Improving your prompts
Write better prompts with less effort. Storytell can help improve your prompts before they’re sent, just toggle the setting and choose the mode that works for you.
Written By Patrick Intervalo
Last updated About 4 hours ago

Overview
When Improve Prompts is active, Chief rewrites your original prompt to make it clearer, more specific, and more effective before submitting it. You can review and edit the improved version, send it as-is, or let Chief handle submission automatically.
All improved prompts are generated with Agents in mind, leveraging Deep Intelligence mode. This means prompts are automatically structured for multi-step reasoning, tool use, and more complex workflows, helping ensure higher-quality, more reliable results.
This feature is especially helpful if you're:
Still learning how to write effective prompts
Moving quickly and want more consistent output
Working on complex, multi-step tasks
Refining longer or more detailed requests
Prompt Improvement Modes

You’ll find Prompt Improvement in the three-dot menu on the prompt bar. Click it, then select Improve Prompts to access the different modes. It has three modes:
On
Chief rewrites your prompt and opens a modal so you can review it.
You can:
Edit: Moves the improved version into the chat bar so you can make changes
Submit this instead: Sends the improved version immediately
Dismiss: Cancels the improvement and keeps your original
You can choose from five improved prompt options. Use the left and right toggles to review each version and select the one you prefer before submitting.
Auto
Chief automatically rewrites your prompt and replaces your original input in the chat bar.
While the prompt is improving, a loading message will appears in the prompt modal
Once the improved version is ready, it fills the chat bar automatically
You can also choose from five improved prompt options by toggling left or right in the modal. When you find the version you want, click
Submit this insteadto enter it into the chat.You can choose to Undo and restore your original prompt before submitting
You can switch modes at any time in the chat interface.
If you don’t want your original prompt to be overwritten, choose On instead of Auto
How to undo an auto-improved prompt
On the chat bar, click the “Undo” button to return the original prompt you’ve written
Off
No improvements are applied. Your original prompt is sent as-is.
You can switch modes at any time in the chat interface.
How to Use It
Enter your prompt
Type your question or task in the prompt bar as usual.Adjust prompt improvement mode
Open your Command Center
Go to Customize then open the Improve prompts tab.
Now, choose a mode: On, Auto, or Off.
Review the improved prompt
In On mode, a modal appears with the suggested improvement
In Auto mode, the chat bar shows a loading state until the improved version appears
Edit or accept the suggestion
In On mode, click Edit to revise or Submit this instead to send it
In Auto mode, click Undo if you want to restore your original prompt
Click Send
Once you're happy with the prompt, click Send to run it.
The mode you select is saved in your browser preferences, so it will persist across sessions until you change it.
How Improve Prompts works
Agent-powered improvements (Deep Intelligence mode)
When using Chief with Agents, Improve Prompts can generate more advanced, structured prompts that leverage Deep Intelligence mode. These improvements are designed for multi-step reasoning, tool use, and more complex workflows—helping Agents better plan, execute, and synthesize results.
Context-aware improvements
Improve Prompts is context-aware. When you use @ mentions in your prompt to reference assets, concepts, labels, or views, the feature automatically:
Extracts the mentioned entities from your prompt
Samples relevant content from those entities
Uses that content as reference data when generating improvements
Creates improvements that are tailored to your specific knowledge base
This means if you mention a specific file or concept, the improved prompts will be more relevant to that content.
Improvement principles
The AI follows several key principles when improving your prompts:
Task structure optimization:
Transforms general inquiries into specific, actionable requests
Structures complex prompts to follow logical progression
Breaks down multi-part requests into clear, sequential steps
Adds specific parameters or constraints to focus responses
Precision and clarity improvement:
Replaces vague terms with specific, concrete language
Includes explicit parameters (scope, format, length, style)
Specifies expected output format and level of detail
Eliminates ambiguity while preserving your voice and intent
Contextual adaptation:
Adapts prompts to the appropriate domain context
Uses terminology and concepts that match your reference material
Frames questions in ways that align with your data's purpose
Incorporates relevant contextual elements without overspecifying
Reference data usage
When you have assets, concepts, or collections in scope (either through @ mentions or prompt boundary settings), Improve Prompts:
Samples relevant chunks from your referenced content
Includes these samples as context in the improvement process
Generates improvements that are informed by your actual data
Ensures improved prompts work well with your specific knowledge base
This makes the improvements much more useful than generic prompt templates, as they're tailored to your specific content and use cases.
Tips for Better Use
Start with On mode to see how Chief rewrites your prompts. It’s a great way to learn better prompting techniques over time.
Use Edit when the improved version is close but not quite right, this saves time over rewriting from scratch.
Turn on Auto for repeat tasks like summarizing, rewriting, or extracting insights—especially when you're working quickly.
Why It Helps
Helps you get better results, especially for complex or vague tasks
Speeds up your workflow by improving prompts instantly
Builds confidence and consistency in how you use AI
Once you get familiar with how prompt improvement works, it becomes a powerful part of your workflow. You’ll spend less time rewording and more time getting to the insights, summaries, or ideas you need with more speed and confidence.