{"id":"res-off-per-diem-slack-reply","audience":"office","category":"research","technique":"grounding","title":"Answer a coworker's travel policy question in one Slack reply","free":false,"task":"A coworker on Slack asked what she can spend on meals and a hotel for a 2-night trip to Columbus next week. You want one reply under 60 words, in plain text, using only the current travel policy and the finance update that changed the meal rate. Give the meal and hotel limits, and say the policy doesn't cover her third question instead of guessing.","materialLabel":"The travel policy, a finance update, and the Slack question (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"REDWING SUPPLY CO. - TRAVEL & EXPENSE POLICY (rev. Jan 2026)\n\n4.1 Meals: Employees receive a flat meal per diem of $59 per full travel day. On the first and last day of travel, the per diem is 75% of the full rate.\n4.2 Lodging: Hotels up to $175 per night before taxes in standard cities.\n4.3 Receipts: Submit receipts for lodging and any single expense over $25 within 10 business days.\n4.4 Alcohol is not reimbursable.\n\n-----\nFINANCE UPDATE (email from Ray Ortiz, Controller, Oct 1, 2026):\n\"Effective Oct 1, the full-day meal per diem increases from $59 to $64. The 75% rule for first and last days is unchanged. All other policy sections stay the same.\"\n\n-----\nSLACK from Priya (today):\n\"hey! heading to Columbus Mon-Wed next week for the client visit. what's my meal allowance, what's the hotel cap, and can I expense a rideshare from the airport?? thx\"","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":60},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Using the old meal rate","why":"The policy says $59, and the AI may miss that the finance email raised it.","fix":"Say: \"Use the Oct 1 finance update where it changes the policy.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Not doing the math","why":"The AI quotes the per diem rule but doesn't apply the 75% first and last day rule to her trip.","fix":"Add: \"Work out her total for Mon-Wed and give the hotel cap.\"","checks":["r0","r1"]},{"title":"Guessing on rideshare","why":"The policy is silent, so the AI answers from what companies usually allow.","fix":"Say: \"If the policy doesn't cover it, say so.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands 10-20% over.","fix":"Cap the parts: \"one sentence per question, each under 15 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Getting markdown back","why":"AI defaults to bold labels and headings, which show up as stray symbols in Slack.","fix":"Ask for \"plain text, no bold, no headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Uses the update","patterns":["update","\\$?64","oct(ober)?\\.? 1","finance email"]},{"label":"Asks for her total","patterns":["total","work out","calculat","mon.{0,5}wed","75"]},{"label":"Says what to do when it's silent","patterns":["doesn't (cover|say)","does not (cover|say)","not (covered|in the policy)","(don't|do not) guess"]},{"label":"Sets a length limit","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","one (short )?sentence","word (limit|count)"]},{"label":"Asks for plain text","patterns":["plain","no bold","no markdown","no formatting","no headings"]}],"hint":"The policy and a later email disagree, and one question isn't covered at all. Tell the AI which wins, ask it to do the math for her trip, and say what to do with the gap.","rubricLabels":["Uses the updated $64 meal rate (not $59), including the first and last day at 75% ($48), for a total of $160 or day-by-day amounts that add up to it","Gives the hotel cap of $175 per night before taxes","Says the policy doesn't cover rideshare from the airport (or tells her to check with finance) rather than saying yes or no, and the reply has no greeting or sign-off"]}