Find old employees who still have account access

About this exercise

Compare your tool accounts with your current staff list and find people who left but still have access. List them numbered as 'name - tool(s) - left on date', using only names and dates from your files. Plain text, under 70 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Missing a tool. The AI finds Ben in one tool and misses the second. Try: Say: "Check every tool list for each former employee."
• Leaving out dates. Without the leaving date, you can't see how long access stayed open. Try: Ask: "Show the date they left, from payroll."
• Exceptions for favorites. The AI suggests keeping Ben's access since he might return. Try: Add: "Anyone who left loses access; they can be re-added later."
• Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 70 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Ask for less than the limit and cap each line: "each line under 15 words, under 50 words total."
• Letting markdown in. AI adds bold and headings by default, and in your notes they show up as stray symbols. Try: Add: "Plain text only, no bold, no headings."
• Listing everyone. The AI writes a line for every account. Try: Be exact: "One numbered line per former employee only."

What a strong prompt includes

• Compares the lists
• Asks for the tools and dates
• Keeps it to the material
• Sets a word limit
• Asks for plain text

Practice this now ↑

Related exercises

• Accept a job offer and confirm the exact terms (Writing AI · Job seekers)
• Allocate shared rent by headcount using the right roster (Finance AI · Accountants)
• Announce a seasonal offer with its real terms and no fake scarcity (Sales AI · Small business owners)
• Answer a 'where is my order' email with the real new date (Writing AI · Customer support teams)
• Answer a big discount ask with two priced options (Writing AI · Sales and customer success)