Get started with Dash Chat

You’ve just signed up for Dropbox Dash. You’re excited to see how AI prompting with Dash Chat can help speed things up—but now that you’re here, you’re staring at a blinking cursor wondering what to do next. Sound familiar?

That’s exactly why we put this guide together. Think of it as your quick-start kit for using Dash Chat effectively. We’ll show you how to prompt AI in a way that gets great results, walk you through the tools available, and share real-world examples you can try today. Whether you're drafting content, summarizing documents, or pulling insights straight from your browser, Dash is here to take the heavy lifting off your plate.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to:

• Write brand-aligned content using the Write Tool, Templates, and Tones

• Retrieve and summarize information quickly with the Ask Tool

• Use the Dash Chrome extension to interact with content directly in your browser

• Craft smarter prompts that give you better, more useful AI results

No need to memorize anything. Just explore, try things out, and get a feel for how Dash fits into your day.

Need help getting set up? Visit the Dash Help Center for step-by-step guidance and tutorials.

Don’t have Dash yet? Try a demo or talk to sales to get started.

Get familiar with the fundamentals of AI prompting in Dash Chat

Before we dive into prompts and examples, let’s start with the basics: what is AI prompting, and how does it work inside Dropbox Dash?

In simple terms, prompting is just the act of giving instructions to an AI. The clearer your prompt, the better the result. Think of it like working with a new team member—you need to be specific about what you want, how you want it delivered, and who it’s for. The magic of Dash Chat is that it takes those prompts and turns them into real, actionable output—without the guesswork.

Dash Chat lives inside Dropbox Dash and works across three powerful tools that are built to help you move faster:

• Write Tool—helps you draft, rewrite, or refine content with ease. You can use pre-built Templates and Tones to keep things consistent and on-brand across your team.

• Ask Tool—your shortcut to answers. Ask questions about your content, summarize long docs, or pull insights from files—no digging required.

• Chrome extension—bring Dash with you as you browse. Summarize articles, rewrite content, or ask questions about what’s on your screen, all without switching tabs.

Each tool is designed to do one thing really well—but together, they make Dash Chat a powerful everyday companion for any workflow.

Let’s start with the one we reach for most: the Write Tool. It’s your go-to for getting unstuck and getting words on the page—fast.

The Write Tool: Beat writer’s block and save time

Let’s face it—staring at a blank screen can be the biggest productivity killer. The Write Tool won’t replace your creativity, but it will help you get started faster, stay consistent, and free up time for work that actually moves the needle.

Whether you're writing marketing copy, emails, or team updates, the Write Tool is great for:

• Jump-starting drafts when you don’t know where to begin

• Maintaining a consistent voice across teams using admin-approved Tones and Templates

• Automating repetitive writing tasks, so you can focus on strategy, not structure

How to get started

Using the Write Tool in Dash Chat is simple:

1. From the Dash start page, click Chat in the left sidebar.

2. From the Chat page, click Write something to open the Write Tool.

3. Choose a template to guide your content, or just start typing a prompt to begin from scratch.

That’s it. You’re ready to start generating content in just a few clicks.

Your building blocks for effective Write Tool prompts

Think of a prompt as your instructions to the AI. The more specific and intentional you are, the better the output will be. A vague prompt like “Write a follow-up email” is a bit like saying “Make something”—you’re leaving too much to guesswork.

To help Dash Chat give you something great, try building prompts using a few simple components:

• Template—pre-structured formats created by your team to ensure brand consistency

• Tone—preset styles like “friendly,” “professional,” or “confident” that shape how your message sounds

• Constraints—helpful boundaries like “keep it under 100 words” or “make it two sentences” to guide length

• Purpose—clarify who it’s for and what you want the outcome to be

• Examples—include a reference or paste in an excerpt if there’s a past piece you want to mirror

• Dynamic placeholders—use [Industry], [Job Title], or [Client Name] to tailor your message to different audiences

When you combine just a few of these elements, you’ll go from “meh” to “nailed it” in a single click.

3 scenarios you can try in the Write Tool right now

Want to see this in action? Here are a few real-world use cases you can try today. As you read through, imagine yourself in each situation and give the prompt a go inside Dash Chat to get a feel for how it works.

Scenario 1: Following up after a meeting

You’ve just finished your 20th sales call this week. You’re tired, buried in follow-ups, and that generic “just checking in” email isn’t cutting it anymore.

