Cortexa Academy · Free guide
Getting Started with ChatGPT.
A free 52-page guide from Cortexa Consulting: what ChatGPT is genuinely good at, how to ask for work you can use, and when to reach for ChatGPT Work or Codex. Plain language throughout; no email wall.
Download the guide
52 pages · Edition 2026.2 · facts verified July 2026 · free, no email wall
What's inside
Seven short parts, in the order you'll need them.
01
Getting oriented
The three ways to use ChatGPT, which plan you need, and picking a model.
02
ChatGPT on the web
Account setup and privacy, first chats, Projects, Canvas, and memory.
03
ChatGPT Work
Workspace agents that carry your team's knowledge across real tools.
04
Codex
OpenAI's coding agent: automate the repetitive and build real things in plain English.
05
Prompt engineering
The six habits that sharpen every result, including reasoning models.
06
Top apps to try
The apps worth connecting now, and how apps differ from connectors.
07
Pitfalls & ethical use
Five pitfalls with boring, reliable fixes, and the standard for honest use.
A look inside
The same care as client work.
Plain-language pages in the Cortexa document system: dark section dividers, light content pages, and nothing that needs a glossary.
Who it's for
Written for the people doing the work.
- Professionals starting with ChatGPT who want one honest, ordered walkthrough instead of forty tabs
- Teams on ChatGPT Work who need a shared baseline before hands-on training
- Anyone deciding between the free tier, paid plans, and the surfaces beyond chat
Keep going
Where this guide leads.
Common questions
Straight answers.
- Is the guide really free?
- Yes. No email wall, no gate — download the PDF straight from this page. It's the same document our chat assistant can send you, and the same baseline our paid Academy workshops build on.
- Do I need a paid ChatGPT plan to use it?
- No. The early sections work on ChatGPT's free tier. The guide flags where paid plans become relevant and includes an honest plan comparison so you can decide when, or whether, to upgrade.
- Can I share it with my team?
- Please do — send the PDF or this page as-is. If you want the material delivered hands-on and tailored to your stack, that's what Cortexa Academy workshops are for: hello@cortexa-consulting.ai.
- How current is it?
- This is Edition 2026.2, with facts re-verified in July 2026. Model names, prices and menus move fast, so where the guide and the app in front of you disagree, trust the app.
Bring your team
Want it taught, not just read?
Cortexa Academy delivers this material as live, hands-on workshops, tailored to your stack and your policies.