ChatGPT Guide
ChatGPT can support general questions, writing, brainstorming, summarizing, file review, spreadsheet analysis, research, image work, custom GPTs, apps, tasks, study support, and coding support with Codex.
This page is a quick reference, not a full tutorial. Use OpenAI documentation for current product details, limits, and instructions.
Learn with OpenAI Academy
OpenAI Academy is a free learning hub from OpenAI with guides, tutorials, videos, and events on AI fundamentals, using ChatGPT, prompt writing, files and data, and AI-supported workflows.
Go to
OpenAI Academy .Select Sign in with ChatGPT.
If prompted, sign in using your UT Austin ChatGPT account with your EID email address:
yourEID@eid.utexas.edu
Quick Links
ChatGPT sign-in:
ChatGPT
ChatGPT Help Center: https://help.openai.com/en/collections/3742473-chatgpt
ChatGPT capabilities overview: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9260256-chatgpt-capabilities-overview
Projects in ChatGPT: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10169521-using-projects-in-chatgpt
GPTs in ChatGPT: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8554407-gpts-in-chatgpt
Creating and editing GPTs: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8554397-creating-and-editing-gpts
File uploads FAQ: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8555545-file-uploads-faq
Data analysis with ChatGPT: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8437071-data-analysis-with-chatgpt
Apps in ChatGPT: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/11487775-apps-in-chatgpt
Codex in ChatGPT: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/11369540-codex-in-chatgpt
Sign In To ChatGPT
Use your UT Austin ChatGPT account instead of a personal ChatGPT account.
Go to
ChatGPT .
Enter your full UT EID email address in the email field, using the format
yourEID@eid.utexas.edu.Continue through the Microsoft login page.
Enter your UT EID credentials on the University of Texas at Austin authentication page.
Complete Duo multi-factor authentication if prompted.
After authentication, you should be redirected into the UT Austin ChatGPT environment.
If you land in a personal ChatGPT account, sign out, open a private or incognito browser window, and try again with your UT EID email address.
Switching Between Campus and EDU Power Users (Consumption)
Once you have purchased your Consumption license you will need to switch to it within ChatGPT desktop app or ChatGPT web page.
Switch from Campus to EDU Power Users on ChatGPT Webpage.
Simply click on the bottom left UT Austin - Campus button. You will then see the environments on the top of the popup. Hover and click on UT Austin - (EDU Power Users).
Switch from Campus to EDU Power Users in desktop app
In the ChatGPT desktop app, click the UT Austin Campus button in the bottom-left corner.
Click Log out.
Once logged out, click Continue to sign in.
When prompted in your web browser to choose an environment, select UT Austin (EDU Power Users).
Back in the desktop app, confirm you now see UT EDU Power Users in the bottom-left corner.
Switch back to Campus
Follow the same steps and choose UT Austin Campus when prompted.
First-time setup in EDU Power Users
The first time you use the EDU Power Users environment, you may need to sign in to your connectors again — connector authorizations don't carry over between environments.