Try this in Dash Chat:

Write a friendly follow-up email in a warm, conversational tone to a prospect who attended our demo. Their name is [Prospect Name], and they work for [Company Name]. They were particularly interested in [Primary Pain Points and Goals]. Keep it under 100 words and include a next step.

Why this works:

It includes tone, purpose, relevant context, a word limit, and a clear call to action—everything Dash needs to create a strong starting point.

Scenario 2: Email outreach for lead generation

You’re targeting a new industry, but don’t have a deep understanding of what makes those leads tick. Time to let Dash do some of the heavy lifting.

Try this in Dash Chat:

Write a cold email for a prospect in [Industry] about our AI-powered sales tool. Their primary pain point and goals are [Primary Pain Points and Goals]. Keep it under 120 words.

Why this works:

It sets a purpose, keeps things concise, and uses placeholders so the message feels tailored.

Scenario 3: Social media and thought leadership

Keeping up with LinkedIn posting can feel like a full-time job—and you’ve already got one. If you're low on inspiration but need to stay visible, Dash has your back.

Try this in Dash Chat:

Write a LinkedIn post about AI in marketing for [Company Type]. Max three sentences. Use a confident, expert tone.

Why this works:

You’ve given Dash a clear brief: tone, length, topic, and audience—all the ingredients for something smart, polished, and scroll-stopping.

Whether you're drafting your next email or polishing a LinkedIn post, the Write Tool helps you move faster without losing your voice. But writing is only half the story—sometimes, what you really need is to find answers fast. That’s where the Ask Tool comes in.

The Ask Tool: Get answers, not document lists

Ever found yourself buried in documents just trying to track down one piece of information? You're not alone. Traditional search tools can make it feel like you’re playing hide-and-seek with your own content. That’s where the Ask Tool comes in.

Instead of dumping a list of files on you, the Ask Tool delivers direct, contextual answers pulled from your connected content. Whether you're summarizing a long report or pulling highlights from a policy doc, it helps you cut through the noise and find exactly what you need.

Here are a few ways you can put it to work:

• Summarize long reports into digestible takeaways

• Pull key points from dense documents like policies or presentations

• Ask follow-up questions to clarify, refine, or reframe results

• Enter prompts about specific files, or more general prompts that draw from all of your connected files and apps

How to get started

Getting started with the Ask Tool in Dash Chat is simple:

1. From your Dash Start Page, click Chat in the left sidebar.

2. On the Chat page, click Ask a question to open the Ask Tool.

3. Click Add sources to upload or select a specific file—or just start typing a question and Dash will search across your connected content.

Now you’re ready to ask for summaries, pull out key insights, or get answers directly from your files—all in one place.

Ask Tool building blocks for better prompts

Just like with writing, vague prompts lead to vague results. If you ask something like “Tell me about the report,” Dash won’t have enough to go on. But a little structure goes a long way.

Here are the core elements of a high-quality Ask Tool prompt:

• Direct questions—be clear and focused. For example: “What were the recommended next steps in this report?”

• Time frames—give Dash a period to focus on, like “Summarize all product updates from Q1 2024.”

• Document types—help Dash interpret the content with cues like “What are the key risks in this security policy?”

• Output structure—guide the format: “Give me a one-paragraph summary with three key bullet points.”

• Follow-up questions—don’t be afraid to keep the conversation going: “Can you rephrase this for a customer-facing version?”

Once you get the hang of these, you’ll be flying through research in half the time.

Try these 4 real-world Ask Tool scenarios

Ready to put these building blocks through their paces? Here are four everyday examples of how different teams use the Ask Tool to get answers faster. As you read through each one, imagine how these prompts could save your team hours of digging, skimming, and second-guessing. Try them out with your own files and see just how powerful Dash Chat can be when you ask the right questions.

Note: The scenarios below demonstrate the Ask Tool’s ability to draw insights from specific documents. For each scenario, you’ll need to upload a suitably relevant document to Dash or a connected app, which you can then use for each prompt.

Scenario 1: Sales teams

You're prepping for a weekly pipeline review, and the last thing you want to do is scroll through a dozen call transcripts just to understand what customers have been saying. Between objections, feedback, and feature requests, it’s a lot to process—and even more to summarize. That’s where the Ask Tool steps in.

