Formatting Output as a Table (Application: Security Controls Table)

In this recipe, we will demonstrate how to create prompts that guide ChatGPT to generate output in table format. Tables can be an effective way to organize and present information in a structured and easy-to-read manner. In this example, we will create a security controls comparison table.

Getting ready

Ensure you have access to the ChatGPT interface by logging into your OpenAI account.

How to do it…

This example will demonstrate how to create a security controls comparison table. Let’s dive into the steps to achieve this:

1. Craft your prompt by specifying the table format and the information you want to include. For this example, we will generate a table comparing different security controls:

   Create a table comparing five different security controls. The table should have the following columns: Control Name, Description, Implementation Cost, Maintenance Cost, Effectiveness, and Ease of Implementation.

2. ChatGPT will generate a response containing a table with the specified columns, populated with relevant information:

Figure 1.19 – Snippet of a ChatGPT response with a table

3. You can now easily copy and paste the generated table directly into a document or spreadsheet, where it can be further formatted and refined:

Figure 1.20 – ChatGPT response copied/pasted directly into a spreadsheet

How it works…

By specifying the table format and required information in your prompt, you guide ChatGPT to generate content in a structured, tabular manner. The model will focus on generating content that matches the specified format and populating the table with the requested information. The ChatGPT interface automatically understands how to provide table formatting using markdown language, which is then interpreted by the browser.

In this example, we asked ChatGPT to create a table comparing five different security controls with columns for Control Name, Description, Implementation Cost, Maintenance Cost, Effectiveness, and Ease of Implementation. The resulting table provides an organized and easy-to-understand overview of the different security controls.

There’s more…

As you become more comfortable using tables in your prompts, you can experiment with different formats, structures, and scenarios to obtain the desired output for your cybersecurity tasks. You can also combine tables with other techniques, such as roles and templates, to further enhance the quality and relevance of the generated content.

By using tables creatively and experimenting with different combinations, you can leverage ChatGPT’s capabilities to generate structured and organized content for various cybersecurity topics and situations.