Answer from the files you provide only (no external sources) — procedure

Step-by-step guide for answers based only on files you provide, with file references for each factual claim.

Purpose

This guide defines a files-only factual workflow. It tells the assistant to use only the files, logs, screenshots, excerpts, or other artifacts provided in the current task; cite file locations for factual claims; and stop when a required claim cannot be supported by the provided material.

When to use this

Use this section to decide whether this workflow is the right fit before you configure prompts, policies, or reference material.

Use case
The evidence is already provided
Use this when the user supplies the files, logs, screenshots, excerpts, repository snapshot, ZIP, or source material that the answer must inspect.
Use case
External sources are out of scope
Use this when the answer must not rely on web browsing, public documentation, model memory, prior knowledge, or uncited assumptions.
Use case
Traceability is required
Use this when factual claims need file-location support such as filename, line range, page, section, screenshot region, or another locator.
Use case
The task may require a full scan
Use this when the provided material is large or multi-file and the assistant must report coverage, gaps, and unsupported areas.

Workflow assets

Required workflow assets

Open the prompts, policies, and reference pages needed to run this workflow correctly.

Required prompt
Artifacts-only system prompt
Restricts factual answers to the files, logs, screenshots, excerpts, or other artifacts provided in the current task.
Type: System / instruction-layer prompt
Belongs in: Instruction layer
Use when: The workflow must not use external sources.
Do not use when: The task needs current public sources, web citations, or authoritative external documentation.
Open prompt
Required prompt
Deep-read component
Requires the assistant to read the full request and provided artifacts before answering.
Type: Runtime prompt component
Belongs in: Runtime prompt layer
Use when: Every artifact-bound task before the task-specific question.
Open prompt
Optional prompt
Deep-scan component
Adds full-scan coverage, evidence pointers, and explicit gaps for large or multi-file input.
Type: Runtime prompt component
Belongs in: Runtime prompt layer
Use when: The provided material includes a repo, ZIP, logs, screenshots, or many files.
Open prompt
Optional prompt
Analyze before answering
Adds a short analysis pass before the final answer so constraints, evidence, conflicts, and uncertainty are checked.
Type: Runtime analysis component
Belongs in: Runtime prompt layer
Use when: The task has multiple constraints or a high risk of missing evidence.
Open prompt
Optional prompt
No simulation / no fabrication
Blocks invented facts, fabricated evidence, simulated scans, guessed results, and unsupported conclusions.
Type: Guardrail component
Belongs in: Instruction or runtime prompt layer
Use when: The task has a high risk of hallucinated evidence or unsupported reconstruction.
Read policy
Optional prompt
Confidence score
Adds an evidence-based confidence score after checking source coverage and uncertainty.
Type: Verification prompt
Belongs in: Verification layer
Use when: The user needs explicit confidence reporting.
Open prompt
Required policy
Use only the files you provide for factual answers
Defines the rule that factual claims must stay inside the artifacts supplied by the user.
Type: Source-boundary policy
Controls: Source boundary, unsupported-claim handling, file-location references, and fail-closed behavior.
Read policy
Required reference
Prompt layers and policy mapping
Explains where instruction rules, source material, runtime prompts, and verification gates belong.
Type: Configuration reference
Use when: The workflow needs configuration guidance across ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini.
Open reference

Implementation procedure

Step-by-step implementation procedure

Follow the workflow in order. Each step gives one action and one verification check before continuing.

  1. Instruction layer

    Configure the artifacts-only rule

    Add the artifacts-only system prompt to the instruction layer of the tool you use.

    Action
    Use a reusable instruction surface when the workflow will be repeated; otherwise place the rule at the top of the working prompt.
    Verify
    The rule explicitly blocks external sources, prior knowledge, guessing, and unsupported factual claims.
    Open prompt

  2. Reference layer

    Provide the allowed source material

    Attach or paste the files, logs, screenshots, excerpts, repository snapshot, ZIP, or other artifacts the answer is allowed to use.

    Action
    Keep the evidence boundary limited to the provided artifacts.
    Verify
    Every source the answer may use is present in the current task context.

  3. Runtime prompt layer

    Add runtime prompt components

    Use deep-read for all artifact-bound tasks. Add deep-scan when the material is large or multi-file.

    Action
    Place the current question, selected artifacts, target output, and one-time constraints in the runtime prompt.
    Verify
    The task states what must be answered and how evidence should be cited.
    Open deep-read Open deep-scan

  4. Verification layer

    Require file-location references

    Require each factual claim to cite the supporting file and locator.

    Action
    Use filenames, line ranges, pages, sections, screenshot regions, or equivalent locators.
    Verify
    Every factual claim can be traced back to a provided artifact.

  5. Verification layer

    Fail closed when evidence is missing

    If a core claim cannot be supported by the provided artifacts, stop instead of filling the gap.

    Action
    Return the fail-closed result or ask for the missing artifact.
    Verify
    Unsupported claims are not rewritten as conclusions.

  6. Verification layer

    Add optional final verification

    Use chain-of-verification or confidence scoring only when the workflow needs a final acceptance gate.

    Action
    Run the final verification layer after the answer is drafted and before it is accepted.
    Verify
    The final answer reports only supported claims or clearly marks unsupported areas.
    Open prompt

Verification checklist

Use this checklist before accepting the output, publishing it, or using it as evidence for a downstream workflow.

Source boundary
Only provided artifacts were used
The answer does not rely on web browsing, prior model knowledge, public documentation, or uncited assumptions.
Traceability
Each factual claim has a locator
Every factual claim cites the relevant file, line range, page, section, screenshot region, or equivalent locator.
Coverage
Large inputs were scanned deliberately
Repos, ZIPs, logs, or multi-file inputs include coverage notes, explicit gaps, and evidence pointers.
Unsupported claims
Missing evidence was handled explicitly
Unsupported claims are marked unsupported or fail closed; they are not completed from inference.
Boundary integrity
Public-source prompts were not mixed into this workflow
Web browsing, citation, authoritative-source, or literature-review prompts are not used as required assets for this files-only workflow.

Next step