Try this in Dash Chat:

Summarize the customer feedback from last quarter.

Why this works:

This prompt gets straight to the point. It uses a direct question and a clear time frame, giving Dash exactly what it needs to filter for relevance and pull out the key takeaways—no transcript skimming required.

Scenario 2: Marketing teams

You’ve just received a 15-page strategy doc from your content team, and while it’s packed with insights, you’ve got 15 minutes between meetings to figure out what it actually says. You need the key message, fast.

Try this in Dash Chat:

Give me a three-sentence summary of this marketing plan.

Why this works:

It’s short, specific, and gives Dash a clear format to follow. You’re setting a structure, identifying the content type, and placing constraints on the length—all of which help Dash deliver something you can act on right away.

Scenario 3: Legal and compliance

A new contract just landed in your inbox and your team needs to assess risk—yesterday. You don’t have time to comb through pages of clauses and legalese. With the Ask Tool, you can spotlight the parts that actually need your attention.

Try this in Dash Chat:

Summarize this contract in bullet points highlighting key legal risks.

Why this works:

This prompt gives Dash clear instructions: what to focus on (legal risks), how to format the answer (bullet points), and what type of document it’s looking at (a contract). The result? A quick scan of the highlights—without the legal headaches.

Scenario 4: Executives and decision makers

You’ve got a big presentation in the morning and need a topline view of your team’s latest sales forecast. The full report is sitting in your cloud storage, but you don’t have time to read through 30 slides and spreadsheets.

Try this in Dash Chat:

What are the key takeaways from our 2024 sales forecast report?

Why this works:

This is a focused, high-level prompt that tells Dash exactly what to surface. By pointing to a specific report and asking for insights (not a summary), you get decision-ready highlights you can use to prep with confidence—no deep dive required.

From summarizing complex documents to pulling quick answers from your files, the Ask Tool is your shortcut to clarity. But what if the content you need isn’t in your files—it’s right there on your screen? The Dash Chrome extension is here to help.

Dash Chrome extension: Interact with content directly in your browser

What if you could ask Dash questions about what you’re reading—without switching tabs or copying and pasting into a separate tool? That’s exactly what the Dash Chrome extension is built for. It brings the same writing, summarizing, and search capabilities you use in Dash Chat directly into your browser, so you can work with content where it lives.

With the Dash Chrome extension, you can:

• Ask questions about any webpage or document

• Summarize articles or online PDFs instantly

• Generate emails, social posts, or rewrites without leaving the page

How to get started

Getting started is simple:

1. Install the Dash Chrome extension and log in with your Dropbox account.

   • Note: While a Microsoft Edge browser extension is available, this functionality is currently exclusive to the Chrome extension.

2. Open the extension from your browser’s side panel while viewing content.

3. Type in your prompt and let Dash do the rest—on the page, in real time.

It’s like having Dash ride shotgun while you work—ready to help, wherever you are online.

6 essential uses for the Dash Chrome extension you can try right now

Need inspiration? Here are six practical ways to use the Chrome extension right away. These real-world scenarios show how Dash Chat can help you move faster, think clearer, and communicate better—without ever leaving the browser tab you're in.

Use case 1: Summarize content

You’ve got a colleague’s article open in one tab and back-to-back meetings on your calendar. You want the gist without reading every word.

Try this in Dash Chat:

Summarize this article in one paragraph.

Why this works:

This prompt gives Dash a clear task and format. By defining the length and intent, you're helping the AI deliver something useful and skimmable in seconds.

Use case 2: Simplify complex content

Ever opened a whitepaper or legal doc that felt like a wall of text? Whether it’s academic research or policy jargon, Dash can help make sense of it.

Try this in Dash Chat:

Explain this legal document in simple terms.

Why this works:

You’re clearly asking for a simplified, plain-English version of a specific document type—perfect for quick comprehension without the mental gymnastics.

Use case 3: Request an executive summary

You don’t have time to read the whole thing—you just need the top three takeaways so you can sound sharp in the next meeting.

Try this in Dash Chat:

What are the top three takeaways from this article?

Why this works:

You’re asking for structured output (three items) and setting a clear focus. Dash knows exactly what kind of summary you need—and how to deliver it.

Use case 4: Ask questions

Sometimes you’re not looking for a summary—you have a very specific question. Instead of scanning line by line, let Dash find the answer for you.

