Request audit sample support without hinting at problems

About this exercise

You're the senior accountant requesting support for three items the auditors selected. Write a prompt for a plain-text email under 100 words to Ola, the department lead. It lists the three items with their amounts, asks for PDF support by Nov 20, and says the auditors arrive Nov 23. Don't say or imply that anything is wrong, and don't speculate on why items were selected. No bullets or numbering.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Speculating on selection. The AI says the largest items were chosen. Try: Add: "Don't guess why items were selected."
• Missing details. The AI says 'three items' without references and amounts. Try: Say: "List the three items with amounts."
• Missing the file rule or dates. The AI asks for 'support soon'. Try: Add: "PDFs, one per item, by Nov 20; auditors on site Nov 23."
• 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 line short.

What a strong prompt includes

• Names the reader
• Lists the three items
• Gives the file rule and dates
• Bans hints and guesses
• Caps length

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