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Rank stores by sales per square foot using the new Mall size

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

About this exercise

You're comparing four stores for the retail director. Write a prompt for a markdown table with columns Rank, Store, Sales, Sq ft and Sales per sq ft (whole dollars), ranked highest first, followed by a last line starting "Chain:" showing total sales divided by total square feet, in whole dollars. Use the current Mall size. Sales per sq ft is sales divided by selling square feet. Under 80 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Using the old Mall size. The AI divides by 4,000 and gets $450. Try: Say: "Use the Mall's current 6,000 sq ft."
  • Ranking by total sales. The AI sorts by sales, not per sq ft. Try: Add: "Rank by sales per sq ft, highest first."
  • Wrong chain math. The AI averages the four ratios. Try: Add: "Chain = total sales / total square feet."
  • 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 current size
  • Sets the ranking
  • Adds the chain line
  • Caps length

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