--- title: "Run three business workflows with Claude Code and a context file" description: "Run a morning briefing, client proposal, and content draft from maintained files, with input checks and a review step for each workflow." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/how-to-use-claude-code-for-business" date: "2026-01-27" modified: "2026-10-02" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Real estate - Real estate - [Real estate](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - Work - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Prepare your six-question brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prepare-your-six-question-brief) - Build - [Site build, content library with SEO, signal desk](https://scalewithsearch.com/work) - For your business - Trades and home services - [Auto body and collision shops](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/auto-body-and-collision-shops) - [Foundation and home repair contractors](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/foundation-and-home-repair) - 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You open a chat window to draft a client proposal. You paste the client's background, your pricing rules, and a sample of your voice. Tomorrow you do it again for the next client. The assistant is capable, but it starts from zero every time. Claude Code works a different way. It runs in your terminal, inside a project folder that you choose. It reads the files in that folder, and it reads a file named `CLAUDE.md` at the start of each session. Your business context lives in files that you control, and every session starts with them. This guide turns that repeated briefing into three business workflows: a morning task list, a client proposal, and a content draft. It keeps the files and review steps each task needs. If you are choosing the product, read [what Claude Code is](/articles/what-is-claude-code). If it is not installed, use [the Claude Code setup guide](/articles/claude-code-setup-guide) first. ## What makes Claude Code different A web chat interface works inside one conversation. When you close the conversation, the working context stays behind in that thread. Claude Code works inside your project directory. The context comes from files on disk, so a new session can read the same material as the last one. The files stay on your disk, but the text a session reads goes to Anthropic for processing. Retention and training terms depend on your plan. That difference gives you four practical results: - Your company details, voice rules, common tasks, and preferences load at session start from `CLAUDE.md`. - Claude Code reads and writes your documents, data files, and code directly, with your approval. - Information that you write down once stays available to every later session. - Output goes into your existing folder structure, not into a chat thread that you must copy from. In practice, Claude Code can draft a client email from a client file. It can analyze a spreadsheet without copy and paste. It can check the status of current projects from their notes. The quality of each result depends on the quality of the files it reads. For the difference between a session's working space and a durable record, read [context window versus persistent AI memory](/articles/context-window-vs-persistent-ai-memory). ## Business work that fits Claude Code ### Content operations Put your brand rules, tone preferences, and content templates in `CLAUDE.md` or in files that it names. Claude Code can then read the content calendar and check recent posts for topic overlap. It can draft the next piece and save it to a review folder. A typical run has five steps. Claude Code reads the brief, reads the style guide, reviews recent posts, drafts the piece, and saves it for your review. You do not paste between windows, and you do not describe your voice again. ### Client communication Keep one Markdown file per client. Record the business type, past projects, communication preferences, and key contacts. Claude Code reads the file before it drafts a proposal, a follow-up, or a project update. The draft improves because the model does not guess. It reads the actual relationship record, and every client message draws on the same source. ### Data analysis Claude Code reads CSV files, JSON exports, and other structured data from disk. You do not describe the data in words. Point Claude Code at the file, ask the question, and review the analysis. For a recurring report, store the procedure in a file and tell Claude Code to follow it. ### Process documentation Many small businesses run on procedures that exist only in one person's memory. Describe a procedure in plain language, and tell Claude Code to write it as a standard operating procedure in your documentation folder. When the procedure changes, tell Claude Code what changed. It reads the current document and edits it. The value grows with the context that you supply. More accurate files give better results in every task that reads them. ## Install Claude Code ### Prerequisites You need these items before you start: - A Claude plan that includes Claude Code, or API access through an Anthropic Console account. Plan names and inclusions change, so check the current Claude plans page. - A terminal. macOS and Linux work natively. The original version of this guide (January 2026) used WSL on Windows. Check the current setup documentation for native Windows support. - Node.js, if you install through npm. - A project directory for your business files. ### Installation Use the install method in the current Claude Code setup documentation. In January 2026, one supported method was the npm package: ``` npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code ``` Anthropic also documents a native installer. Either method gives you the `claude` command. Go to your business project directory and start a session: ``` cd ~/Documents/MyBusiness claude ``` Claude Code asks for your approval before it edits a file or runs a shell command, unless you change its permission settings. Keep that default while you learn the tool. ## Write your CLAUDE.md file `CLAUDE.md` sits in the project root. Claude Code reads it at the start of each session. For business use, organize it around these sections: ``` # Business Context ## Company - Name: [Your Company] - Industry: [Your Industry] - Services: [What you offer] ## Voice & Tone - Writing style: [Professional/Casual/Technical] - Avoid: [Terms or phrases you don't use] - Examples: [Links to sample content] ## Common Tasks - Client proposals → /proposals/ - Content drafts → /content/drafts/ - Meeting notes → /meetings/ ## Current Projects - [Project A]: [Status and context] - [Project B]: [Status and context] ``` Keep the file short. Put the summary in `CLAUDE.md` and the details in files that it names. A client roster, a style guide, and a pricing policy each deserve their own file. For a complete business template, see the [CLAUDE.md template for business context](/articles/claude-md-template-business-context). ### A worked example Consider a two-person bookkeeping practice. The project folder looks like this: ``` MyBusiness/ CLAUDE.md clients/ northside-bakery.md lakeview-dental.md templates/ proposal.md monthly-close-email.md procedures/ month-end-close.md inbox/ drafts/ ``` The `CLAUDE.md` file names the practice, states that client emails use a plain and direct tone, and lists where proposals, drafts, and procedures live. It also states one rule: "Never send. Save every draft to `drafts/` for review." Each client file holds the entity type, the close date, the contact person, and open questions. The procedure file lists the month-end close steps in order. With that structure, the request "Draft the monthly close email for Northside Bakery" needs no pasted context. Claude Code reads `CLAUDE.md`, opens `clients/northside-bakery.md`, follows `templates/monthly-close-email.md`, and saves the draft. You read the draft, correct it, and send it yourself. When a correction applies to every future draft, add it to the right file. A correction that stays in the conversation disappears with the conversation. ## Run three business workflows Each example below is a one-line request to `claude`. ### Morning business briefing ``` claude "Read my calendar for today, check the /projects folder for pending items, and give me a prioritized task list" ``` Claude Code reads a calendar only when a calendar connector or an exported calendar file is available to the session. Without one, point it at a file where you keep today's schedule. ### Client proposal draft ``` claude "Read the client details in /clients/acme.md and the project brief in /inbox/acme-request.md. Draft a proposal following the template in /templates/proposal.md" ``` ### Content production ``` claude "Check the content calendar in /content/calendar.md. Draft the next scheduled post following our brand guidelines. Save to /content/drafts/" ``` Each request names its inputs and its output location. That pattern makes the result repeatable. For guidance on which files a task should read, see [what context an agent should read](/articles/what-context-should-an-agent-read). ## Avoid four common mistakes **An empty context.** Claude Code's advantage comes from the files it reads. A setup without `CLAUDE.md` gives only a small improvement over a chat window. Spend the first hour on your business fundamentals. **Chat habits.** Claude Code is not a chat interface with extra features. It is an assistant that works on files. Design each workflow around file inputs and file outputs, not a long exchange of messages. **Manual copy and paste.** If you paste data into a prompt, you work against the design. Point Claude Code at the source file. Let it read the original, not a summary that you typed. **No plan for context limits.** Claude Code has a large context capacity, but the capacity has a limit. For a large project, put a summary in `CLAUDE.md` and keep the details in referenced files that Claude Code reads when the task needs them. ## Choose a plan by usage pattern Two payment models were available when this guide was first written (January 2026): | Plan type | Cost model | Best for | |---|---|---| | Claude subscription that includes Claude Code | Flat monthly fee | Heavy daily use and business operations | | API usage | Pay per token | Occasional use and automated pipelines | For most owners who use Claude Code every day, the flat subscription gave more predictable cost. API billing made sense for automated pipelines or for occasional heavy work. Check the current plans page for prices and limits before you choose. ## Keep the approval step Claude Code can edit files and run commands. Decide in advance what it may do without you. Let it draft, summarize, and edit files inside the project folder. Stop it before any external send, payment, contract change, or change to a live system. For a written approval rule, read [who approves what an AI agent sends](/articles/who-approves-what-an-ai-agent-sends). Start with `CLAUDE.md`. Add context as real work shows a gap. Let each new workflow come from a task that you already do every week, not from a list of theoretical uses. ## Related: AI memory - [Run Claude Code on a VPS so scheduled work continues while your laptop is closed](/articles/claude-code-production-deployment) - [The Intake Is the Product](/articles/the-intake-is-the-product) - [Compare Claude Code Channels with a custom Telegram bot before you build either one](/articles/claude-code-channels-vs-custom-telegram-bot) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. 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