Build a customer statement summary and keep a later payment out

About this exercise

You're preparing the October statement for a customer. Write a prompt for plain text with lines starting "Opening balance:", "New invoices:", "Payments:", "Credits:", "Closing balance:" and "Note:". Show the math. The Note line mentions any item that is not on this statement, without changing the balance. Under 90 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Subtracting the Nov 1 payment. The AI shows a closing balance of $8,000. Try: Say: "Only activity from Oct 1 to Oct 31; mention later payments in the Note."
• Sign errors. The AI adds the credit memo. Try: Add: "Closing = opening + invoices - payments - credits."
• Missing labels. The AI writes a table. Try: Add: "Six 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 six lines
• Gives the formula
• Limits to the period
• Notes the later payment
• Caps length

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