I am stuck on a prompt for spreadsheet cleanup. I need to inspect inconsistent spreadsheet data and propose reversible cleanup rules, but my current attempt is getting vague and too big. What would you check first?
My notes from fixing a prompt for spreadsheet cleanup
A compact prompt and the response it produced. Replace the bracketed parts with your own details.
First, shrink the decision. Do not solve the whole subject at once.
- Put the source of truth in the prompt.
- Mark missing evidence instead of filling it in.
- Add a stop condition before tool use.
Write down the result you need by the end of this session. Then choose one input you trust and make a first pass that can be checked. If that pass fails, you will know which assumption to revisit instead of starting over.
The smaller decision was the missing piece. I was asking for the whole system at once.
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