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Build a retention table from cohort counts with a corrected start

  • For FP&A and financial analysts
  • You practice Asking for a format you can use
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

You're building a retention view for the customer success lead. Write a prompt for a markdown table with columns Cohort, Start, Q+1, Q+2 and Q+3 showing retention in each Q+ cell as only a whole-number percent like 90% (no counts), and the Start column as a count (use a dash "-" where the quarter has not happened yet), followed by one last line starting "Weakest Q+1:" naming the cohort and its percent. Use the corrected Q2 start. Under 90 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Using the old Q2 start. The AI divides by 240 and gets 90% and 79%. Try: Say: "Use the corrected Q2 start of 250."
  • Filling the future quarters. The AI invents numbers for quarters that haven't happened. Try: Add: "Use a dash where the quarter has not happened."
  • Missing the closing line. The AI ends the table with commentary. Try: Add: "Last line: Weakest Q+1: cohort and percent."
  • 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 columns
  • Uses the correction
  • Handles missing quarters
  • Asks for the last line
  • Caps length

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