Feature Summary
Feature | Quick summary | Official documentation |
|---|---|---|
Projects | Keep related chats, files, and context together for a class, project, or workstream. | |
GPTs | Custom versions of ChatGPT for a specific task, audience, or workflow. | |
Skills / custom workflows | Reusable task support commonly built with GPTs, instructions, knowledge, capabilities, apps, or actions. | |
Search | Web-backed answers for current or source-dependent questions. | |
Deep research | Multi-step research that produces a structured, cited report. | |
File uploads | Work with documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, slides, and other files. | |
Data analysis | Inspect data, create tables or charts, and ask questions about spreadsheets. | |
Images | Create, edit, save, and manage images. | |
Study Mode | Learning-focused help for concepts, practice, and guided understanding. | |
Tasks | Scheduled or recurring prompts and reminders. | |
Apps | Connect ChatGPT to external services, files, search, sync, or actions when available. | |
Codex | Coding agent for code review, debugging, tests, and implementation work. | |
CLI Access Tokens | Allow trusted scripts, scheduled jobs, and private CI/CD runners to use Codex CLI without requiring an interactive browser sign-in. Tokens use the creator’s UT Austin ChatGPT workspace identity, expire after no more than 90 days, and must be stored securely. |
Quick Ideas And Examples
Need | Small example | Feature to consider |
|---|---|---|
Study a concept | "Explain this concept, then give me three practice questions." | Study Mode |
Summarize a file | "Summarize this PDF for a busy reader and list the main open questions." | File uploads |
Check research direction | "Compare these sources and identify where they agree or disagree." | Search or deep research |
Work with a spreadsheet | "Review this spreadsheet and point out trends, missing values, and chart ideas." | Data analysis |
Draft course material | "Create three discussion questions from this reading for undergraduate students." | Projects or GPTs |
Draft staff communications | "Turn these notes into a short update with action items." | Projects |
Build a repeated workflow | "Create a reusable helper for this review process and ask me for missing context." | GPTs or apps |
Work with code | "Use Codex to explain this error, suggest a fix, and identify tests to run." | Codex |
Data Use And Acceptable Use
Before using ChatGPT with University data, review Responsible Use and the Local and Cloud Services Decision Matrix .
Quick reminders:
Do not paste sensitive, confidential, protected, unpublished, or personally identifiable University information unless the use is approved.
Do not use personal ChatGPT accounts for controlled or confidential University data.
Review output before using it in academic, operational, research, or public-facing work.
Codex Access Tokens
Codex access tokens allow trusted, non-interactive workflows—such as scripts, scheduled jobs, or private CI/CD runners—to authenticate to Codex CLI using a user’s UT Austin ChatGPT workspace identity. They are not required for normal interactive use of Codex and should not be used as general OpenAI API keys.
Access Token Security
Treat Codex access tokens like passwords. Store them only in an approved password manager or secrets-management system, such as 1Password or an encrypted CI/CD secret store.
Never place an access token directly in source code, scripts, configuration files, Git repositories, tickets, chat messages, email, command output, or logs. Tokens must not be used on public CI runners, shared computers, or other environments where unauthorized users could access them.
UT Austin Codex access tokens are created with an expiration of no more than 90 days. Replace the token before it expires and remove or revoke the old token after confirming the replacement works. Revoke a token immediately if it is exposed, lost, no longer needed, or associated with a workflow that is no longer in use.
Access tokens should be created for a specific workflow and should not be shared between users, teams, or unrelated projects.
For setup, storage, rotation, and revocation instructions, see OpenAI’s Codex access token documentation.
FAQ
Is ChatGPT at UT Austin the same as a personal ChatGPT account?
No. UT Austin ChatGPT access is provided through a University-managed environment. Personal ChatGPT accounts are not covered by the same University agreements.
Where should students start?
For learning support, start with Study Mode or a normal chat. Ask for explanations, examples, practice questions, or feedback, and follow course rules.
Where should faculty start?
For teaching support, try Projects for course context, GPTs for repeated workflows, and file uploads for reviewing drafts or source material.
Where should staff start?
For administrative work, try Projects for ongoing work, file uploads for long documents, and data analysis for spreadsheets.
Where should I start for coding?
Use Codex in ChatGPT for coding support and OpenAI's Codex documentation for current instructions.
Common Sign In And Other Issues
Issue | Start here |
|---|---|
Cannot sign in to ChatGPT | Make sure you are using your UT EID email address: yourEID@eid.utexas.edu. Try a private or incognito browser window if ChatGPT opens a personal account. |
ChatGPT shows an error message | |
ChatGPT file upload issue | |
ChatGPT feature is missing | Check ChatGPT Capabilities Overview and the ChatGPT Help Center. Some features depend on plan, workspace settings, role, or rollout timing. |
EID, Microsoft, or Duo authentication fails before ChatGPT loads | Contact the UT Help Desk at 512-475-9400, help@austin.utexas.edu, or |
Support
If you need help with... | Use this contact or page |
|---|---|
General AI Studio questions | |
EID, Duo, or UT login issue | 512-475-9400 or help@austin.utexas.edu |
Data classification or sensitive data | |
Product documentation |