If you build guides for a client (lake association, municipality, club) using AI, treat your personal account as a workshop until content is ready for members.

Recommended workflow

1. Define the program - what guides the client needs.
2. Workshop on personal - Studio → + New shelf named for the project (e.g. "Lake Assoc - WIP").
3. Create with AI - personal API key or ChatGPT OAuth; scaffold flat pages for short guides; fill instructional content.
4. Review - Reader prev/next; fix empty section dividers and non-actionable pages.
5. Deploy - Studio Publish & placement → move publisher to org portal + channel when ready.

Why not build directly in the portal?

You can - use Portal → Settings → Integrations key from day one. Many consultants prefer personal workshop because:

• Drafts and AI mistakes stay private until deploy.
• Personal shelves organize work-in-progress per client.
• Publishing is an explicit handoff.

What changes when you move to a portal?

The guide's publisher becomes the org. Your personal API key (and ChatGPT OAuth) no longer edits that guide. Use the portal integration key for ongoing AI edits, or keep a personal template copy for the next client.

On the roadmap: one login listing personal + portal libraries in a single AI catalog (no key swap).

Instructional structure

Guides are instructional, not entertainment. Prefer flat pages for short guides. Use sections only when each groups 2+ pages and includes intro content on the section page. See Personal notebooks with GDF → AI workshop workflow.