{"id":"acct-payroll-accrual-working-days-lines","audience":"accounting","category":"finance-work","track":"finance","technique":"verification","level":"intermediate","title":"Accrue unpaid wages for the working days after the last pay period","free":false,"task":"You're accruing unpaid October wages. Write a prompt for plain text with lines starting \"Working days:\", \"Daily wages:\", \"Wages accrual:\", \"Employer taxes:\", \"Total accrual:\" and \"Entry:\". Count only weekdays after the last pay period end through Oct 31. Show the math on every line except Entry. Entry gives the debit and credit accounts. Under 100 words.","materialLabel":"Source material (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"PAYROLL ACCRUAL INPUTS - October 31, 2026\n\nPay frequency: biweekly. The last pay period ended Friday, Oct 23 and was paid on Oct 30. Oct 31 is a Saturday.\nGross wages for a biweekly period (10 working days): $84,000\nEmployer payroll taxes and benefits: 8% of gross wages\nNo company holidays between Oct 26 and Oct 31.\n\nAccounts: Wages Expense (6000); Accrued Payroll (2100); Accrued Payroll Taxes (2110)\n\nOther items on the payroll desk (not part of this accrual): a $12,000 bonus to be paid in March, and contractor invoices of $6,000 that are in AP.\n\nNote from payroll: \"Two people started Oct 26 and are not in the biweekly figure above, but they are already in next period's headcount; ignore them for this estimate.\" The estimate is approved by the controller before posting and reversed on Nov 1.","rules":[{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":100}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Names the six lines","patterns":["working days","daily wages","wages accrual","employer taxes","total accrual","entry"]},{"label":"Limits to weekdays","patterns":["weekday","oct 26","saturday"]},{"label":"Asks for the math","patterns":["show the math","x 8%","math"]},{"label":"Names the accounts","patterns":["6000","2100","2110","accrued payroll"]},{"label":"Caps length","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","under \\d+"]}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Counting Saturday","why":"The AI counts Oct 31 as a working day.","fix":"Say: \"Count weekdays only, Oct 26 to Oct 30.\"","checks":["r0","r1"]},{"title":"Adding the bonus","why":"The AI includes the March bonus or contractors.","fix":"Add: \"Only biweekly gross wages and the 8% employer cost.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Skipping the daily rate","why":"The AI jumps to a total.","fix":"Add: \"Show the daily rate as $84,000 / 10.\"","checks":["r0","r1"]},{"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":"The calendar is the trap. Tell the AI which days count, then ask for each step shown.","rubricLabels":["Working days shows 5 (Oct 26, 27, 28, 29, 30) and Daily wages shows $84,000 / 10 = $8,400","Wages accrual shows 5 x $8,400 = $42,000 and Employer taxes shows $42,000 x 8% = $3,360","Total accrual shows $42,000 + $3,360 = $45,360 and the Entry line debits Wages Expense and credits accrued payroll accounts, without the bonus or contractor invoices"]}