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How you structure a prompt can affect the model's ability to parse the information in the prompt.
It also helps the model correctly interpret how to use the given information. To give structure to a
prompt, you can use prefixes or XML tags to delimit different parts or components of a prompt.
Use prefixes to structure simple prompts
A prefix is a word or phrase followed by a colon to label the information in a prompt. In the
following example, "TASK:, "CLASSES:," and "OBJECTS:" are the prefixes.
TASK:
Classify the OBJECTS.
CLASSES:
- Large
- Small
OBJECTS:
- Rhino
- Mouse
- Snail
- Elephant
- Rhino: Large
- Mouse: Small
- Snail: Small
- Elephant: Large
Use XML and other delimiters to structure complex prompts
For complex prompts, use XML and other delimiters to separate components of a prompt. You can use
BEGIN and END or {} section delimiters for complex and
lengthy prompt components to clearly distinguish them from the actual instructions.
You are a chatbot agent answering customer's questions in a chat.
Your task is to answer the customer's question using the data provided in the <DATA> section.
- You can access order history in the <ORDERS> section including email id and order total
with payment summary.
- Refer to <ORDERLINES> for item level details within each order in <ORDERS>.
Today is 2024-01-29
<DATA>
<ORDERS>
{OrderId|CustomerEmail|CreatedTimestamp|IsCancelled|OrderTotal|PaymentSummary
CC10182|222larabrown@gmail.com|2024-01-19|true|0.0|Not available
CC10183|baklavainthebalkans@gmail.com|2024-01-19|true|0.0|Not available}
{...}
...
</ORDERS>
<ORDERLINES>
OrderId|OrderLineId|CreatedTimestamp|ItemDescription|Quantity|FulfillmentStatus|ExpectedDeliveryDate
|ActualDeliveryDate|ActualShipDate|ExpectedShipDate|TrackingInformation|ShipToAddress|CarrierCode|De
liveryMethod|UnitPrice|OrderLineSubTotal|LineShippingCharge|TotalTaxes|Payments CC10182|1||Shorts|0.
0|unshipped|2024-01-31|2024-02-01|2024-01-30|2024-01-29||||ShipToAddress|115.99|0.0|0.0|0.0|
...
</ORDERLINES>
</DATA>
<INSTRUCTIONS>
- If there is no data that can help answer the question, respond with "I do not have this
information. Please contact customer service".
- You are allowed to ask a follow up question if it will help narrow down the data row customer may
be referring to.
- You can only answer questions related to order history and amount charged for it. Include OrderId
in the response, when applicable.
- For everything else, please redirect to the customer service agent.
- Answer in plain English and no sources are required
- Chat with the customer so far is under the CHAT section.
</INSTRUCTIONS>
QUESTION: How much did I pay for my last order?
ANSWER:
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-27 UTC."],[],[],null,["# Structure prompts\n\nHow you structure a prompt can affect the model's ability to parse the information in the prompt.\nIt also helps the model correctly interpret how to use the given information. To give structure to a\nprompt, you can use prefixes or XML tags to delimit different parts or components of a prompt.\n\nUse prefixes to structure simple prompts\n----------------------------------------\n\nA prefix is a word or phrase followed by a colon to label the information in a prompt. In the\nfollowing example, \"TASK:, \"CLASSES:,\" and \"OBJECTS:\" are the prefixes.\n\nUse XML and other delimiters to structure complex prompts\n---------------------------------------------------------\n\nFor complex prompts, use XML and other delimiters to separate components of a prompt. You can use\n`BEGIN` and `END` or `{}` section delimiters for complex and\nlengthy prompt components to clearly distinguish them from the actual instructions. \n\n```\nYou are a chatbot agent answering customer's questions in a chat.\nYour task is to answer the customer's question using the data provided in the \u003cDATA\u003e section.\n - You can access order history in the \u003cORDERS\u003e section including email id and order total\n with payment summary.\n - Refer to \u003cORDERLINES\u003e for item level details within each order in \u003cORDERS\u003e.\n\nToday is 2024-01-29\n\n\u003cDATA\u003e\n\u003cORDERS\u003e\n{OrderId|CustomerEmail|CreatedTimestamp|IsCancelled|OrderTotal|PaymentSummary\nCC10182|222larabrown@gmail.com|2024-01-19|true|0.0|Not available\nCC10183|baklavainthebalkans@gmail.com|2024-01-19|true|0.0|Not available}\n{...}\n...\n\u003c/ORDERS\u003e\n\n\u003cORDERLINES\u003e\nOrderId|OrderLineId|CreatedTimestamp|ItemDescription|Quantity|FulfillmentStatus|ExpectedDeliveryDate\n|ActualDeliveryDate|ActualShipDate|ExpectedShipDate|TrackingInformation|ShipToAddress|CarrierCode|De\nliveryMethod|UnitPrice|OrderLineSubTotal|LineShippingCharge|TotalTaxes|Payments CC10182|1||Shorts|0.\n0|unshipped|2024-01-31|2024-02-01|2024-01-30|2024-01-29||||ShipToAddress|115.99|0.0|0.0|0.0|\n...\n\u003c/ORDERLINES\u003e\n\u003c/DATA\u003e\n\n\u003cINSTRUCTIONS\u003e\n- If there is no data that can help answer the question, respond with \"I do not have this\n information. Please contact customer service\".\n- You are allowed to ask a follow up question if it will help narrow down the data row customer may\n be referring to.\n- You can only answer questions related to order history and amount charged for it. Include OrderId\n in the response, when applicable.\n- For everything else, please redirect to the customer service agent. \n- Answer in plain English and no sources are required\n- Chat with the customer so far is under the CHAT section.\n\u003c/INSTRUCTIONS\u003e\n\nQUESTION: How much did I pay for my last order?\nANSWER:\n```\n\nWhat's next\n-----------\n\n- Explore more examples of prompts in the [Prompt gallery](/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/prompt-gallery)."]]