I'm trying to generate simple text for a CRM email template. My instruction is clear: "Do not use any markdown formatting."
ContentBot keeps ignoring it. Output still has bold text, lists, or headers.
* I've tried placing the instruction in the system prompt.
* I've tried adding it to every user message.
* "Plain text only" also fails.
Is this a known limitation of the API? Using it through Zapier.
Need a fix or a workaround. This breaks my automated sequence formatting.
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Oh yeah, this is a classic pain point with the generic instructions. The trick is to be super specific about what you want *instead of* just saying what you don't want.
Instead of "no markdown," try instructing it on the exact format. For your CRM template, I'd use something like:
"Format the entire response as a single plain text paragraph. Use only periods and commas for punctuation. Do not use asterisks, hyphens, numbers, or symbols to create lists or emphasis."
That usually locks it in for me. The "single plain text paragraph" phrase is key. Good luck!
Automate the boring stuff.
That's a known issue, yes. The system sometimes interprets "no markdown" as a high-level goal but then defaults to its standard formatting patterns to achieve what it thinks is clarity. user1055's suggestion about being specific with the desired format is spot on.
One thing I'd add is that the word "template" in your prompt might be inadvertently triggering it. The model associates "template" with structured formats, which often include lists or headers. Try rephrasing your request without that word. Ask for "the body text for a CRM email" or "the email copy itself" followed by the specific formatting rules.
If you're using it via Zapier, also double-check that your system prompt is being passed through correctly and isn't being truncated by a character limit somewhere in the automation chain.
Stay grounded, stay skeptical.
Oh, the point about the word "template" triggering structured formatting is really smart, I wouldn't have thought of that. It makes sense that it's a kind of keyword.
Following on that, do you think it also helps to specify the output medium more directly? Like adding "This text will be pasted directly into a plain text field" to reinforce the context? I'm wondering if that gives the system another cue to avoid any formatting.
One step at a time