DFY Claude Project — Setup Guide
Three steps. Five minutes of setup. Then your practice operating system runs the intake with you and produces your first deliverable.
Before You Start
- A Claude Pro subscription (claude.ai)
- The project files from the Notion page linked in your delivery email:
- Project Instructions file (1 file — for your practice type)
- Curated skill files (15 for Consulting, 13 for CPA/Accounting)
That's it. No templates to fill in. The system handles your practice setup through a conversation.
Step 1: Create Your Project
- Go to claude.ai and log in
- In the left sidebar, find Projects
- Create a new project
- Name it something you'll recognize — e.g., "Practice Operations" or "[Your Firm Name] Ops"
Step 2: Add Your Project Instructions
- Open your project's settings
- Find the Custom instructions field
- Open the Project Instructions file you downloaded (the one for your practice type — Consulting or CPA/Accounting)
- Copy the entire contents of the file
- Paste into the Custom instructions field
- Save
Step 3: Upload Your Skill Files
- In your project settings, find the file upload area (labeled "Project knowledge" or "Files")
- Upload all your skill files at once — drag and drop or click to browse
- Confirm they all appear
Start Working
Open your project and start a new conversation. The system will introduce itself and walk you through a five-minute practice intake — your firm, services, clients, pricing, team, and tools. Answer conversationally. No forms, no templates, no markdown files to edit.
When the intake is done, the system asks what you need first and produces your first real deliverable — a pipeline review, session prep, proposal, whatever your practice needs right now.
That's the setup. From here, every conversation in this project starts with your practice context already loaded.
Tips
Just describe what you need. "I have a call with a prospect tomorrow" automatically triggers call prep. "New client signed" starts the onboarding sequence. You don't need to name skills or workflows.
Each conversation is separate, but context carries. Your project instructions and skill files are shared across all conversations. Start a new conversation for each distinct task.
The skills are yours to modify. Want to adjust a workflow, add sections, or change the output style? Edit the .md file and re-upload.
If your practice changes, just mention it in a conversation — new service line, new team member, different pricing. The system updates its understanding.
Troubleshooting
The system isn't following workflows: Make sure the skill files are uploaded in the project settings (not just on your computer) and the project instructions are pasted into the Custom instructions field.
Output sounds generic: Start a new conversation and run through the practice intake again. The more specific you are about your firm, services, and communication style, the better the output.
Need help? Email kathryn@creatingyourplan.com with your question. Include what you were trying to do and what happened.
Practice Builders — Kathryn Brown