How to Automate Work With Claude Routines

TL;DR

Claude Routines can perform scheduled, multi-step work in the cloud, even when your laptop is off. Effective routines combine connectors for account access, skills for procedural know-how, and precise instructions defining the job, destination, schedule, and output format. Demonstrated workflows include hourly Gmail summaries sent to Slack and daily client proposals built from meeting notes.

Transcript

Every time a new AI tool launches, you probably ask yourself the same thing. Is this actually useful for me or is this just another thing to ignore? This week, Claude shipped three updates back to back. Let me show you which one. So, in the next 15 minutes, I am walking you through all three. First, Claude released a new desktop app. And inside tha... Read More

Key Insights

• Claude Routines is an agentic feature in the desktop app that runs scheduled tasks without requiring the user to open the application. A remote routine receives its own cloud computer, allowing it to continue working when the user’s laptop is shut or stored away.
• The routine system has three core components: connectors provide access to services such as Gmail, Slack, and calendars; skills supply procedural knowledge and preferred formats; and the routine defines the specific job and its trigger. Together, they function like access keys, employee training, and a job description.
• Remote execution is designed to reduce dependence on a user’s computer. Local routines can perform similar work, but the machine must remain on. Remote routines run in the cloud by default, so scheduled work can continue while the user is sleeping, traveling, or attending meetings.
• The email brief routine checks Gmail every hour, reads the latest three emails, summarizes each in one sentence, and sends the results to a specified Slack channel. Its setup requires an hourly trigger and only two connectors, Gmail for the source and Slack for the destination.
• Prompt specificity is the main requirement for dependable routines. Instructions should define exactly what data to process, where the result must go, and which output format to use. The examples specify the latest three emails, a named Slack destination, and one-sentence summaries instead of leaving those decisions to Claude.
• The proposal routine converts meeting notes into a client-specific presentation. It selects the latest B2B call from Granola, researches the client, builds slides with the company’s Gamma template, and notifies a colleague through Slack after completion, including a link and summary.
• The demonstrated proposal workflow replaces a process estimated to take four to six hours and cost 3,000 to 5,000 rupees in team time for each client. The routine is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. and uses Granola, Gamma, and Slack connectors.
• Claude can work on parts of a routine in parallel. In the proposal example, it researches the client, prepares the presentation, locates the appropriate Gamma template, and identifies the correct Slack channel without waiting for every activity to finish sequentially.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do you create a remote Claude Routine?

Open the Claude desktop app, select Routines under Code in the left sidebar, and choose New Routine. Select remote execution so Claude can run the task on a cloud machine without keeping your laptop on. Give the routine a name, describe the task in plain English, add a schedule trigger, retain only the necessary connectors, authorize those services, and select Create.

Q: What is the difference between local and remote Claude Routines?

A local routine runs on the user’s own computer, so that machine must remain on for the automation to work. A remote routine runs on a cloud computer created for the task. Consequently, the remote routine can continue executing after the laptop is closed, while the user sleeps, or while the device is stored away.

Q: What are connectors, skills, and routines in Claude?

Connectors give Claude access to external accounts and services, such as Gmail, Slack, and a calendar. Skills provide the operational know-how, including how a team writes or how a proposal should be formatted. A routine is the job description that states what Claude must do and when it should do it. All three components are needed for useful scheduled work.

Q: How do you automate email summaries from Gmail to Slack?

Create a remote routine named for the email brief, then instruct Claude to read the latest three Gmail messages, summarize each in one sentence, and post them to a named Slack channel. Add an hourly schedule trigger, remove unnecessary default connectors, and keep only Gmail and Slack. After authorizing both services, create the routine and use Run Now to test it.

Q: How should prompts for Claude Routines be written?

A routine prompt should state the task with enough precision that Claude does not need to guess. Define the exact scope, such as the latest three emails rather than emails generally. Identify the precise destination, including the channel or spreadsheet, and prescribe the output format, such as one sentence per item or a bullet list. Vague instructions are presented as the main reason routines fail.

Q: How can Claude automate client proposal creation?

A proposal routine can retrieve the latest B2B meeting notes from Granola, determine what the client needs, research the client’s company, and create a slide-by-slide proposal in Gamma using an existing company template. It can then locate the appropriate Slack channel, notify the responsible colleague, and provide the completed presentation link with a summary. The demonstrated routine runs daily at 9:00 a.m.

Q: Why are Claude Routines presented as more resilient than chain automations?

Traditional automation tools are described as chains in which every step depends on the preceding connection. If an application becomes unavailable or a spreadsheet column moves, one broken link can stop the workflow and require manual troubleshooting. Claude Routines is presented as capable of reasoning through a disruption and finding another way to continue instead of simply crashing when a step changes.

Q: How much time can the demonstrated proposal routine save?

The manual proposal process is described as taking four to six hours after every client meeting and costing between 3,000 and 5,000 rupees in team time. The routine automates reading Granola notes, understanding client requirements, researching the company, building an on-brand Gamma presentation, and notifying a colleague through Slack. These figures apply specifically to the workflow demonstrated in the source.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Claude Routines provides a plain-English way to schedule autonomous work through the desktop app. Users can choose local execution, which requires their computer to remain on, or remote execution on a cloud machine. The remote option allows routines to continue while the user sleeps, attends meetings, or closes the laptop.

• The first demonstration creates an hourly email brief using Gmail and Slack connectors. Claude reads the latest three emails, condenses each into one sentence, and posts the results to a team channel. The walkthrough emphasizes limiting connectors and specifying the source, destination, quantity, and required format in the routine instructions.

• The second demonstration automates a B2B proposal workflow that previously required four to six hours of team effort. A daily routine retrieves the latest client meeting notes from Granola, researches the company, creates an on-brand presentation in Gamma, and sends a Slack notification containing the proposal link and summary.