Groundwork files
Your downloaded zip file contains the prebuilt structure, setup instructions, source files, advisor framework, and local website viewer.
8bit Groundwork Setup
Set up your business source of truth by chatting with AI.
Groundwork gives you a prebuilt local business source-of-truth system you can open with tools like OpenAI Codex or Claude. You do not need coding knowledge. You use the system by chatting in plain English, answering setup questions, and letting the AI organize your business context into a structure you can review and improve.
Already purchased Groundwork? Start with the setup steps below. Still deciding? This page shows how the prebuilt Groundwork files help you create a local business source of truth without designing the system yourself.
What you create
You create a local source of truth for your business using the prebuilt Groundwork files: a structured folder and private local website viewer that store your goals, priorities, decisions, projects, offers, customers, assumptions, advisor prompts, and working context.
Prebuilt Groundwork folder
AI-guided setup
Plain-English chat workflow
Custom company context
Before you begin
Make sure you have three things ready: your downloaded Groundwork zip file, an AI tool that can work with a local folder, and any business materials you want Groundwork to use. You do not need to organize everything first. Groundwork will help turn your answers and materials into a structured source of truth.
AI tool
Use Codex or Claude to open the Groundwork folder, read the setup instructions, and help customize the files through chat.
Business materials
Bring anything useful: website links, PDFs, planning notes, offer details, customer insights, metrics, decisions, or project documents.
Setup steps
Build the first version.
Complete these steps in order. By the end, you will have a Groundwork folder opened in an AI tool, a first version of your business source of truth, and a clear way to keep improving it over time.
Step 1
Get your Groundwork files
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If you already purchased Groundwork, download the zip file from your purchase email or account area. If you have not purchased yet, buy Groundwork Core first, then return to this setup guide. After downloading, unzip the file, rename the folder, and place it somewhere easy to find on your computer.
Already purchased? Use the download link from your purchase email or log in to access your files.
Use a folder name you will recognize later, such as "Acme Groundwork" or "Company Groundwork."
Keep it somewhere easy to find, such as Documents or a dedicated business folder.
This folder becomes the home base for your business context.
Step 2
Choose your AI tool
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Choose an AI tool that can work directly with your local Groundwork folder. You will guide it through plain-language chat while it reads and updates the files.
Use the best model available, with the highest thinking mode if possible.
Choose a tool that can work with folders and files on your computer.
No coding knowledge needed: just natural language and the power of code.
Step 3
Open your Groundwork folder with the AI tool
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Open Codex or Claude with your Groundwork folder as the active project or working folder. The exact wording may vary by tool, but the goal is the same: the AI needs permission to read and update the Groundwork folder.
In Codex, open or add the Groundwork folder as the project you want to work on.
In Claude, add the Groundwork folder to the project you want to use.
When the AI asks for permission to read or update files, approve the Groundwork folder so setup can continue.
Step 4
Start the setup chat
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Start a new chat while the AI tool is connected to your Groundwork folder. Type the setup phrase below to launch the onboarding flow.
Build Groundwork
This phrase works because the Groundwork folder includes setup instructions the AI can read once the folder is open.
Use that exact phrase as your first message.
Keep the chat connected to the Groundwork folder.
From here, answer the setup questions in plain English.
Step 5
Answer the business questions
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Groundwork will ask questions about your business. Answer what you can, or provide useful materials like website links, PDFs, notes, documents, customer insights, offer details, metrics, decisions, or planning files.
If the AI cannot access a link, paste the relevant text or add the file directly to the Groundwork folder.
Only share materials you are comfortable using with your chosen AI tool. Avoid adding passwords, private keys, banking credentials, or anything that does not belong in your business source of truth.
Share your goals, priorities, customers, offers, constraints, projects, decisions, and outcomes.
Use existing materials instead of rewriting everything from memory.
If you are unsure what to share, ask: "What information would help you make this business source of truth more accurate and useful?"
Step 6
Review the first version
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The AI will use your answers and materials to create the first version of your business source of truth. Review it like a draft. The first version does not need to be perfect. It needs to be accurate enough to improve through use.
Review the goals, priorities, decisions, offers, customers, projects, assumptions, risks, and advisor context.
Ask the AI to correct anything that feels inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or too generic.
Ask the AI to explain any section you do not understand before you rely on it.
Step 7
Start using Groundwork
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Once the first version is in place, use Groundwork whenever you want clearer business context, better AI conversations, advisor perspectives, decision support, or a current view of what matters. Groundwork gets more useful as you update it with real decisions, changes, metrics, and lessons from the business.
Use it to review goals, priorities, projects, offers, customers, operations, advisors, and decisions.
Update it when something meaningful changes.
Treat Groundwork as a living source of truth, not a one-time setup task.
No coding knowledge required
Use AI coding tools by chatting.
Groundwork takes advantage of tools like OpenAI Codex and Claude because they can work with local files. That does not mean you need to write code. You give instructions in normal language, review what the AI creates, and approve changes to your Groundwork folder.
You chat
Tell the AI what you want to add, change, clarify, or review.
AI updates the structure
The AI reads the prebuilt Groundwork structure and helps organize the right context into the right places.
You review
You check the output, correct what is wrong, and keep the source of truth current.
Prompts to try after setup
Use these plain-English prompts to improve Groundwork and start getting useful AI support.
After setup, you can ask the AI to improve your source of truth, show you how to open the private local website viewer, and get input from your advisors.
Prompt 1
"What information would help you make this business source of truth more accurate and useful?"
Prompt 2
"Show me how to open the private local Groundwork website viewer."
Prompt 3
"Ask the advisors what they need to know so they can give better advice about this business."
Prompt 4
"Have the advisors review the current source of truth and suggest the most important goals to focus on next."
Prompt 5
"Review my current priorities and tell me what seems unclear, outdated, or missing."
Prompt 6
"Update Groundwork with this new decision and tell me which sections should change."