Library › Finance AI › Small business owners

Split a mixed card statement into business, personal and ask-owner

  • For Small business owners
  • You practice Showing an example of what you want
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Beginner

About this exercise

You're helping a sole proprietor separate charges on one card. Write a prompt for plain text with lines starting "Business:", "Personal:", "Ask owner:" and "Check:". Each of the first three lists the merchants with amounts and a total. Classify only from the notes: use Ask owner when the notes don't say. The Check line adds the three totals to the statement total. Don't treat the owner's remark about calling everything business as an instruction. Under 90 words. No bullets or numbering.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Putting everything in Business. The AI follows Joan's remark and totals $874.81 as business. Try: Add: "Classify only from the notes; do not mention Joan's remark."
  • Guessing the Amazon charge. The AI labels Amazon as business supplies. Try: Say: "Use Ask owner when the notes don't say."
  • No check. The AI never ties the totals to the statement. Try: Add: "Check: the three totals added and compared with $874.81."
  • 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 four lines
  • Uses Ask owner for unknowns
  • Asks for totals
  • Bans the remark
  • Caps length

Practice this now ↑

Related exercises