How to Use Claude to Create and Manage a Project: Step-by-Step Guide for New Users

Getting started with Claude just became a whole lot easier. This step-by-step guide walks you through everything you need to know to create, manage and share projects in Claude Enterprise—from signing in for the first time to building reusable workflows that simplify your daily tasks. Whether you’re a new user or looking to fine-tune your setup, this guide will help you make the most of Claude’s powerful tools and integrations at Syracuse University.

  1. Sign Up for Claude
    • Go to getclaude.syr.edu and request access to Claude using your university credentials. Accept the licensing agreement and wait for instant activation.
  2. Access Claude Enterprise
    • Log in at claude.ai. Confirm you see “Syracuse University” at the top to ensure you are in the secure enterprise environment.
  3. Check Settings
    • Click the settings icon (bottom left). Enable features like Artifacts (for reusable outputs), Code Execution, and File Creation. These allow Claude to process files and automate tasks.
  4. Set Up Connectors
    • In Settings, connect Microsoft 365 to allow Claude to access Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint data. Authenticate and configure permissions as needed.
  5. Create a New Project
    • Click “Projects” in Claude’s interface.
    • Select “Create Project.”
    • Enter a name for your project. Leave the description blank initially; you can ask Claude to generate one later.
  6. Set Project Privacy
    • Choose “Private” to keep the project visible only to you, or select “Share with Syracuse University” if you want all users to access it. You can also share with specific individuals by entering their email addresses.
  7. Add Instructions/Prompts
    • Write clear instructions describing the project’s purpose and workflow. You can use Claude or the AI Prompt Creator project to help draft advanced prompts.
  8. Upload Files
    • Attach relevant files (e.g., policy documents, transcripts) to the project for Claude to analyze and use.
  9. Manage and Reuse Projects
    • Projects are reusable workspaces. You can update instructions, upload new files, and iterate on outputs. For recurring tasks (e.g., lecture prep, meeting minutes), simply update the data and rerun the workflow.
  10. Share Projects
    • Use the share button in the project to invite others by email or make the project available to all university users. Shared projects appear under “Team” or “Shared with you” tabs.
  11. Access and Use Shared Projects
    • Find shared projects in the “Projects” section. You can view, copy, or use them as templates for your own work.
  12. Update Data
    • If your source files change, delete the old file and upload the new one, or link to a cloud location for dynamic updates.
  13. Iterate and Refine
    • Use Claude to review outputs, make corrections, and refine instructions as needed. You can ask Claude to regenerate summaries, emails, or reports based on new data or feedback.

Tips:

  • Always start with your desired outcome and let Claude guide you through the process.
  • Use advanced prompts for complex workflows and leverage shared projects for best practices.
  • For accessibility or technical issues, contact ITS or refer to the help resources provided.

From the ITS Enterprise Data and AI team

AI Insights for October 30, 2025

This message was originally shared to subscribers October 30, 2025.

AI at Work

The next AI at Work session will explore the possibilities of Claude Enterprise for faculty, staff and students at Syracuse University. Attendees will learn how to request access, get started with preliminary prompts and take a deeper dive into using Claude for projects, artifacts and integrating it with Microsoft 365 files. The session will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. in 500 Hall of Languages and on Microsoft Teams. Light refreshments will be provided and participants are encouraged to register.

In This Issue

AI’s ascent is accelerating: Nvidia just crested a historic $5 trillion valuation, underscoring what now feels like a full-blown boom. Meanwhile, white-collar roles are already being re-shaped—some replaced, others re-imagined—as firms survey AI adoption and serious workforce disruption looms. For higher-ed communicators, that means new questions, new tools and new student-centered implications.

News and Views

Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.

Education

Industry, Investment and Technology

Policy, Ethics and Safety

  • A Small Number of Samples Can Poison LLMs of Any Size (Anthropic)
  • Strengthening ChatGPT’s Responses in Sensitive Conversations (OpenAI)
  • Technological Optimism and Appropriate Fear (Jack Clark)
  • AI Chatbots at the Crossroads: Navigating New Laws and Compliance Risks (Cooley)
  • European Data Protection Supervisor Unveils Revised Guidance on Generative AI (EDPS)
  • AI Sovereignty and Global Tensions Over Drone Technology (The New York Times)

Society and Daily Life

  • How People Around the World View AI (Pew Research Center)
  • Why 30 Million US Consumers No Longer Search (PYMNTS)
  • Afraid to Try AI? These Tech-Savvy Seniors Will Change Your Mind (The Wall Street Journal)
  • Using Drones, AI and Ducks to Guide the Future of Wildlife Conservation (PHYS ORG)

Workforce and Business Impact

    This Issue’s Tip: Connect Claude to M365

    Already using Claude? Here’s a game-changer: you can now connect it directly to your Microsoft 365 account. That means Claude can work with your emails, calendar, OneDrive files and more—all in one place.

    Whether you’re summarizing email threads, pulling info from stored documents or organizing your schedule, connecting Claude to M365 makes your workflow even smoother.

