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Pick budget cuts that hit the target without touching protected lines

Practice: Setting limits and rules. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

Your director needs to cut $24,000 from next year's operations budget, cutting travel first, then software, then events, and stopping once the target is met. Payroll and safety training are protected. Write exactly 3 numbered cut lines in the form "Item: $amount - one-line impact", then one final line with the total and how far over the target it lands, under 90 words, plain text. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Not fixing the shape. The AI writes a memo with headings, options and a recommendation section. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 3 numbered cut lines, then one total line."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 90 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "each impact under 9 words."
  • Picking its own cuts. The AI optimizes on its own, cutting consultants or supplies to land closer to $24,000. Try: Add: "Cut travel, then software, then events, and stop there."
  • Skipping the total check. Without a total line, the director has to do the math to see the target is met. Try: Add: "End with: Total $26,500, $2,500 over the $24,000 target."
  • Dropping the impact. Squeezed for space, the AI lists amounts only, so the director can't see what each cut costs the team. Try: Add: "Give each cut's impact in one short phrase."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Follows the cut order
  • Protects the off-limits lines
  • Asks for a total line
  • Sets the number of cuts
  • Sets a word limit

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