Lesson 12 · First week at work

Build a safe first-week Claude routine

Create a practical checklist for using Claude at the new accounting job without guessing the employer’s rules.

Primary sources

This lesson combines Anthropic's official guidance on getting started with Claude, file uploads, Cowork, and incorrect or misleading responses.

The one idea

A five-day first-week routine for safe Claude practice

In week one, the goal is not to use every feature. The goal is to create a repeatable safe routine: ask the rules, practice on low-risk tasks, and review everything.

Ask permission questions first

Four workplace permission questions before using real work data

These questions are workplace wisdom. Claude cannot answer them reliably because they depend on her employer’s policies.

Specificity scaffold: asking her manager

Vague attempt

Can I use Claude?

This may produce a vague yes/no answer without enough boundaries.

Improved attempt

For my accounting work, which Claude features are approved, what types of data may I use, what actions are not allowed, and who should review AI-assisted outputs before I send or save them?

This asks about tool, data, actions, and review.

Anatomy of the improved question

Context: “For my accounting work.”

Tool scope: “Which Claude features are approved?”

Data constraint: “What types of data may I use?”

Action constraint: “What actions are not allowed?”

Success criteria: “Who should review AI-assisted outputs?”

Guided refinement: make it fit her job

Start with this sentence:

Before I use Claude for accounting work, I want to confirm the approved workflow.
  1. Add the data types she might handle: invoices, bank statements, payroll, tax records, client files.
  2. Add the Claude tools she might see: Chat, Projects, Cowork, Code, connectors.
  3. Add the review question: who must approve outputs before use?

Independent attempt

Write a short message she could send to her manager or onboarding buddy asking for Claude rules. Do not copy the example exactly. Include: tool, data, actions, and review.

Show one possible answer

Hi — before I use Claude in my accounting work, could you confirm which Claude tools are approved, what data types I may use, whether actions like file editing or sending messages are allowed, and who should review AI-assisted work before I use it?

Print-and-use checklists

Open the printable references:

Accounting safety reminder

If the employer’s policy is unclear, use fake data only. Unclear policy means “pause and ask,” not “guess and continue.”

Quick check

Question: What should she do if workplace Claude rules are unclear?

A = Guess and continue.
B = Pause and ask.
C = Upload everything.

Memory practice

From memory, name the four permission questions.

Show answer

Which tool is approved? What data is allowed? What actions are allowed? Who reviews the work?

Ask the teaching agent

Ask: “Help me adapt the first-week Claude checklist to my actual job once I know the employer’s rules.”