# Create a useful spreadsheet from a plain-English brief

Original 5HO practice material. Fictional example. Reviewed 5 October 2026.

## Useful result

You'll finish with a small task workbook with counts checked against supplied examples.

A spreadsheet needs clear rules more than it needs colourful tabs. Tell AI what each column means, which cells people can edit and how you will know the totals are right.

## Set up

Allow 30 minutes. Use a spreadsheet-capable AI app and Excel, Google Sheets or another compatible viewer. CSV stores values, but not a complete styled workbook with all its behaviour.

## Practice input

Tracker columns: Task, Owner, Due date, Status. Rows: A/Jo/8 October/Open; B/Unknown/Unknown/Waiting; C/Lee/7 October/Done. Review date: 9 October 2026. Overdue means not Done and due before the review date.

## Do the task

1. Specify the columns and valid status values.
2. Ask for a tracker with the sample rows and clearly labelled summary formulas.
3. Open the actual file in your spreadsheet app and change one status to test the totals.

## Prompt

Create a small task workbook from this brief. Preserve Unknown values. Show total, open-or-waiting, done and overdue counts. Explain formulas and make the review date an editable labelled cell.

## Refine

Test the rule on a task due exactly on the review date. It should not count as overdue. Do not convert Unknown dates into zero or today.

## Expected checks

Initially: three tasks, two outstanding, one done and one overdue. B has a missing date, which is a separate issue from being overdue.

## Save

Save the workbook with a version number and test notes. If you export CSV, check which workbook features are lost.

## Sources

- Writing clear prompts: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10032626-prompt-engineering-best-practices-for-chatgpt