Most people open Claude, ask one question, close the tab. That’s it. That’s the whole relationship. I used to do the same thing until I stumbled across a breakdown that completely rewired how I think about this tool.
I just came across an incredible post from an AI professional who laid out 12 things Claude can actually do, and honestly, half of these I had no clue existed. The original poster framed it simply: you’re using Claude for only one thing, but there’s a whole universe underneath the chat box. I was blown away going through it because each point stacks on the next, turning Claude from a chatbot into something closer to a full operating layer for your work.
Before we get into the 12, the creator points out a few baseline moves worth knowing:
- Use the desktop app, not the browser. The features hit different there.
- The $20 plan is the price of entry for most of this. The author says it’s worth every cent.
- Pro tip from the post: there’s a way to get it free via a welcome email referenced in their setup guide.
Now here’s the breakdown of what Claude can actually pull off, straight from this savvy professional’s curation:
1. Build websites without writing code
Connect your GitHub, describe the end result you want, and Claude writes every line. The expert recommends downloading VS Code and toggling on Skip Permissions so Claude can move without friction. You prompt, it pushes live.
2. Let Claude use your computer
Head into settings and flip on Browser use and Computer use. Pair it with Dispatch on your phone, text a task from anywhere, and Claude will click, browse, and work on your Mac while you’re away from the desk. The mind behind it calls this the closest thing to a digital assistant that actually does stuff.
3. Create Skills with slash commands
Just tell Claude: “Use the skill-creator to build a skill for [task].” It interviews you, generates the skill, and you upload it. After that, typing /skill fires it automatically. You can share these with your team, which is a quiet productivity unlock most folks sleep on.
4. Generate full slide decks with research baked in
This one genuinely surprised me. Claude runs 5+ web searches on your topic, builds a structured brief, and sends it straight to Gamma. One prompt turns into a full presentation with real data inside. The author describes this as the fastest path from idea to deck I’ve ever seen.
5. Automate scheduled tasks
Go to Scheduled, hit New, drop in a prompt, pick a frequency. Want a competitor report every Monday at 7am? Done. Claude runs it without you sitting there to press go. Weekly briefings, research digests, recurring reports, all on autopilot.
6. Build Excel files straight from prompts
Prompt it with something like “Create a 3-year financial plan. Use formulas.” Claude builds full financial models and data analysis. The original poster shares a neat convention: blue text for inputs, black for formulas, which keeps models clean and auditable.
7. Connect Claude to the tools you already use
Go to Settings → Connectors → Browse and click Add. Slack, Gmail, Google Drive, Notion, plus 50+ other apps. Once connected, Claude reads, writes, and acts inside them. This is where it stops being a chatbot and starts being a coworker.
8. Use Cowork as an AI employee
Point Claude to a folder and it reads your files. It asks you clarifying questions, then delivers finished .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files. The contributor drops a golden tip here: one well-written .md file replaces 50 random uploads. Context quality beats context quantity.
9. Run Projects with memory
Inside Cowork, go to Projects → +. Then prompt something like “build on last week’s report.” It remembers. Scoped memory means Claude learns what works for you over time instead of starting from zero every session.
10. Install plugins for your specific role
Head to Cowork → Customize → Browse Plugins → Install. Marketing folks get /draft-content. Legal gets contract review. You can customize each plugin to your own company’s voice and rules, which is where the real leverage kicks in.
11. Let AI prompt you back
This is my favorite trick from the whole list. Add “use AskUserQuestion” to any prompt, and Claude generates a clickable form. You just click answers instead of writing long prompts. It forces you to be clear without making you type. I’ve been using this since reading the post and it’s a different experience.
12. Design anything with Claude Design
Click the palette icon, prompt what you want, and Claude builds it live. You refine with inline comments, sliders, and direct edits. Export to Canva, PDF, PPTX, or straight to Claude Code. The expert frames this as the moment Claude crossed from “writes things” to “makes things.”
Why this matters: most people are paying for a tool and using maybe 10% of it. The creator’s whole point is that Claude already does the work of five different apps you’re probably juggling, you just have to know where to click.
What I took away from this
The through line across all 12 points is simple: Claude is quietly becoming a general purpose work engine. Websites, spreadsheets, slides, automations, design, memory, connectors. The one who posted it didn’t frame this as hype. They framed it as a usage gap. And that’s what makes the list stick.
If you’re only prompting Claude for quick answers, you’re basically using a sports car to go to the mailbox.
Go check out the full LinkedIn post for all the author’s direct setup links and step-by-step screenshots. Worth the scroll.