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Score each owner's forecast error and flag the ones over 10%

  • 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 reviewing forecast accuracy by owner. Write a prompt for a markdown table with columns Owner | Forecast | Actual | Error % | Flag, one row per owner. Error % = (forecast - actual) / actual to one decimal, with a sign, so positive means over-forecast. Flag is "Review" if the absolute error is more than 10%, otherwise blank. Don't explain any owner's miss. No commentary. Under 80 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Dividing by forecast. The AI divides by the forecast and gets +10.0%. Try: Say: "Error % = (forecast - actual) / actual."
  • Flagging by sign. The AI flags Omar because his error is negative. Try: Add: "Flag Review only if the absolute error is above 10%."
  • Adding explanations. The AI includes Priti's slipped deals and Omar's 'conservative' comment. Try: Add: "Do not explain any owner's miss."
  • Wrong columns. The AI drops the Flag column or adds notes. Try: Say: "Columns exactly: Owner | Forecast | Actual | Error % | Flag."
  • 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 line short.

What a strong prompt includes

  • Names the columns
  • Gives the formula
  • Defines the flag
  • Bans explanations
  • Limits output

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