Split Behavior From Reference Material
Separate what should live in instructions from what should live in uploaded knowledge when building a custom GPT.
If you store source material in the behavior layer, every future edit becomes more fragile. Instructions are for behavior Instructions should answer questions like: What role is this GPT playing? What output format is required? What sources should it prefer? When should it refuse or escalate? Knowledge is for source material Knowledge files are for documents the assistant should consult: handbooks, guides, process docs, pricing sheets, rubrics, and reference examples. They are content, not behavior. The maintenance payoff When policy changes, you want to replace a file, not perform surgery on the assistant’s behavioral core. Separating the layers makes that…
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