Module 1.4: Templates & Workflows

Reference Guide

• Time to Complete: 15-20 minutes
• Prerequisites: Module 1.3 (File operations, @ mentions)

Start this module in Cursor: Run /start-1-4 to begin the interactive lesson.

📖 Overview

Create reusable communication style templates that format information consistently for different audiences every time.

Key takeaway: Reference both content AND template files with @ mentions to transform the same information into audience-specific formats.

🎯 What Are Communication Style Templates?

Templates are pre-written formatting instructions stored as files. Instead of describing format each time, you reference the template file and get consistent output.

Without templates:

Summarize these notes in a casual 2-3 line format with emoji

Result: Inconsistent formatting, have to re-explain every time

With templates:

Summarize @notes.md using @style-slack-update.md

Result: Consistent format every time, refineable over time

📝 Three Common PM Communication Styles

Slack Update Style

• Audience: Team members, quick updates
• Format: 2-3 lines, emoji-friendly, scannable
• Use when: Daily standups, quick wins, team announcements

Executive Email Style

• Audience: Leadership, stakeholders
• Format: 3 strategic paragraphs (context, impact, next steps)
• Use when: Weekly updates, decision requests, launch announcements

Notion Doc Style

• Audience: Documentation, knowledge sharing
• Format: Comprehensive with headers, bullet points, detailed sections
• Use when: Feature specs, research findings, process documentation

🔧 How to Use Templates

Pattern 1: Single Template Application

Reference both source content and template:

Append a summary to @meeting-notes.md using the format from @style-executive-email.md

What happens:

1. Cursor reads both files
2. Applies template formatting to content
3. Shows proposed changes in Apply/Reject workflow
4. Updates original file with formatted summary

Pattern 2: Multi-Format Transformation

Transform content into multiple formats simultaneously:

Transform @research-findings.md into three formats using the templates in @communication-styles/

What happens:

1. Cursor reads source file and all templates in folder
2. Creates separate output files for each format
3. Same content, three different audience-appropriate formats
4. Original file stays unchanged

📋 Quick Reference: Template Use Cases

🎯 TaskFlow Examples

Scenario 1: User Research Distribution

You completed 5 user interviews about TaskFlow’s onboarding flow. Share findings with three audiences:

Transform @user-research-findings.md into three formats using the templates in @communication-styles/

Result:

• slack-update.md - Quick 3-line summary for #product-team channel
• executive-email.md - Strategic brief for VP Product
• notion-doc.md - Detailed findings for product wiki

Scenario 2: Feature Launch Update

Dark mode shipped. Update the team with consistent formatting:

Append launch summary to @dark-mode-launch-notes.md using @style-slack-update.md

Result: Professional, consistent team update every time

💡 When to Use Templates

Use Templates For:

• Repeated formats - Weekly updates, standup notes, research summaries
• Multi-audience sharing - Same content, different formats
• Consistency - Want exact same structure every time
• Iterative refinement - Improve template once, all future uses improve

Use Custom Prompts For:

• One-off requests - Unusual format, specific context
• Exploratory work - Not sure what format you need yet
• Highly variable content - Content too different to template

🔄 Building Your Template Library

Creating a New Template

1. Write the format instructions once in a .md file
2. Save in a templates folder (e.g., communication-styles/)
3. Test with sample content using @ mention
4. Refine template based on output
5. Reuse forever

Refining Templates Over Time

Every time you use a template:

• Notice what works and what doesn’t
• Update template file with improvements
• All future uses automatically get better formatting

This is the PM superpower: build it once, improve it over time, reuse forever.

🐛 Troubleshooting

”Cursor didn’t follow the template format”

Fix: Check that your template file has clear, specific formatting instructions. Be explicit about structure (headers, bullet points, paragraph count).

”Multiple output files created in wrong location”

Fix: Specify output location in your command: Create files in @outputs/ folder using templates from @styles/

”Template format is too rigid”

Fix: Templates work best for consistent formats. For one-off variations, use custom prompts instead of forcing template flexibility.

”Can’t find template file when using @ mention”

Fix: Ensure template file is saved and in your workspace. Check file path - use @folder/template.md for nested files.

📚 Resources

Official:

• Cursor Documentation - Official feature docs
• Cursor Chat Guide - File references and @ mentions

Community:

• Cursor Forum - Template strategies and examples

🚀 What’s Next?

Module 1.4 complete:

• ✅ Use templates for consistent formatting
• ✅ Reference multiple files with @ mentions
• ✅ Transform content into audience-specific formats
• ✅ Build reusable communication workflows

Next: Module 1.5 - Ask, Agent, and Plan Modes

Learn Cursor’s three AI modes: when to use Ask for questions, Agent for file operations, and Plan for multi-step workflows.

Go to Module 1.5 →