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Report sample exceptions without projecting to the population

  • For Accountants
  • You practice Setting limits and rules
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Advanced

About this exercise

You're reporting internal audit sample results to the controller. Write a prompt for plain text with lines starting "Sample tested:", "Exceptions:", "Exception rate:", "Exception dollars:", "Share of sample value:" and "Not concluded:". Count an exception even if it was corrected later. The Not concluded line says that projecting to the full population is for the controller to decide, and gives no projected number. Show the math. Under 120 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Dropping the corrected item. The AI excludes E3 because it was fixed. Try: Say: "Count exceptions that failed at the test date, even if corrected."
  • Projecting to the population. The AI says about 48 invoices are wrong. Try: Add: "Do not project; Not concluded says that is the controller's decision."
  • Missing the percentage math. The AI gives rates without equations. Try: Add: "Show 3 / 25 and $9,650 / $250,000."
  • 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
  • Counts corrected items
  • Bans projecting
  • Asks for the math
  • Caps length

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