Test buy and lease options against a board rule in a capex memo

About this exercise

Write a capital request memo in plain text, under 150 words, with four labeled lines: Ask:, Purchase:, Lease:, Recommendation:. Purchase and Lease each show the working and then pass or fail against the board rule (payback within 36 months AND cash stays at or above $2.0M). For Lease, show the monthly saving after the lease payment instead of payback. Recommendation names one option and one reason. Use only the numbers in the notes.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Checking payback only. The AI approves the purchase on 30 months. Try: Say: "Test both parts of the board rule, payback and the cash floor."
• Using the supplier claim. The AI quotes 18 months. Try: Say: "Use only the numbers in the notes."
• No working. The AI states results without arithmetic. Try: Say: "Show the working for each option."
• Wrong structure. The AI writes headings and a long analysis. Try: Say: "Four labeled lines: Ask:, Purchase:, Lease:, Recommendation:."
• Markdown. The AI bolds the verdicts. Try: Say: "Plain text."
• Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part instead, for example: "each line under 15 words."

What a strong prompt includes

• Four labels
• Both parts of the rule
• Show the working
• Lease monthly saving
• Only the notes

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