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Roll up two months of AR aging with change and share of total

  • For Accountants
  • You practice Asking for a format you can use
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

You're summarizing AR aging for the CFO. Write a prompt for a markdown table with columns Bucket | Sep | Oct | Change | % of Oct total, one row per bucket (Current, 1-30, 31-60, 61-90, 90+) and a Total row, then a line starting "Over 60 days:" with the October dollars and percent of the October total. Figures are in $K. Percents to one decimal. No commentary. Under 100 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Percent of the wrong total. The AI divides by the September total. Try: Say: "% of Oct total = bucket / 215."
  • Echoing the collector. The AI says the old balances will be paid eventually. Try: Add: "Do not mention the collector's comment."
  • Missing the over-60 line. The AI ends after the table. Try: Add: 'A line starting "Over 60 days:" with the addition and percent.'
  • Wrong columns. The AI drops the Change column. Try: Say: "Columns exactly: Bucket | Sep | Oct | Change | % of Oct total."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting and runs past word limits. Try: Ask for fewer words than the real cap and keep each line short.

What a strong prompt includes

  • Names the columns
  • Gives the percent base
  • Asks for the over-60 line
  • Bans the comment
  • Limits output

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