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Show, Don't Just Tell

Examples are one of the most effective ways to guide Omnifact. When you show exactly what you want, you get much more accurate and consistent results.

What is Using Examples?

Using examples means providing Omnifact with samples of the kind of output you want before asking it to perform the same task. Instead of just describing what you want, you show it. Think of it like training a new employee—you show them examples of well-done work, then ask them to do something similar. This gives you consistent formatting, appropriate tone, and better accuracy. In Omnifact, examples work at two levels:
  • In your prompt: Show the AI exactly what you want for this task (few-shot prompting).
  • In Chat Instructions: Space admins can include standing examples so the Space assistant follows a consistent format across conversations.

Basic Example Structure

Use this reliable pattern:

When Examples Work Best

Examples work well in these common business scenarios:

Classification Tasks

Categorizing emails, tickets, or feedback into specific types

Content Creation

Writing in a specific style, tone, or format

Data Extraction

Pulling specific information from documents consistently

Format Matching

Creating consistent layouts or structures

Real-World Examples

The Task: Classify customer support emails by priority and type.With Examples:

Advanced Example Techniques

Multiple Example Types

When you need to handle different scenarios, provide examples for each:

Progressive Examples

Show how complexity can increase across examples:

Common Few-Shot Mistakes

Problem: Only providing one example, which may not capture the variation you need
Solution: Provide 2-3 examples that show different scenarios or complexity levels
Instead of: One example of email classification
Try: Examples of high-priority, medium-priority, and low-priority classifications
Problem: Examples that use different formats or styles
Solution: Ensure all examples follow the exact same structure and format
Check for: Same headings, same level of detail, same tone across all examples
Problem: Examples that are too detailed or contain irrelevant information
Solution: Keep examples focused on the specific task at hand
Instead of: Full email with headers, signatures, and conversation history
Try: Just the essential content needed for the classification task

Tips for Great Examples

Make examples as close to your actual work as possible. If you classify support tickets, use realistic support ticket examples.
Include examples of tricky or borderline cases that Omnifact might encounter in your real work.
All examples should follow exactly the same format, style, and level of detail you want in the final output.
Try your few-shot prompt with different inputs and adjust your examples if the results aren’t consistent.
The time you spend creating good examples pays off immediately. Well-crafted examples can eliminate hours of back-and-forth refinement on complex tasks.

Other Intermediate Guides