{"id":"acct-close-retro-action-checklist","audience":"accounting","category":"finance-work","track":"finance","technique":"format","level":"beginner","title":"Turn close retrospective notes into an action checklist","free":false,"task":"You're the close manager sending out actions from the retro. Write a prompt for a checklist of the assigned actions only, one per line formatted \"- [ ] Owner: action (due date)\", then a last line starting \"Unassigned:\" listing any action with no owner. At most 4 checklist lines. Plain text, under 80 words.","materialLabel":"Close retrospective notes, Nov 5 (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"October close retrospective - notes from Nov 5, 2026\n\nWhat went well: bank recs done by day 3; flux comments were clearer.\nWhat hurt: the payroll accrual waited on the HR export; intercompany balances arrived late from Tel Aviv.\n\nActions discussed:\n- Priya will automate the bank feed import so the first reconciliation step is hands-off. Target Nov 20.\n- Marcus will ask HR to send the timesheet export on working day 1 every month, starting with the November close (Dec 1).\n- Dana will send the revised close calendar to the team by Nov 9.\n- Someone should look at whether the accrual template can pull last month's numbers automatically. Nobody volunteered.\n- Omar will confirm the intercompany cutoff time with the Tel Aviv controller by Nov 12.\n\nOther comments: the team liked the new flux format. Lunch will be provided at the December retro.","rules":[{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":80},{"type":"maxBullets","max":4}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Gives the checklist format","patterns":["- \\[ \\]","owner: action"]},{"label":"Limits to assigned actions","patterns":["assigned","named owner"]},{"label":"Asks for the unassigned line","patterns":["unassigned"]},{"label":"Excludes other notes","patterns":["leave out","only"]},{"label":"Caps length","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","plain"]}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Listing the unowned task","why":"The AI gives the accrual template task to a team member.","fix":"Add: \"Unassigned: the action nobody volunteered for.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Including everything","why":"The AI adds went-well items and the lunch.","fix":"Say: \"Leave out praise, problems and social notes.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Missing due dates","why":"The AI writes actions without dates.","fix":"Add: \"Each line ends with the due date in parentheses.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Markdown extras","why":"The AI adds bold labels, headings and a closing note.","fix":"Say: \"Plain text, no bold. Output only the lines asked for.\"","checks":["plainText","maxBullets"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting and runs past word limits.","fix":"Ask for fewer words than the real cap and keep each line short.","checks":["maxWords"]}],"hint":"A retro mixes praise, problems and actions. Say what belongs on the list and what to do with unowned items.","rubricLabels":["Four checklist lines start with \"- [ ]\" in the form Owner: action (due date) for Priya (Nov 20), Marcus (Dec 1), Dana (Nov 9) and Omar (Nov 12)","The last line starts \"Unassigned:\" and lists the accrual template idea","Doesn't include the 'what went well' items, the flux compliment or the lunch comment"]}