Map a retainer client's monthly tasks onto real dates

About this exercise

You're a freelance social media manager on a monthly retainer, and you want February's deliverables on your calendar. You want exactly 4 numbered lines in date order, each as date - deliverable, under 40 words, plain text. Turn each rule in the contract into a real February date, and use the client's change to the report day. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Copying the rules, not dates. The AI writes '3rd business day' instead of a date. Try: Add: "Turn each rule into an actual February date. Feb 1 is a Sunday."
• Missing the client's change. The contract says last Friday. Try: Add: "The report is now the last Thursday."
• Not sorting. The AI keeps the contract order. Try: Add: "Sort by date."
• Letting the AI add extras. The AI adds the invoice and subscription. Try: Add: "Only client deliverables. Plain text, numbered."
• Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 40 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "each line under 8 words."

What a strong prompt includes

• Says how many lines
• Asks for real dates
• Uses the change
• Sorts by date
• Sets a word limit

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