{"id":"sheet-re-contingency-deadline-workday","audience":"real-estate","category":"spreadsheets","track":"data","technique":"context","title":"Get a deadline formula that skips weekends and holidays","free":false,"task":"Inspection contingencies end 10 calendar days after the accepted date in B2, but if that day lands on a weekend or a date on your Holidays tab (A2:A10), the deadline moves to the next business day. Ask for one formula for C2 in one code block, then exactly 2 numbered lines labeled Rule: (in plain words) and Example: (the 1407 Oak row's deadline). Under 50 words outside the code.","materialLabel":"Your deadlines sheet (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Sheet: Pending Deals (Google Sheets)\n\nA Property | B Accepted | C Inspection deadline | D Agent\n1407 Oak St | Fri 2026-11-20 | | Dana\n22 Pine Ct | Mon 2026-11-16 | | Luis\n9 Brook Ln | Fri 2026-12-04 | | Dana\n310 Ash Ave | Wed 2026-11-11 | | Kim\n\nHOLIDAYS tab\nA2: 2026-11-26 (Thanksgiving)\nA3: 2026-12-25\nA4: 2027-01-01\n...\n\nNotes:\n- 1407 Oak: 10 days later is Monday Nov 30\n- 22 Pine: 10 days later is Thursday Nov 26, Thanksgiving\n- Last month a buyer's agent argued a Sunday deadline should roll to Monday, and they were right\n- C is formatted as a date","rules":[{"type":"codeBlocks","count":1},{"type":"numberedItems","count":2},{"type":"maxProseWords","max":50}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Asking for WORKDAY(B2,10)","why":"That counts 10 business days, which lands days too late.","fix":"Say: \"10 calendar days, then move to the next business day only if needed.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Leaving out holidays","why":"The AI skips weekends but leaves a Thanksgiving deadline in place.","fix":"Add: \"Skip dates on Holidays!A2:A10.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"No worked example","why":"You can't tell if the formula is right without one known answer.","fix":"Add: \"Example: the 1407 Oak deadline.\"","checks":["r2","numberedItems"]},{"title":"Getting a menu of options","why":"The AI likes to offer two or three versions of the formula, so you're left to pick and test them yourself.","fix":"Add: \"Give one formula only, in one code block, no alternatives.\"","checks":["codeBlocks"]},{"title":"Getting a tutorial","why":"By default the AI explains every part of the formula at length.","fix":"Add: \"Each line under 20 words. Nothing else.\"","checks":["maxProseWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Says calendar days, then roll","patterns":["calendar days","next business day","roll"]},{"label":"Mentions the holiday list","patterns":["holiday","a2:a10"]},{"label":"Asks for an example","patterns":["example","1407|oak"]},{"label":"Asks for one formula","patterns":["one formula","one code block","no alternatives"]}],"hint":"\"10 days\" can mean calendar days or business days. Say which, and what happens when the deadline lands on a day off.","rubricLabels":["The formula lands on B2 + 10 when that is a business day and otherwise rolls forward to the next business day (for example =WORKDAY(B2+9,1,Holidays!A2:A10))","The formula uses the holiday range Holidays!A2:A10, so 22 Pine (Nov 26, Thanksgiving) moves to Friday Nov 27","After the code there are 2 numbered lines labeled Rule: (plain words, no function names) and Example: (1407 Oak's deadline is Monday Nov 30, 2026)"]}