Library › Finance AI › Accountants

Notify vendors of a payment terms change with the correct start date

  • For Accountants
  • You practice Saying who it's for
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

You're in accounts payable writing to all vendors about a change in payment terms. Write a prompt for a plain-text email under 120 words. It states the new terms and the date they start, says which invoices they apply to and which stay on the old terms, gives a contact for questions, makes no promise about early payment or exceptions, and ends with exactly "Priya, Accounts Payable". Use the final decision, not the draft.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Using the draft. The AI says Dec 1 and all open invoices. Try: Say: "Use the CFO's Nov 3 decision: invoices dated on or after Jan 1, 2027."
  • Skipping what stays the same. The AI omits the Net 30 carve-out and contract exception. Try: Add: "Say which invoices stay on Net 30 and that contract terms are unaffected."
  • Promising early pay. The AI mentions early payment options. Try: Add: "Make no promise about early payment or exceptions."
  • Wrong sign-off. The AI adds Best regards. Try: Add: "End exactly with: Priya, Accounts Payable."
  • 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

  • Uses the final decision
  • States the start date
  • Includes the exceptions
  • Fixes the sign-off
  • Caps length

Practice this now ↑

Related exercises