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Put quotes with different pack sizes on a per-unit basis

  • For Procurement
  • You practice Catching mistakes and made-up facts
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Advanced

About this exercise

Write a prompt for a markdown table with columns Vendor, Per unit and Total, one row per vendor, then a last line starting "For approval:". Per unit is price divided by units in the pack, to three decimals where needed. Total is the cost to buy 1,200 units using whole cases, plus freight. The last line names the vendor with the lowest total; the buyer approves. Under 110 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Comparing case prices. The AI compares $54, $2.40 and $26.40 directly. Try: Say: "Per unit = price / bottles per case."
  • Forgetting freight. The AI picks Vendor B because it ships free, without adding freight to the others. Try: Say: "Total = cost of 1,200 bottles in whole cases plus freight."
  • Wrong last line. The AI declares a winner without totals. Try: Say: "Last line: For approval: [vendor] - [total]."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting and usually runs long, so a vague "keep it short" lands over the limit. Try: Cap each part instead of the total, for example "each line under 15 words".

What a strong prompt includes

  • Names the columns
  • Normalizes pack size
  • Includes freight
  • Gives the final line
  • Sets a length limit

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