Roll the bad debt allowance forward and compute the true-up

About this exercise

You're rolling forward the allowance for doubtful accounts. Write a prompt for plain text with lines starting "Beginning:", "Provision:", "Write-offs:", "Recoveries:", "Ending before true-up:", "Required:" and "True-up:". Write-offs reduce the allowance; recoveries increase it. Show the math. The True-up line gives the extra provision needed and says it needs controller approval. Under 100 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Subtracting recoveries. The AI treats the $1,000 as a reduction. Try: Say: "Write-offs reduce the allowance; recoveries increase it."
• Skipping the approval. The AI gives only the number. Try: Add: "Say the controller approves adjustments over $1,000."
• Missing labels. The AI writes a table. Try: Add: "Seven lines with these exact labels in order."
• Markdown extras. The AI adds bold labels, headings and a closing note. Try: Say: "Plain text, no bold. Output only the lines asked for."
• 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 part short.

What a strong prompt includes

• Names the seven lines
• States the sign rules
• Asks for the approval note
• Asks for the math
• Caps length

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