{"id":"acct-expense-policy-friendly-rewrite","audience":"accounting","category":"finance-work","track":"finance","technique":"tone","level":"beginner","title":"Rewrite a stiff expense policy in a friendly voice","free":false,"task":"You're sending the new travel expense policy to employees. Write a prompt that rewrites the paragraph in a warm, plain voice under 90 words, plain text. It must start with \"Quick reminder:\", keep all five limits exactly as written, add no new rules, and never mention discipline or consequences.","materialLabel":"Source material (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"TRAVEL AND EXPENSE POLICY - revised Oct 1, 2026\n\nEmployees shall adhere to the following. Meal expenses are reimbursable up to $60 per day (increased from $50 effective Oct 1). Lodging is reimbursable up to $180 per night. A receipt is required for any single expense over $25. Expense reports must be submitted within 30 days of the end of the trip; reports submitted after that date are subject to review by the Controller. Alcohol is not reimbursable under any circumstances. Non-compliance with this policy may result in denial of reimbursement and referral to the employee's manager.\n\nMileage reimbursement is governed by a separate policy and is not changed by this revision.\n\nBackground: Finance has heard that employees find the policy intimidating. The company has 140 employees, about 40 of whom travel regularly. The new meal limit was approved by the CFO on Sep 22 after a survey of average city meal costs. The employee handbook will link to the final version of this note, and the HR newsletter will include it in the November issue.","rules":[{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":90}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Sets the opening","patterns":["quick reminder","start with"]},{"label":"Names the tone","patterns":["friendly","warm","plain"]},{"label":"Keeps the numbers","patterns":["all five","exactly","limits"]},{"label":"Bans consequences","patterns":["consequence","discipline","threat"]},{"label":"Caps length","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","under \\d+"]}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Dropping a limit","why":"The AI trims details to sound friendlier.","fix":"Say: \"Keep all five limits exactly as written.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Keeping the threats","why":"The AI keeps the non-compliance sentence.","fix":"Add: \"Never mention discipline or consequences.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Still stiff","why":"The AI keeps the formal tone.","fix":"Add: \"Warm, plain voice, short sentences, use 'you'.\"","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"]},{"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 part short.","checks":["maxWords"]}],"hint":"Tone changes the wording, not the rules. Say what must stay and what must go.","rubricLabels":["The rewrite starts with \"Quick reminder:\" and is in a warm, plain voice (short sentences, \"you\" language, no stiff phrases like \"shall adhere\")","All five limits appear: meals $60 per day, lodging $180 per night, receipts over $25, reports within 30 days, and alcohol not reimbursable; $50 does not appear","It adds no new rules and does not mention discipline, review by the Controller, denial of reimbursement, referral to a manager or other consequences"]}