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Post a weekly cash flash in Slack with exactly one watch item

  • 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 posting the weekly cash flash in the finance channel. Write a prompt for a plain-text Slack message under 60 words. The first line starts "Cash:" and gives the balance and the change from last week; the second line starts "Math:" and shows the change as receipts minus payroll minus other payments. The third line starts "Watch:" and names exactly one item: the largest unscheduled risk, not routine payroll.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Picking payroll as the watch item. The AI warns about the biggest outflow. Try: Say: "The watch item is the largest unscheduled risk, not routine payroll."
  • Listing many watch items. The AI lists three risks. Try: Add: "Exactly one watch item."
  • Skipping the math line. The AI gives only the balance and the change. Try: Add: "Line two shows receipts minus payroll minus other payments."
  • Burying the number. The AI opens with a greeting. Try: Add: "The first line is cash and the change from last week."
  • 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 part short.

What a strong prompt includes

  • Sets the first line
  • Asks for the math line
  • Starts the watch line
  • Limits to one item
  • Caps length

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