The Automation Loop: Turn a Repeated Task Into a Standing System

The loop in four steps

1. Capture — write down the task exactly as you do it now, including the messy judgment calls.
2. Template — turn that into a reusable prompt with clear inputs and a fixed output format.
3. Schedule / trigger — decide what kicks it off: a time (“every Monday 8am”), an event (new file, new email), or you on demand.
4. Review & refine — check the output, tighten the template where it slipped; each pass makes it sharper.

A worked example: the Monday status digest

Capture: every Monday you skim last week’s work and write a short update.

Template — copy this prompt and fill in your tools:

You are my Monday digest writer. Using [this week's notes / connected project tool], produce:
(1) 3 wins
(2) what's blocked and who I need
(3) top 3 priorities this week

Keep it under 150 words, plain language, no filler.
Output as three short sections.

Trigger: schedule it for Monday 8am, or run it on demand.

Review: fix anything off, save the improved prompt; next week it’s better.

What makes a good loop candidate

• You do it repeatedly (weekly/daily).
• The inputs live somewhere Claude can reach (a folder, a connected tool).
• “Good” has a describable shape — once you can define the output, you can template it.

Levels of automation

• Level 1 — On demand: you trigger the prompt yourself; start here.
• Level 2 — Scheduled: it runs on a cadence and hands you a draft.
• Level 3 — Triggered: an event (new invoice, new lead) sets it off automatically.

Move up a level only once the current one is reliable.