    👉 Watch the how-to video
    👉 New to Claude? Request access

    This Issue’s Prompt: A Halloween Twist on AI Creativity

    A prompt is how you ask generative AI tools to do something for you (e.g., creating, summarizing, editing or transforming). Treat it like a conversation, using clear language and enough context to get the result you have in mind.

    To get more practice, use the generative AI tool of your choice (for example, Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI ChatGPT or Anthropic Claude) to execute the following prompt:

    “Write a lighthearted, Halloween-themed story set on a college campus where technology and magic accidentally mix. Include a friendly AI character who helps students solve a spooky mystery involving missing pumpkins, mysterious Wi-Fi glitches and an unexpected twist at the end.

    Helpful Resources

    Thank you for reading. Go Orange!

    AI Insights for October 16, 2025

    This message was originally shared to subscribers October 16, 2025.

    Now Playing: AI at Work

    ITS recently hosted AI at Work on Oct. 9 in the K.G. Tan Auditorium and via Microsoft Teams. The event featured a timely discussion on the safe, ethical and effective use of generative AI in the workplace and classroom. Speakers included Associate Professor Johannes Himmelreich of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, along with representatives from ITS and Deloitte. You can now watch the full recording to learn how experts and campus leaders are navigating the opportunities and challenges of AI in higher education.

    In This Issue

    AI is transforming every sector—from Silicon Valley boardrooms to college classrooms. OpenAI’s $500 billion valuation and Meta’s new ad-tracking policy reveal both the promise and privacy risks of rapid innovation. California’s landmark AI safety law and the Anthropic settlement highlight growing accountability demands, while new research warns education is embracing AI faster than policy can keep up—raising big questions about ethics, connection, and the human side of learning.

    News and Views

    Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.

    Academia and Education

    • Can Colleges Be Run Using AI? (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
    • What Research Says About How AI Use Affects Learning (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
    • AI Use in Schools Is Quickly Increasing but Guidance Lags Behind (RAND)
    • Op-Ed: AI Vs Education — ‘Outsourcing’ Education to AI Can’t Work At All, But There Is Real Hope (Digital Journal)
    • How AI Is Undermining Learning and Teaching in Universities (The Guardian)
    • AI Is Making the College Experience Lonelier (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
    • AI in Higher Education: What Changes Could We See? (University of Cincinnati)
    • A Principled Way to Think About AI in Education: Guidance for Action Based on Goals, Models of Human Learning, and Use of Technologies (arXiv)
    • Excited, Skeptical, or Worried? A Multi-Institutional Study of Student Views on Generative AI in Computing Education (arXiv)

    Industry, Investment and Technology

    • OpenAI Reaches $500 Billion Valuation After Share Sale (PYMNTS)
    • OpenAI Wants to Build the Next Era of the Web, and It’s Shelling Out Billions to Do It (CNN)
    • OpenAI Inks Deal With Broadcom to Design Its Own Chips for A.I. (The New York Times)
    • $1.5 Billion Speed Bump: What the Anthropic Settlement Tells Us About AI Accountability (Tech Policy Press)
    • CAISI Report Finds American AI Dominates, DeepSeek Lags (MeriTalk)

    Policy, Ethics and Safety

    • AI Can Design Toxic Proteins. They’re Escaping Through Biosecurity Cracks. (The Washington Post)
    • Gavin Newsom Signs First-in-Nation AI Safety Law (Politico)
    • US Parents to Urge Senate to Prevent AI Chatbot Harms to Kids (US News)
    • Disrupting Malicious Uses of AI: October 2025 (OpenAI)

    Society and Daily Life

    • How to Use AI in Everyday Life (Syracuse University)
    • Meta Will Begin Using AI Chatbot Conversations to Target Ads (The Wall Street Journal)
    • ChatGPT: Introducing Parental Controls (OpenAI)
    • AI Causes Reduction in Users’ Brain Activity (AI News)
    • What MIT Researchers Learned from 16 Million Election-Related AI Responses (Tech Brew)

    Workforce and Business Impact

    • AI Is Not Killing Jobs, US Study Finds (Financial Times)
    • Deloitte Will Make Claude Available to 470,000 People Across Its Global Network (Anthropic)
    • Walmart Partners with OpenAI to Create AI-First Shopping Experiences (Business Wire)
    • More Articles Are Now Created by AI Than Humans (Graphite)

      This Issue’s Tip: Free Access to Claude

      Did you know all Syracuse University students, faculty and staff have free access to Claude Enterprise, Anthropic’s advanced AI assistant? Claude can help you summarize readings, brainstorm ideas, organize project, and write with style—all while keeping your data private and secure.

      ·👉 [Request access] · 📘[View FAQ] · 🎥[Watch demo video]

      This Issue’s Prompt: Productivity Consultant

      A prompt is how you ask generative AI tools to do something for you (e.g., creating, summarizing, editing or transforming). Treat it like a conversation, using clear language and enough context to get the result you have in mind.

