{"id":"ind-fin-dept-card-category-totals","audience":"finance","category":"data","technique":"verification","title":"Total a department's card spending by category","free":false,"task":"Your department head wants October card spending by category. Write exactly 3 numbered lines, one per category, sorted by total from highest to lowest, each in the form \"Category: $total (a + b + ...)\" so the addition is visible. Count the refund as a negative, skip the declined charge, keep it under 70 words, and use plain text. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.","materialLabel":"The card transactions (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"DEPT CARD - Customer Success - October - Ashgrove Software (fictional)\n\nDate   | Merchant               | Category  | Amount   | Status\nOct 2  | SkyWay Airlines        | Travel    | $320.00  | Posted\nOct 4  | Brightdesk (software)  | Software  | $96.00   | Posted\nOct 9  | Harbor Hotel           | Travel    | $210.00  | Posted\nOct 11 | Lunchbox Catering      | Meals     | $145.00  | Posted\nOct 15 | SkyWay Airlines        | Travel    | -$120.00 | Refund (fare change)\nOct 18 | Brightdesk (software)  | Software  | $96.00   | Declined (card expired)\nOct 22 | Noodle Bar             | Meals     | $62.00   | Posted\nOct 27 | Formstack Pro          | Software  | $48.00   | Posted\nOct 30 | Corner Coffee          | Meals     | $18.00   | Posted\n\nNotes:\n- Declined charges never hit the account.\n- The new card arrived Oct 20.\n- Team offsite moved to January.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":3},{"type":"maxWords","max":70},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"No fixed shape","why":"The AI builds a table with every transaction and a summary.","fix":"Be exact: \"Exactly 3 numbered lines: Category: $total (a + b).\"","checks":["numberedItems","plainText"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for \"under 70 words\" and it often lands well over.","fix":"Cap each part instead: \"each line under 15 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Counting what didn't post","why":"The AI adds the declined charge or treats the refund as spending.","fix":"Add: \"Skip the declined charge. Subtract the refund.\"","checks":["r0","r2"]},{"title":"Hiding the addition","why":"A bare total can't be checked.","fix":"Add: \"Show the addition in parentheses on each line.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Keeping table order","why":"The AI lists categories in the order they first appear.","fix":"Add: \"Sort from highest total to lowest.\"","checks":["r1"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Handles the refund","patterns":["refund","negative","subtract"]},{"label":"Skips the declined charge","patterns":["declin","didn'?t post","posted only"]},{"label":"Shows the addition","patterns":["show","addition","\\(a ?\\+ ?b","math"]},{"label":"Sorts by total","patterns":["sort","highest","largest"]},{"label":"Sets a word limit","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","word (limit|count)"]}],"hint":"Totals are easy to get slightly wrong. Tell the AI what counts, what doesn't, and to show its addition so you can check it.","rubricLabels":["The totals are Travel $410.00 (320 + 210 - 120), Meals $225.00 (145 + 62 + 18), Software $144.00 (96 + 48)","Lines are sorted highest first (Travel, Meals, Software) and each shows its addition in parentheses","The refund is subtracted from Travel and the declined $96 Brightdesk charge is left out, with no extra commentary, grand total or notes after the 3 lines"]}