Build a balanced payroll journal entry from a register summary

About this exercise

You're drafting the payroll journal entry for review. Write a prompt for plain text with one line per journal line formatted "Dr 6000 Wages 20,000" or "Cr 2210 Payroll withholdings 3,800", then a last line starting "Check:" that adds all debits and all credits and says whether they match. Use only the account numbers in the list. Under 90 words. No bullets.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Booking withholdings as expense. The AI debits wages 15,600 only, so the entry doesn't tie to gross. Try: Say: "Debit gross wages $20,000; credit net pay to Cash and withholdings to payables."
• Forgetting the employer tax. The AI leaves out the $1,530 employer tax lines. Try: Add: "Include the employer payroll tax expense and payable."
• No balance check. The AI doesn't prove debits equal credits. Try: Add: 'Last line "Check:" with both totals and the addition.'
• 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

• Gives the line form
• Orders debits first
• Splits the withholdings
• Asks for the check
• Caps length

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