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Fill in a competitor feature check from dated notes

Practice: Keeping the AI to your sources. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

You're updating the competitive section of a product review for your invoicing app. You want exactly 4 numbered lines, one per feature, in the form "Feature: Yes/No/Unknown (source, date)" for the competitor Billwise, using the newest official source for each and Unknown when no official source covers it. Plain text, nothing else.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Using old sources. Older help center pages contradict newer release notes, and the AI may pick the first one listed. Try: Say: "Use the newest official source for each feature."
  • Counting a sales comment. A rep saying 'next year' isn't a feature, but the AI may mark it Yes or No. Try: Add: "If no official source covers it, write Unknown."
  • Leaving out dates. Without the source date, readers can't tell how current each answer is. Try: Show it: "Format: Feature: Yes (release notes, Aug 2026)."
  • Not saying how many. The AI decides the length itself and usually returns more lines, one per feature than you can use. Try: Be exact: "exactly 4 numbered lines, one per feature."
  • Getting markdown back. AI defaults to bold labels and headings, which show up as stray symbols in the product review doc. Try: Ask for "plain text, no bold, no headings."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Picks the newest source
  • Requires official sources
  • Gives the line shape
  • Says exactly how many
  • Asks for plain text

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