Turn a card-to-ledger comparison into a three-line checklist

About this exercise

You're matching the October card statement to the ledger. Write a prompt for plain text with exactly three checklist lines, each starting "[ ] " followed by one of these labels in this order: "Missing from ledger:", "Amount differs:", "On ledger, not on statement:". Give the merchant and amounts; for a difference, include the dollar gap. Do not guess causes. Under 90 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Listing matched items. The AI lists everything including the matches. Try: Say: "Only exceptions; leave out items that match."
• Guessing causes. The AI calls the hotel a typo. Try: Add: "Do not guess causes."
• Missing the dollar gap. The AI shows both amounts but no difference. Try: Add: "For a difference, include the dollar gap."
• Wrong list shape. The AI writes a table or paragraphs. Try: Add: "Exactly three lines starting with [ ] and the given labels."
• 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

• Gives the three labels
• Shows the checklist box
• Asks for the gap
• Bans guessing
• Caps length

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