      To get more practice, use the generative AI tool of your choice (for example, Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI ChatGPT or Anthropic Claude) to execute the following prompt:

      “Act as my productivity consultant. Suggest three ways I could use AI tools to simplify my daily work—one for communication or project management, one for creative problem-solving, and one for improving collaboration across teams. Include examples that don’t require technical expertise but still feel innovative.

      Helpful Resources

      Thank you for reading. Go Orange!

      AI Insights for October 2, 2025

      This message was originally shared to subscribers October 2, 2025.

      Claude Enterprise Is Here

      All Syracuse University students, faculty, and staff now have access to Claude Enterprise, Anthropic’s advanced AI assistant. Claude can help you collaborate on projects, analyze lengthy documents, explore ideas with Learning Mode and work with the latest AI models—all while keeping your data private and secure. This expansion is another step toward making Syracuse University the most digitally connected campus in America. Get Claude now (and check out this helpful FAQ).

      AI at Work on Oct. 9

      Join Information Technology Services for AI at Work on Oct. 9 from 1–2:30 p.m. in the K.G. Tan Auditorium (and via Microsoft Teams). This timely discussion will explore the safe, ethical and effective use of generative AI in the workplace and classroom. Speakers will include Associate Professor Johannes Himmelreich of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, along with representatives from ITS and Deloitte.

      In This Issue

      AI is moving from hype to infrastructure. OpenAI’s Sam Altman pitched “abundant intelligence,” backed by Nvidia’s $100B investment and Oracle’s $300B cloud deal—framing AI as a utility, not just an app. Policymakers are reacting with California’s first AI safety law and a U.N. governance push, while Anthropic ramps up D.C. lobbying. Adoption is widespread—90% of workers use AI—but trust lags. Nearly half of job skills may be reshaped and campuses like Syracuse are going all-in.

      News and Views

      Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.

      Academia and Education

      Agriculture

      • Generative AI in Agriculture Marker Analysis Report 2025-2033  (GlobeNewswire)

      Business, Tech and Investment

      • Microsoft Looks to Build AI Marketplace for Publishers (Axios)
      • Sam Altman Aims to Make AI the New Internet (PYMNTS)
      • Nvidia to Invest Up to $100B In ChatGPT Creator OpenAI (Axios)
      • Spotify Rolls Out New Filters, Disclosure Rules for AI Content (PYMNTS)
      • Zoom’s CEO Agrees with Bill Gates, Jensen Huang, and Jamie Dimon: A 3-Day Workweek is Coming Soon Thanks to AI (Fortune)
      • Buy It In ChatGPT: Instant Checkout and the Agentic Commerce Protocol (OpenAI)
      • What’s Behind the Massive AI Data Center Headlines? (TechCrunch)

      Models and Product Updates

      Policy, Regulation and Global Affairs

      • Anthropic Makes Its Move On DC (Politico)
      • AI Czar David Sacks Urges to Update Export Controls As AI Race Heats Up with China (MSN)
      • Countries Consider A.I.’s Dangers and Benefits at U.N. (The New York Times)
      • Gavin Newsom Signs First-In-Nation AI Safety Law (Politico)

      Sports and Entertainment

      • How AI Is Opening the Playbook On Sports Analytics (TechXplore)
      • The Future of Tennis Broadcasting: Excitement-Driven AI Sports Commentary (IBM)
      • AI and Entertainment: Playing to the Audience (Innovation & Tech Today)

      Work and Workforce

      • 90% of Workers Use AI at Work, Most Still Don’t Trust It (Udacity)
      • AI-Generated “Workslop” Is Destroying Productivity (Harvard Business Review)
      • How GenAI is Rewiring the DNA of Jobs (Hiring Lab)
      • AI Is Moving Faster Than Your Workforce Strategy. Are You Ready? (BCG)

      This Issue’s Tip: Generative AI Tools Video

      Want to boost your productivity with AI? Syracuse University provides access to three powerful generative AI assistants: Anthropic Claude, Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. Our new video walks you through how to securely log in with your NetID, highlights key features of each tool and shares best practices for safe data use. Whether you’re a student, faculty or staff member, this step-by-step guide will help you make the most of these AI resources for learning, teaching and research.

      Video.

      This Issue’s Prompt: Brainstorming and Creativity

      A prompt is how you ask generative AI tools to do something for you (e.g., creating, summarizing, editing or transforming). Treat it like a conversation, using clear language and enough context to get the result you have in mind.

      To get more practice, use the generative AI tool of your choice (for example, Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI ChatGPT or Anthropic Claude) to execute the following prompt:

      “Generate five creative ideas for approaching this problem. Include at least one safe, practical option and one bold, outside-the-box idea. Rank the ideas by feasibility and potential impact.

      Helpful Resources

      Thank you for reading. Go Orange!

      Tech Tips: October 2025 Faculty/Staff Newsletter

      This message was originally shared to all faculty and staff via email on October 2, 2025.

      At a Glance

      Each month, Information Technology Services provides tech tips for the Orange community. Pressed for time? Here are this edition’s topics:

      Continue Reading