{"id":"fpa-cash-buffer-excess-lines","audience":"fpa","category":"finance-work","track":"finance","technique":"constraints","level":"beginner","title":"Compute the minimum cash buffer and the excess over it","free":false,"task":"You're reporting cash against the policy buffer. Write a prompt for plain text with lines starting \"Monthly cash costs:\", \"Minimum buffer:\", \"Cash on hand:\" and \"Excess over buffer:\", each with the math. The buffer is the number of months of cash costs set by policy, using cash costs only. Facts only: no suggestions on how to use the excess. Under 60 words. No bullets or numbering.","materialLabel":"Cash, costs and buffer policy (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"CASH BUFFER CHECK - Nov 2026, Orchard Analytics\n\nCash on hand: $3,000,000\nMonthly operating costs: $450,000, which includes $50,000 of depreciation (non-cash).\nTreasury policy: hold a minimum buffer equal to 2 months of cash operating costs. Cash costs exclude depreciation and other non-cash items.\n\nMethod: monthly cash costs = operating costs minus non-cash items. Minimum buffer = 2 x monthly cash costs. Excess = cash on hand minus buffer.\n\nNotes: the CEO would like to use 'whatever is above the buffer' to buy a competitor. That's a strategic decision and not part of this report; the report only measures the buffer and the excess.","rules":[{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":60},{"type":"maxBullets","max":0}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Names the four lines","patterns":["monthly cash costs","minimum buffer","cash on hand","excess over buffer"]},{"label":"Removes non-cash costs","patterns":["non-cash","depreciation"]},{"label":"Gives the 2-month rule","patterns":["2 x"]},{"label":"Bans uses","patterns":["(do not|don'?t).*(acquisition|use)"]},{"label":"Caps length","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","plain"]}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Using total costs","why":"The AI uses $450,000 and a $900,000 buffer.","fix":"Say: \"Cash costs exclude depreciation.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Discussing the competitor","why":"The AI comments on whether the excess could fund an acquisition.","fix":"Add: \"Do not mention acquisitions, the CEO or uses of the excess.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Wrong months","why":"The AI uses 3 months.","fix":"Add: \"Buffer = 2 x monthly cash costs.\"","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","r1"]},{"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 cash buffer uses cash costs and a policy number of months. State both and ban strategy talk.","rubricLabels":["The line starting \"Monthly cash costs:\" shows $450,000 - $50,000 = $400,000 and the line starting \"Minimum buffer:\" shows 2 x $400,000 = $800,000","The line starting \"Cash on hand:\" shows $3,000,000","The line starting \"Excess over buffer:\" shows $3,000,000 - $800,000 = $2,200,000, and the output never mentions the competitor or any use of the excess"]}