Try this in Dash Chat:

What is the main argument of this research study?

Why this works:

It’s a direct, focused prompt with a defined document type. Dash can zero in on the core message and give you an instant answer.

Use case 5: Generate emails or social posts about a page

You’re reading a great piece of content and want to share it with your team, clients, or network—but you’re not sure how to frame it.

Try this in Dash Chat:

Generate a LinkedIn post based on this research study.

Why this works:

It includes purpose, output format, and context—everything Dash needs to write something that sounds on-brand and ready to publish. Want more control? If you’re regularly creating LinkedIn posts, use the Write Tool to apply a custom template that reflects your preferred tone and character count. This helps keep your messaging consistent—and your content ready to post with minimal edits.

Use case 6: Rewrite content

You’re reviewing a draft webpage or blog and something about the intro feels off. You don’t need a full rewrite—just a better first impression.

Try this in Dash Chat:

Rewrite this introduction to sound more engaging.

Why this works:

You’re being specific about the content type (introduction), the tone (“more engaging”), and the task (rewrite)—which gives Dash a clear path to follow.

Whether you're summarizing an article, rewriting a paragraph, or pulling insights from a page, the Dash Chrome extension puts AI right where you need it—on your screen, in the moment. Now that you’ve seen what Dash can do, let’s talk about how to get the most out of it with a few tried-and-true best practices.

Best practices for AI writing and information retrieval (and what to avoid)

By now, you’ve seen how Dash Chat can help you write faster, find answers quickly, and cut through digital clutter. But like any tool, the results you get depend on how you use it. To help you get the best possible output—and avoid common pitfalls—here are a few dos and don’ts worth keeping in your back pocket.

Best practices for AI writing and prompt crafting

Want stronger drafts from the Write Tool? A little structure goes a long way. Here’s how to make your prompts more effective and your content more consistent:

• Review and finalize AI-generated content—think of AI as your first draft partner, not your final copywriter

• Blend AI with human creativity—add your personal touch to keep it real and relatable

• Be clear about tone, audience, and purpose—if you know what you want to say and who it’s for, Dash will too

• Use Templates and Tones—built-in tools help you maintain voice and quality across your whole team

Best practices for AI information retrieval and summarization

Getting great answers from the Ask Tool is all about clarity. The more specific you are, the better the AI can understand what you need:

• Ask specific, structured questions—clear questions lead to clear answers

• Request answers in a defined format—bullet points, summaries, short paragraphs—whatever works best for you

• Break complex tasks into smaller prompts—simple asks often yield better results

• Use follow-up questions to refine results—Dash Chat is conversational, it’s in the name, so don’t hesitate to dig deeper

• Always verify important outputs before using—especially if the info will be shared externally or influence a decision

Mistakes to avoid

Even experienced users can fall into a few traps. Here are some common mistakes—and how to steer clear of them:

• Being too vague—prompts like “Write a blog post” aren’t helpful. Add context, tone, and intent.

• Over-relying on output—AI can help, but you’re still the editor-in-chief. Make it your own.

• Skipping review—always check for accuracy, tone, and flow—especially if it’s client- or customer-facing.

• Overloading prompts—don’t try to do too much in one go. Break it down and build from there.

What next?

You’ve learned the basics, seen Dash Chat in action, and picked up some solid best practices along the way. So—what now?

Like any new tool, the real magic happens when you start using it regularly. AI isn’t just for big projects or last-minute crunches—it can help with the everyday stuff, too. Think about the moments that tend to slow you down: drafting a follow-up, digging for a file, rewriting that one paragraph for the third time. Dash Chat can help with all of it.

Here’s a simple challenge: Try using AI for one task each day. It doesn’t have to be big. Maybe it’s summarizing a report, crafting a quick social post, or rewriting an email intro. The more you experiment, the faster you’ll find your rhythm—and the more time you’ll save.

Small prompts. Big impact.

Use Dash to make AI work for your team

Dropbox Dash brings together AI writing, summarization, and content search across all your connected tools—so your team can spend less time digging, drafting, and double-checking, and more time doing the work that really matters.

Whether you're just getting started or ready to go deeper, the Dash Help Center is packed with tips, tutorials, and use cases to help you make the most of every prompt.

Keep exploring. Keep experimenting. And let Dash handle the busywork.