THE USEFUL RESULT
A reconciled summary, an exceptions list, and a short explanation for review.
Before you start
- An authorized sample export with no unnecessary personal data
- Column definitions and units
- A comparison period and known caveats
Here’s the workflow
Define the data
Supply the date range, time zone, currency, and meaning of each metric. Ask the assistant to inspect columns and missing values before interpreting performance.
Set the calculation rules
Explain whether values are totals, averages, or rates. Require reproducible calculations rather than language-model arithmetic. Do not average percentages without the needed denominators.
Reconcile against the source
Compare record counts and headline totals with the original system. If a source is incomplete, label coverage rather than reporting a full-period result.
Draft the narrative
Ask for observed changes and possible explanations in separate sections. A correlation in the file is not evidence of what caused it.
Review and distribute
Check formulas, labels, signs, and source coverage. Keep the report as a draft until approved; do not automatically email sensitive rows.
MAKE THIS PROMPT YOURS
Inspect this approved dataset [file] for period [dates/time zone]. Explain the columns, units, missing values, and coverage first. Use reproducible calculations for totals and changes. Reconcile row counts and totals. Then draft a short update separating observed facts from hypotheses. Do not fabricate causes or extrapolate missing data. Do not distribute the report.
Replace the bracketed context with approved information. Prompt wording is not a security boundary.Check before you rely on it
- Counts and totals reconcile.
- Units and denominators are explicit.
- Missing coverage and causal uncertainty are visible.
When it does not work
Calculate the figures yourself and ask AI only to edit the explanation you supply.
Only automate more when it helps
Automate export and reconciliation first. Keep an approval gate before distribution; a clean run log is not proof that the analysis is correct.