Getting ICM to Operate in Claude Cowork for Enterprise Accounts

Hey

and everyone,

I posted a question about how to implement ICM in CoWork as my organization only allows access to Cowork and not Claude Code, so the auto-hooks was a tricky thing to figure out but I think I did it. Below is the step by step process I've implemented on my work machine that mimics ICM in Claude Code nearly identically. Please go try it out and let me know if this worked for you or not.

Here's the full detailed version:

For everyone trying to run ICM in Cowork without CLI — here's the complete working setup from scratch, in order.

Step 1 — Create your OS folder on Desktop:

Open Finder, navigate to your Desktop, create a new folder. Name it [YourName]-OS. This is your permanent AI workspace. Desktop works because enterprise OneDrive syncs it automatically — you get cloud backup without any path complexity.

Step 2 — Add your three core files:

Place your IDENTITY.md, CONTEXT.md, and REFERENCES.md inside the folder. These are your three context files — identity, current state, and intellectual library. If you don't have them yet, you'll build them after setup.

Step 3 — Point Cowork to your folder:

Open Claude desktop → Settings → Cowork → Cowork files → Change → navigate to Desktop → select [YourName]-OS. This tells Cowork where your workspace lives.

Step 4 — Add as a trusted folder:

Still in Settings → Cowork → Trusted Cowork folders → Manage → Add folder → select Desktop/[YourName]-OS. This means Cowork connects without asking for confirmation every session.

Step 5 — Set Global instructions in General settings:

Settings → General → Global instructions → Edit. Paste this: "At the start of every session, read IDENTITY.md, CONTEXT.md, and REFERENCES.md from the connected folder in that order. Confirm when loaded."

Step 6 — Set Global instructions in Cowork settings:

Settings → Cowork → Global instructions → Edit. Paste the exact same text. Two layers means if one fires, the files load.

Step 7 — Start a new Cowork task:

Click New task in the sidebar. Cowork will ask to connect to a folder — select [YourName]-OS and allow it. You'll see your folder appear in the right panel with your files listed.

Step 8 — Set up CLAUDE.md:

Cowork automatically creates a CLAUDE.md file in your folder and surfaces it in the right panel labeled "Instructions · CLAUDE.md." Click it. A "Folder instructions" dialog opens. Paste this: "At the start of every session, read IDENTITY.md, CONTEXT.md, and REFERENCES.md from this folder in that order. Confirm when loaded." All files and folders created during sessions go directly into [YourName]-OS. Never save to outputs or any other location. Save it. This is your third layer of redundancy and also the rule that keeps all your work inside your folder instead of Cowork's scratch directory.

Step 9 — Your session opener:

"Ready?" Every new session, type one word first: Ready? This forces Claude to run the load sequence before any task begins. If you open with a task prompt instead, Claude sometimes skips the load and jumps straight to work. "Ready?" prevents that. One word, every time, non-negotiable.

Step 10 — Verify it's working:

After typing "Ready?" Claude should respond: "Loaded. IDENTITY.md, CONTEXT.md, and REFERENCES.md are all in. Ready to work." Then ask it "What do you know about me?" — it should respond with your identity and context without you explaining anything.

Important note on session behavior:

Cowork will NOT automatically load your context files if your first prompt is a task. If you open a new session and immediately say "write me an email" or "create a folder," Claude executes the task and skips the load sequence entirely — even with Global instructions and CLAUDE.md both set. This isn't a bug, it's just how the current build behaves. The fix is "Ready?" — always your first word, every session, no exceptions. It forces the load before anything else happens.

That's the full working setup. Three instruction layers, one folder, one session opener. Everything else builds on top of this.

Happy to answer questions — took a full day of troubleshooting to land here, sharing so no one else has to struggle through the restrictions of an enterprise that does not allow Claude Code to be used.

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Getting ICM to Operate in Claude Cowork for Enterprise Accounts