> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.calderapbc.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Writing effective prompts
> Get better answers from Mesa by writing specific, well-grounded prompts.
Mesa performs best when it knows exactly what you want, what materials to rely on, and what the output should look like. A few habits make the difference between a generic answer and one you can use directly in your work.
## Be specific about what you want
Vague questions get vague answers. Name the jurisdiction, document type, parties, and time period whenever they matter.
| Instead of | Try |
| ---------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| "What's the law on financial reporting?" | "Summarize Delaware's financial reporting obligations for public companies." |
| "Review this contract." | "Identify every indemnification and limitation-of-liability clause in this agreement and flag terms that favor the counterparty." |
| "Help me with this memo." | "Draft a two-page memo for a senior partner analyzing whether these facts support a breach of fiduciary duty claim under New York law." |
## Give Mesa context
Tell Mesa who the output is for and what role it should take. An answer written for a client reads very differently from one written for internal counsel.
> Write this as if you are a corporate associate briefing a client with no legal background. Keep it under one page and avoid jargon.
## Describe the output you need
If you want a memo, a table, a redline summary, or a bullet-point checklist, say so up front. Mesa will match the structure you describe.
> Return the results as a table with columns for section number, clause type, and risk level.
## Ground Mesa in your documents
Mesa gives more reliable answers when it works from your actual materials instead of general knowledge:
* Type `@` in the chat box to tag files you've saved to Mesa. See [Tagging files](/tagging-files).
* Click the paperclip icon or drag and drop to attach one-off documents. See [Attachments](/attachments).
## Ask one primary question per message
When a message bundles several unrelated questions, the answer to each gets shallower. For focused, thorough answers, send one core question at a time and follow up in the same conversation.
## Ask for completeness when you need it
A normal request finds the best answer. When you need *every* matching item (for a dataset, compliance checklist, or issue spotter), explicitly request an exhaustive search:
> Run an exhaustive search for all indemnification provisions in these contracts.
Use the exact words "exhaustive search" so the agent knows to catalogue every match rather than summarize the best ones. See [Exhaustive search](/exhaustive-search).
## Save what works
Once you find phrasing and formats that work for you, you don't need to retype them:
* **[Skills](/skills)** save task-specific instructions you reuse for recurring work, like a contract review checklist or a memo template.
* **[Preferences](/preferences)** apply standing instructions to every conversation, like your practice area, default jurisdiction, and preferred format.
## Related articles
Learn the chat box's shortcuts and file-referencing features.
Pair a well-written prompt with the right model and effort level.
Turn your best prompts into reusable instructions.