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Spread a 12-month contract across fiscal years and quarters

  • For FP&A and financial analysts
  • You practice Giving the right context
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

You're building a revenue schedule for a new contract. Write a prompt for a markdown table with columns Period, Months and Revenue for FY2026, Q1 2027, Q2 2027, Q3 2027 and Q4 2027, with the math in the Revenue cell like "2 x $10,000 = $20,000". After the table add a last line starting "Deferred at Dec 31, 2026:" with the math. Revenue is recognized evenly by month over the service period, starting at the service start date, and nothing is recognized before it. Under 100 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Starting at signature. The AI recognizes revenue from November. Try: Say: "Revenue starts at service start, Dec 1, 2026."
  • Giving Q4 2027 three months. The AI forgets the contract ends Nov 30. Try: Add: "Q4 2027 has Oct and Nov only: 2 months."
  • Missing the deferred line. The AI leaves out the balance sheet view. Try: Add: "Last line: Deferred at Dec 31, 2026 with the math."
  • 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 service start
  • Shows the math
  • Asks for the deferred line
  • Caps length

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