Separate the things people call memory

A conversation records an interaction. Instructions tell a tool how to behave. Reference files provide evidence. A product’s memory or personalisation features may use several sources and vary by workspace. OpenAI distinguishes custom instructions from memory and notes that a memory summary may not include every detail. Keep these categories separate when deciding what to hand over.

Start with the work, not the whole account

Choose a recurring task such as preparing a customer report. Record the intended output, input sources, reusable prompt, review criteria and known failure cases. Keep a small approved example of input and output. This task-centred package is easier to review than a large unfiltered export containing unrelated personal conversations.

Check which export route is available

For ChatGPT, use the official export guidance for the actual account or workspace. Availability varies, and organisation-managed workspaces may require an administrator rather than self-service export. Do not promise a universal export button. Confirm the company’s permitted scope before downloading or sharing work records.

Review before sharing

Remove personal material, credentials and content the recipient is not authorised to receive. Replace secrets in reusable instructions with references to the company’s approved secret-management process. Ask the employee to confirm what each prompt assumes and the lead to approve the recipient and final package.

Make a reusable context card

Include: task purpose; approved input links; prompt and instructions; an example; quality checks; known limitations; next owner; and review date. For example, a report prompt may require explanations of month-to-month changes and a human reviewer before sending. Write these expectations explicitly instead of relying on the departing employee’s chat history.

Verify by doing one task

Let the recipient run a representative task using the reviewed material in an authorised environment. Compare the result with the agreed criteria, not just the old wording. Record missing context and update the card. Importing text does not guarantee identical outputs, connections or product memory; keep the source links and review process usable after the original account is disconnected.

Sources

Service settings can change. Official guidance checked on 2026-09-28.

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