Cover a boutique's holiday weekend shifts within hour limits

About this exercise

You own a clothing boutique and need holiday weekend coverage. You want exactly 4 numbered lines (Sat open, Sat close, Sun open, Sun close), each as shift - name, under 25 words, plain text. Respect everyone's availability, the weekly hour cap for your part-timer, and the time-off request you approved. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Missing the hour cap. Mia is available for any shift, so the AI schedules her. Try: Add: "Mia is at 18 of 20 hours; one more shift puts her over."
• Missing the time-off. Jon opens, so the AI gives him Saturday open. Try: Add: "Jon has Saturday off."
• Ignoring the no-doubles rule. The AI gives Kara both Saturday shifts. Try: Add: "No one works both shifts in a day."
• Letting the AI pick the layout. The AI makes a table with notes. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 4 numbered lines like '1. Sat open - Kara'. Plain text."
• Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 25 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
• States the hour cap
• Uses the time-off
• Bans doubles
• Sets a word limit

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