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Check a headcount plan for numbers that do not tie

  • For FP&A and financial analysts
  • You practice Catching mistakes and made-up facts
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Advanced

About this exercise

You're reviewing the FY27 headcount plan before it goes to the CFO. Write a prompt for a checklist of exactly 3 lines starting with "- [ ]", one per issue, each stating the plan's figure, your recomputed figure and the difference. Recompute from the roster, the hire list and the cost assumption. Don't recommend hiring, cutting or approving any role. Plain text, under 120 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Trusting the plan totals. The AI repeats 44 and $720,000 without recomputing. Try: Say: "Recompute headcount and cost from the roster and hire list; show the arithmetic."
  • Full-year cost for part-year hires. The AI multiplies six hires by $120,000. Try: Add: "Prorate by months employed: add all six hires' months, divide by 12."
  • Giving hiring advice. The AI suggests cutting the August hire or approving the missing req. Try: Add: "Do not recommend hiring, cutting or approving any role."
  • Wrong format. The AI writes a long memo with bold headers. Try: Say: 'Exactly 3 lines starting "- [ ]", plain text.'
  • 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

  • Specifies checklist format
  • Asks to recompute
  • Shows the cost math
  • Flags missing req
  • Bans recommendations

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