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Turn the controller's email into a month-end close checklist
Practice: Asking for a format you can use. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
Your controller sent a rambling email about this month's close. Turn it into exactly 6 numbered tasks, sorted by business day, each in the form "Day N - task - owner", with each task under 8 words. Use the latest owner for any reassigned task, skip anything that isn't a close task, and use plain text. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- No fixed shape. The AI writes headings by day with sub-bullets and notes. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 6 numbered lines: Day N - task - owner."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 80 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "each task under 8 words."
- Keeping the email's order. The email jumps from Day 3 to Day 1; the AI follows it. Try: Add: "Sort by business day."
- Missing the reassignment. The AI keeps Leo on accruals because the change comes later in the email. Try: Add: "Use the latest owner; Priya does the Day 3 accruals."
- Including non-close items. The AI turns the party and expense reminder into tasks. Try: Add: "Close tasks only."
What a strong prompt includes
- Sets the number of tasks
- Sorts by day
- Uses the latest owner
- Skips unrelated items
- Sets a word limit
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