The five techniques
1
Specify the skeleton verbatim
Write the exact headers and table columns into the Output format section, character for character (”## Executive Summary”, ”| Criterion | Score (1-5) | Evidence | Risk |”). The Mainframe reproduces what you specify; it improvises what you leave open.
2
Give one concrete example
For any non-obvious format, one filled-in sample row or section beats three paragraphs of description. An example is the strongest formatting instruction you can give.
3
Prefer tables for structured results
Tables are the most layout-stable output: fixed columns force the same shape on every run. Use them for scores, comparisons, and checklists. Keep prose for narrative sections, and pin those down with fixed headers and length budgets (“3-5 sentences”).
4
Design for simple rendering
VirtualBrain renders like a Word document: headers, bullets, numbered lists, and tables display cleanly. Nested structures, custom markup, or deep hierarchies degrade: keep formats flat.
5
Bound every section
Unbounded sections balloon differently on every run. “Exactly five risks, one line each” produces the same shape across jobs; “list the risks” does not.
Cross-app consistency
When several Apps produce the same family of deliverable (for example, assessment reports), reuse one “layout contract”: the same header set and table shapes pasted into each App’s final block. Users then recognize every result instantly, whichever App produced it.Keep reasoning out of the deliverable
If a block needs to reason extensively, do it in a Hidden upstream block and pass only the conclusion forward. The visible output stays clean and identically shaped.Generated slides build on whichever template you pick: your own personal slide templates, or the admin-managed company templates. Specify the section order in your prompt and the template handles the visual styling.
Next
Prototyping with AI
Go from idea to working prototype in minutes with the built-in assistants.