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Codex for small business: what it does and recipes to try

Codex is OpenAI's coding agent. It works in the ChatGPT desktop and mobile apps, on the web, in the Codex CLI and IDE extension, and in Codex Cloud. You can extend it with skills, folders of instructions for a task, and schedule tasks to run in the background. It is included in ChatGPT plans and shares usage with ChatGPT Work.

Last checked: · Sources

See 2 recipesOpen Codex (opens in a new tab)

Who can use it

  • ChatGPT plans, including Free
  • Also available with an API key
  • ChatGPT apps, CLI, IDE or Codex Cloud
  • Usage shared with ChatGPT Work

What Codex can do

  • Coding tasks

    Codex builds features and tools, explains code and fixes failures in a project you choose.

    Example: Check a design handover folder and build an approved file list.

  • Skills

    Add a folder with a SKILL.md file to .agents/skills and Codex uses it for that kind of task.

    Example: A skill that formats release notes the same way every time.

  • Scheduled tasks

    Describe when a task should run and it runs in the background. Manage tasks and their runs in the Scheduled view.

    Example: Every Monday, check a project folder for missing files.

Recipes built with Codex

Each recipe shows what you provide, what you get, and a setup prompt to copy into Codex. Examples are illustrative, not recorded results.

Article-to-Visuals agent

Recipe

Turn an approved article into a matching cover, illustrations and carousel, with editable artwork and PNG/PDF exports.

You provide
Final article and intended reader, Optional brand assets and required wording, Local workspace with a browser renderer
You get
One 1600×900 cover and three matching article illustrations as PNG and editable SVG files., With Full visual pack: six 1080×1350 carousel PNGs, a six-page PDF and editable SVG/HTML layouts., A contact sheet, source and alt-text manifest, review notes and a reusable local renderer.
Build with:CodexClaude Code
View recipe

Build a checked design handover package

Recipe

Inspect actual files, match them to the agreed scope and prepare a package with a manifest and unresolved checks.

You provide
The agreed deliverables, recipient’s intended use and explicitly approved file versions, A local source folder for Codex, or actual readable file uploads for ChatGPT Work, Any existing preflight report and sharing permissions, especially for editable files, images and fonts
You get
A draft package of approved files with a manifest, recipient notes and unresolved checks
Build with:ChatGPT WorkCodex
View recipe

Skills you can add to Codex

A skill is a folder of instructions that Codex can use for a specific task. Add it once, then ask for the task in your own words.

How to add skills to Codex

  • Sales call preparation

    Prepare a focused sales-call brief from meeting notes and customer history, with evidence, questions, and a realistic next step.

  • Content strategy

    Choose what to publish, improve or stop using audience evidence, existing content and production capacity.

  • Website copywriting

    Write page-specific website copy with a message map, supported claims and visible commercial terms.

  • Visual design

    Create an original, readable visual from a brief, with editable SVG artwork and optional exports when rendering tools are available.

  • Business process documentation

    Turn team notes into a repeatable process with clear owners, decisions, exceptions, and completion checks.

  • Support ticket triage

    Organize customer issues into a review queue with evidence-based priorities and draft first responses.

  • Account reconciliation

    Compare accounting records with a clear audit trail, separate uncertain matches, and explain remaining differences.

  • Research synthesis

    Combine supplied sources into a clear answer that preserves evidence, disagreement, and uncertainty.

  • Data visualization

    Turn a supplied dataset into a readable chart with reproducible steps and observations supported by the data.

  • Product roadmap planning

    Organize proposed product work into a roadmap that makes priorities, dependencies, and unanswered decisions clear.

  • Employee onboarding

    Prepare a practical new-starter plan with role-based activities, owners, and checks for missing information.

  • React performance practices

    Diagnose a slow React interaction with comparable traces, targeted fixes and behavior checks.

Browse all 71 skills

Set up your first Codex task

  1. Check your access: Codex is included in ChatGPT plans, with usage shared with ChatGPT Work.
  2. Open Codex in the ChatGPT desktop app, the Codex CLI or the IDE extension, and sign in with your ChatGPT account.
  3. Create a practice folder and start a task in it.
  4. Pick a recipe and paste its setup prompt, or add a skill from the list below by following the skills guide.
  5. Review every file change and result before you keep it.

What to check before you trust it

  • Start in a practice folder or a copy of your files.
  • Review every change before you keep it.
  • Check which tools and plugins a task can reach before you schedule it.
  • Longer tasks use more of your shared ChatGPT usage, so check your limits before a big batch.

Good to know

  • Individual task results have not been tested.

We have not run these setups ourselves. Recipes are written from public Codex documentation, and their examples are illustrative.

Codex vs Claude Code vs ChatGPT Work

CodexClaude CodeChatGPT Work
Where it runsChatGPT desktop and mobile apps, the web, the CLI, IDE extensions and Codex CloudTerminal, IDE extensions, Claude Desktop and the webChatGPT on the web and in the desktop app (local or cloud)
Connected appsYour project files, skills and pluginsYour project files, MCP connectors and skillsFiles and plugins such as Google Drive, Slack, Gmail, SharePoint, Salesforce and GitHub
SchedulingYes: scheduled tasks that run in the backgroundYes: routines in the cloud or desktop scheduled tasksYes: scheduled tasks, managed in the Scheduled view
PlanChatGPT plans or an API keyClaude subscription or Anthropic Console accountAll ChatGPT plans, with plan-based usage limits
CountriesWhere ChatGPT is available; some features are limited by regionWhere Claude is availableWhere ChatGPT is available; some features are limited by region
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Frequently asked questions about Codex

Is Codex only for programmers?

It is built for coding tasks, but it can work with any files in a project folder. The recipes here use it for tasks such as checking a design handover.

Is Codex free?

Codex is included in ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Edu and Enterprise plans and shares usage limits with ChatGPT Work. It is also available with an API key at API rates.

What is the difference between Codex and ChatGPT Work?

Both are included in ChatGPT plans and share usage. Codex focuses on code and project files; ChatGPT Work handles tasks such as briefs, analyses and recurring updates.

How do I add skills to Codex?

Create a folder with a SKILL.md file in .agents/skills in your project or home folder. Our Codex skills guide walks through it.

Can Codex run tasks on a schedule?

Yes. Scheduled tasks run in the background, and you manage them and their runs in the Scheduled view.

Sources

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Codex pricing and product details

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