Library › Writing AI › HR and recruiting
Boil a travel policy down to three labeled lines
Practice: Asking for a format you can use. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
New managers keep asking about business travel rules. Write exactly 3 lines labeled Book:, Spend limits: and Submit:, each one sentence, plain text, under 70 words, using the policy as updated this year. Skip the rules that only apply to executives, and send exceptions to HR instead of explaining them.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Asking to 'summarize the policy'. The AI rewrites every section with headings, including executive rules. Try: Show the shape: "3 lines labeled Book:, Spend limits:, Submit:."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each line instead: "each line under 20 words."
- Using the old per diem. $55 appears first, with the update below it. Try: Add: "Meals are $65/day (Jan 1 update)."
- Explaining exceptions. The AI tries to cover edge cases instead of routing them. Try: Add: "Skip executive rules. For exceptions, point to travel@brightline.example."
What a strong prompt includes
- Shows the labels
- Uses the update
- Skips executive rules
- Routes exceptions
- Sets a word limit
Related exercises
- Accept a job offer and confirm the exact terms (Writing AI · Job seekers)
- Announce a hybrid work policy change with clear actions (Writing AI · HR and recruiting)
- Announce a promotion with the right date and no pay details (Writing AI · HR and recruiting)
- Announce a referral bonus with the steps to claim it (Marketing AI · HR and recruiting)
- Announce a team change and answer the first question (Writing AI · Managers and team leads)