{"id":"data2-vendor-cost-two-horizons-table","audience":"operations","category":"decisions","track":"data","technique":"verification","level":"intermediate","title":"Compare two vendor quotes over 12 and 24 months","free":false,"task":"Your team must pick a reporting-tool vendor under a 24-month contract. Make one markdown table with columns Vendor, 12-month cost and 24-month cost, with the arithmetic in each cell like '$1,200 x 12 + $3,000 = $17,400', then one last line 'Recommendation:' naming the cheaper vendor for the 24-month contract and the saving. Apply the free-month offer, plain text apart from the table, under 110 words.","materialLabel":"Vendor quotes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Vendor quotes - reporting tool (Pinewood Cloud)\n\nVendor A (Metrix)\n- $1,200 per month\n- One-time setup fee: $3,000\n- No promotions\n\nVendor B (Chartly)\n- $1,050 per month\n- One-time setup fee: $6,000\n- Promotion: the first month is free (the monthly price is not charged for month 1; setup is still charged)\n\nNotes:\n- The company's contract will be 24 months.\n- Costs are in US dollars, before tax.\n- Cost over N months = monthly price x months charged + setup fee.\n- Both vendors have the same features for our needs.\n- The 12-month column is for reference only; the decision is based on the 24-month cost.","rules":[{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":110}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Ignoring the free month","why":"The AI charges Vendor B for all months.","fix":"Add: \"Vendor B's first month is free: 11 months and 23 months charged.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Results without working","why":"The AI lists totals only.","fix":"Add: \"Write the arithmetic in each cell.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Deciding on the 12-month cost","why":"The AI recommends the cheaper 12-month vendor.","fix":"Add: \"Recommend by the 24-month cost, with the saving.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Leaving the format to chance","why":"The AI picks its own length and layout unless told the exact shape.","fix":"Add: \"Plain text, no bold or headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it.","fix":"Cap each part instead, for example \"each line under 15 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Names the columns","patterns":["vendor ?\\||12-month cost"]},{"label":"Applies the promotion","patterns":["free","11 months?","23 months?"]},{"label":"Asks for working","patterns":["arithmetic","write the"]},{"label":"Gives the recommendation rule","patterns":["recommendation:","24 months?"]},{"label":"Cuts extras","patterns":["nothing else","no intro"]}],"hint":"Promotions change the number of months charged. Say it, and ask for the arithmetic in each cell.","mission":"Compare these two vendor quotes.","musts":["Arithmetic in every cell","Free month applied","Recommendation with saving"],"rubricLabels":["Vendor A shows $1,200 x 12 + $3,000 = $17,400 and $1,200 x 24 + $3,000 = $31,800","Vendor B uses 11 charged months for 12 months ($1,050 x 11 + $6,000 = $17,550) and 23 charged months for 24 months ($1,050 x 23 + $6,000 = $30,150), reflecting the free first month","The last line starts 'Recommendation:' and names Vendor B (Chartly) as cheaper over 24 months, saving $1,650, and the table has columns Vendor, 12-month cost and 24-month cost"]}