# NotebookLM prompt: evidence-linked risk register

Source: https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/risk-register-prompt  
Section: Prompts  
Last verified: November 2026  
Plan: Free

Use it at project start or before a go/no-go decision. Paste the prompt below into the NotebookLM (Gemini Notebook) chat and replace the parts in square brackets. It tells NotebookLM to answer only from your sources, cite them and flag what they do not cover.

## Quick facts

| Item | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Works in | NotebookLM / Gemini Notebook chat, and the customise box of Studio items |
| Sources needed | Project plans, contracts, incident notes or status reports. |
| Cost | Free to copy. Saving it in the extension is free for up to 10 plain prompts. |

## The prompt

```text
Build a risk register from the sources as a table:
Risk | Evidence and source | Area affected | Mitigation already documented | Open question
Include only risks the sources support. Do not invent probabilities, scores or owners. Flag risks that appear in more than one source.

Use only the sources in this notebook. Cite the source for every claim. If the sources do not cover something, say "not covered in the sources" instead of filling the gap.
```

## How to use it

1. Open the notebook and tick only the sources this question is about.
2. Paste the prompt into the chat and replace every part in [SQUARE BRACKETS].
3. Open two or three citations in the answer to confirm they say what the answer claims.
4. Save the answer as a note, then keep it: [Export the register to Excel](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/data-tables-to-excel).

## Adapt it

- Add a column for the date of the evidence.
- Ask which assumptions in the plan have no supporting document.

> NotebookLM can misread or over-generalise a source. A prompt reduces that; it does not remove it. Check cited passages before you rely on an answer.

## Frequently asked questions

### What should be in the notebook before I use the evidence-linked risk register prompt?

Project plans, contracts, incident notes or status reports.

### How do I save this prompt in NotebookLM?

NotebookLM has no prompt library of its own. With NotebookLM Ultra Exporter you can save it to My prompts and insert it in the chat box by typing /. Free saves 10 plain prompts; variable templates, folders and backup need Pro.

### Why does the prompt ask NotebookLM to say what is not covered?

Because a grounded tool is most useful when it shows the edges of your sources. An explicit instruction to flag gaps reduces confident answers that the sources do not support.

## Related guides

- [Export NotebookLM data tables to Excel](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/data-tables-to-excel)
- [NotebookLM prompt: traceable decision record](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/decision-record-prompt)
- [NotebookLM prompt: onboarding FAQ from a handbook](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/onboarding-faq-from-handbook-prompt)
- [NotebookLM prompt: release notes from change records](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/release-notes-from-change-records-prompt)
- [NotebookLM prompt: meeting decisions and action items](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/meeting-decisions-and-actions-prompt)
- [NotebookLM prompt: summary for stakeholders](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/stakeholder-summary-prompt)