reading time: 5 min

This quick start guide will help you set up your PromptScout account, create your first prompt, and start building your prompt library in just a few minutes.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

Created a PromptScout account (see Creating Your Account)
A basic understanding of what you want to accomplish with your prompts
Optional: API keys for your preferred LLM providers if you want to test prompts directly in PromptScout

5-Minute Setup Guide

Sign in to your account

Navigate to promptscout.com/login and sign in using your email/password or Google account.

Complete your profile

Click on your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Profile Settings". Add your display name and select your default preferences for:

Default LLM (e.g., Claude, GPT-4, etc.)
Theme preference (light/dark/system)
Dashboard layout (grid/list view)

Optional: Configure API keys

If you want to test prompts within PromptScout, go to Settings > API Keys and add your API keys for the LLM providers you use. PromptScout securely encrypts all API keys.

Note: You can skip this step and still use PromptScout to create and organize prompts. Testing functionality will require API keys to be configured.

Create your first prompt

Click the "+ New Prompt" button in the top navigation bar or dashboard. In the prompt editor:

Give your prompt a descriptive name
Choose the prompt type (user or system)
Select your target LLM
Write your prompt content or select a template
Add tags for organization (optional)
Click "Save" to add it to your library

Test your prompt

Use the testing panel to try out your prompt:

Enter a sample input in the test field
Click "Test" to see the response (requires API key configuration)
Review the output and refine your prompt as needed
Save any changes to update your prompt

Next Steps: Building Your Prompt Library

Now that you've created your first prompt, here are some suggestions for building out your library:

Create category-specific prompts

Create prompts for different purposes such as content writing, data analysis, coding assistance, or creative writing. Use tags to organize them by category.

Experiment with different LLMs

Try creating the same prompt for different LLMs and compare the results. Different models have different strengths and may perform better for specific tasks.

Explore template variations

Use PromptScout's built-in templates as starting points and modify them to suit your specific needs. Save variations of successful prompts to refine your approach.

Establish a tagging system

Create a consistent tagging system to organize your prompts. Consider tags for purpose, domain, complexity, or target audience to make finding the right prompt easier.

Sample Prompt Templates

Here are a few simple prompt templates to get you started:

Content Summarizer (User Prompt)

Please summarize the following text in a concise manner, highlighting the key points and main takeaways:

{text_to_summarize}

Provide the summary in bullet points and include a one-sentence TL;DR at the end.

Research Assistant (System Prompt)

You are a helpful research assistant with expertise in {field_of_study}. When responding to queries:

1. Provide factual information backed by reputable sources
2. When citing research, include author, year, and key findings
3. Acknowledge areas of uncertainty or debate in the field
4. Avoid jargon and explain complex concepts clearly
5. Offer balanced perspectives on controversial topics

If you don't know the answer to a question, say so rather than speculating.

Code Reviewer (User Prompt)

Please review the following {programming_language} code for:

1. Bugs and potential issues
2. Performance optimizations
3. Readability improvements
4. Security vulnerabilities
5. Adherence to best practices

{code_to_review}

Provide specific suggestions for improvements with explanations for each recommendation.

Ready to go deeper?

Now that you have the basics, explore these resources to enhance your prompt engineering skills:

System vs User Prompts - Learn when and how to use each prompt type
Advanced Prompt Techniques - Discover strategies for more effective prompts
Analyzing Results - How to interpret and improve prompt performance

Continue to Creating Your First Prompt

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