When to use it (vs. chat)

A simple rule, then a five-part test.

Use chat when what you want fits in a few exchanges — a question, an explanation, a brainstorm. Use Cowork when you need a deliverable: a file someone will open, multi-step work, or anything that touches more than one file or app.

• More than one thing goes in — files, a folder, or a connected app.
• A file comes out — a doc, deck, or sheet you can hand over.
• You'll do it again — recurring work is the sweet spot.
• You know what “good” looks like — you can judge the result in 15 seconds.
• The middle is the boring part — extract, compile, reformat. That's the bit you hand off.

A good Cowork task hits a few of these — not all five.

One more habit: when the work is recurring and belongs together — one client, one process — keep it in a Project. A Project is a folder on your computer that Cowork works in, so every task starts with the background already known instead of from scratch.