{"id":"acct-vendor-credit-balance-refund-email","audience":"accounting","category":"finance-work","track":"finance","technique":"audience","level":"intermediate","title":"Ask a vendor to refund or apply a credit balance by check","free":false,"task":"You're in accounts payable emailing a vendor that holds a credit balance. Write a prompt for a plain-text email under 130 words that states the credit with its math, gives the two choices (refund by check, or apply to the open invoice with the remaining credit shown), asks for a reply by Nov 13, never asks for or shares bank details by email, and ends with exactly \"Priya, Accounts Payable\".","materialLabel":"Source material (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"VENDOR ACCOUNT - Sterling Office Supply (contact: Glen Moore)\n\nCredit sources on our ledger:\n- Overpayment on INV-4410: $1,500.00 (we paid twice on Sep 18)\n- Unapplied credit memo CM-0907 for returned goods: $840.00\n\nOpen invoice INV-4466: $1,900.00, due Nov 25.\n\nRefund method: check mailed to the vendor's remit-to address on file. Our policy: refunds of vendor credits are issued by check. We never request or send bank account details by email.\n\nThe controller wants the account cleaned up before the Nov 30 close. A reply is needed by Nov 13 to meet the Nov 20 payment run. The vendor has been slow to reply to the last two emails.\n\nThe credit amounts have been confirmed against the vendor's statement dated Nov 1, which shows the same $2,340.00 credit.","rules":[{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":130}],"promptHints":[{"label":"States the credit math","patterns":["1,500","840","2,340","math"]},{"label":"Offers both choices","patterns":["both","refund","apply"]},{"label":"Gives the reply date","patterns":["nov(ember)? 13","reply by"]},{"label":"Fixes the sign-off","patterns":["priya","sign off","sign-off"]},{"label":"Caps length","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","under \\d+"]}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Skipping the math","why":"The AI says there is a credit balance with no figures.","fix":"Add: \"State $1,500 + $840 = $2,340.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Offering only a refund","why":"The AI leaves out applying it to the open invoice.","fix":"Add: \"Offer both choices and show the $440 left.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Asking for bank details","why":"The AI offers ACH.","fix":"Add: \"Check only; never ask for bank details.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Wrong sign-off","why":"The AI adds thanks and a phone number.","fix":"Add: \"End exactly with: Priya, Accounts Payable.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"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":"Give the vendor a clear choice with numbers for each, a reply date, and a safe refund method.","rubricLabels":["The email states the credit as $1,500 + $840 = $2,340 and names the two sources (the double payment on INV-4410 and credit memo CM-0907)","It offers two choices: a refund of $2,340 by check, or applying the credit to INV-4466 ($1,900) and leaving $440 of credit ($2,340 - $1,900)","It asks for a reply by Nov 13, does not ask for bank details, and ends with exactly \"Priya, Accounts Payable\""]}