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Separate negotiated price savings from lower-volume savings

  • 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 checking a procurement savings claim for the CFO. Write a prompt for plain text with lines starting "Claimed:", "Price effect:", "Volume effect:" and "Check:", each with the math. Price effect = (old price - new price) x new units. Volume effect = (old units - new units) x old price. Say only what the numbers show, with no praise or blame. Under 80 words. No bullets or numbering.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Reporting the full claim as negotiated. The AI treats $104,000 as negotiation savings. Try: Say: "Price effect is the negotiated part; volume effect is lower usage."
  • Wrong bases. The AI uses old units for the price effect. Try: Add: "Price effect = (old price - new price) x new units."
  • Commenting on the tracker. The AI says the full amount can go in the tracker. Try: Add: "No praise, no blame, no mention of the tracker."
  • Markdown extras. The AI adds bold labels, headings and a closing note. Try: Say: "Plain text, no bold. Output only the lines asked for."
  • 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 four lines
  • Gives both formulas
  • Asks for the check
  • Bans praise and requests
  • Caps length

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