One of the most powerful yet underused features in ChatGPT is the ability to archive prompts. While it may sound similar to a bookmarks folder in your browser, this feature is far more powerful, enabling you to find and store documents easily. Let me explain.
Understanding the Archiving Feature
The archiving feature allows users to store prompts outside of the main chat stream, making it easier to manage and locate past conversations. To archive a prompt, simply click on the three dots to the right of any chat and select the “archive chat” option.
Before archiving a chat, I recommend renaming it to make it easier to find later. I always add prefixes to the chats I plan to archive.
- PROMPT_ A prompt that I’m working on improving that I want to save for later.
- INFO_ Since prompts can include files, you can store data in your archives that you want to query later. I use his for storing things like my Bio, which I often use to create additional versions.
- TPL_ A template prompt for reuse on different tasks.
Finding Your Archives
Once a chat is archived, go to the settings menu. Navigate to the “archive chats” section, then click “manage” to view your stored chats. Here, you have the option to unarchive or delete any chat you no longer need.
This feature is especially useful for revisiting past discussions without scrolling through an extensive chat history.
Storing Documents with Archives
By the way, a great way to get a PDF version of someone’s resume is to visit their LinkedIn page and look for the “Resources” button (it might be labeled differently on some profiles). From there, you can download the resume as a PDF.
Once you have the file, upload it into ChatGPT and use a simple placeholder prompt. The purpose of this placeholder is to prevent ChatGPT from automatically summarizing the PDF.
Rename the chat to something like TPL_Bio, then archive it.
Now, when you need to work on this document, simply unarchive it and click on the pencil icon to request a different version.
After doing this a few times, you’ll have all the versions of your bio you’ll likely need. You can easily access other versions by clicking the arrows at the bottom right of your chat window.
Conclusion
The archiving feature, when combined with document storage, provides a powerful way to manage your prompts. If you’re using a free account without access to Custom GPTs, this method allows you to store prompts along with documents for reuse by archiving and modifying them as needed.
