> For the complete user guide index, see [llms.txt](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/llms.txt).

# Use Deep Research prompt templates

[Canonical page](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/research/select-from-prompt-library/)

## Applicability

- **Task:** Start a Deep Research request from a reusable prompt
- **Access:** Portrait account; Normal usage and concurrency limits may apply
- **Audience:** Portrait users running Deep Research
- **Surfaces:** web
- **Availability:** Production
- **Content type:** how-to
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-09-08

Choose a Portrait prompt from the composer to prefill a research instruction. Treat it as a starting structure: edit the companies, period, sources, assumptions, and requested output before running it.


## Use a Portrait prompt

1. Open the prompt picker in the Deep Research composer.
2. Select the closest task pattern.
3. Replace example scope and assumptions with the current task.
4. Review the final prompt before starting the run.

## Use your own prompt templates

A research brief you keep re-running belongs in **My Library → Prompt Templates**, where templates are grouped into **Deep Research** and **Easel** buckets. A Deep Research template holds its prompt text plus companies, coverage period, and sources. Easel templates are grouped separately and store reusable conversational prompts. See [My Library](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/documents/my-library/).

If you want the Portrait team to assess a reusable process, see [Feature and data requests](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/more/custom-prompt-build/).

## Verify and troubleshoot

For a Deep Research template, confirm that the composer shows the intended prompt, companies, period, and source set. Recheck saved attachments: deleted documents or revoked sharing can cause an attachment to be omitted while the rest of the request proceeds. If all attachments have become unavailable and no document categories or web sources were requested, the request is refused until you refresh its sources. See [Select Deep Research companies and sources](https://portraitresearch.com/documentation/research/select-companies-and-sources/) for the complete context and document-volume checks.

For an Easel template, confirm the prompt and bucket. If a saved template is absent, open **My Library → Prompt Templates** in the web app and confirm its category. Do not run a template whose assumptions or output requirements no longer match the task.