{"id":"fpa-headcount-vs-plan-table","audience":"fpa","category":"finance-work","track":"finance","technique":"format","level":"intermediate","title":"Compare actual headcount with plan by department and flag overages","free":false,"task":"You're reporting headcount against plan. Write a prompt for a markdown table with columns Dept | Plan | Actual | Variance | Flag, one row per department and a Total row. Variance = actual minus plan with a sign. Flag is \"Over plan\" only when actual is above plan. Don't mention the hiring managers' explanations. No commentary. Under 80 words.","materialLabel":"Headcount plan and actuals (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"HEADCOUNT VS PLAN - Nov 6, 2026, Fieldstone Software\n\nDept | Plan | Actual\nEngineering | 20 | 18\nSales | 12 | 13\nSupport | 8 | 8\n\nMethod: variance = actual - plan; a positive variance means more people than planned. Flag Over plan only for a positive variance.\n\nManager comments (not part of the table): Engineering says 'two offers are pending'; Sales says 'we pulled a hire forward to cover a leave'. Decisions on the plan are for the CFO and department heads.","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":80},{"type":"maxBullets","max":0}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Names the columns","patterns":["dept.*plan.*actual.*variance.*flag","columns"]},{"label":"Gives the formula","patterns":["actual minus plan"]},{"label":"Defines the flag","patterns":["over plan"]},{"label":"Bans comments","patterns":["(do not|don'?t).*(comments|managers)"]},{"label":"Limits output","patterns":["no commentary","only the table"]}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Flagging Engineering","why":"The AI flags any variance, including the negative one.","fix":"Say: \"Flag Over plan only when the variance is positive.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Reversed variance","why":"The AI subtracts actual from plan.","fix":"Add: \"Variance = actual minus plan.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Adding explanations","why":"The AI mentions pending offers and the pulled-forward hire.","fix":"Add: \"Do not mention the managers' comments.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Missing the total row","why":"The AI drops it.","fix":"Say: \"Rows Engineering, Sales, Support and Total.\"","checks":["r0","maxBullets"]},{"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 headcount variance flags only overages. Give the formula, the flag rule and the bans.","rubricLabels":["Table has the columns Dept | Plan | Actual | Variance | Flag with rows Engineering, Sales, Support and a Total row","Variances are -2 (Engineering), +1 (Sales), 0 (Support) and -1 (Total 40 plan, 39 actual)","Only Sales is flagged Over plan, and the output never mentions the offers, the pulled-forward hire or any commentary"]}