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As you probably know by now, one of the biggest benefits of using AI is that it can save you time. But how much time you actually save depends on how you prompt the AI tools. Too often, I see people using these tools the same way they would make a Google search—typing in a broad topic or a vague question.

While that approach might give you something useful, it wastes an opportunity to get a much better output. The clearer you are in your requests, the better the results tend to be. Here are a few simple tips to make your prompts more effective and your workflow smoother.

Be Specific in Your Prompt

The first tip is to be as specific as possible.

For example, if I just tell an AI tool to “summarize a balance sheet,” I’m leaving out a lot of helpful context. But if I say, “summarize the balance sheet for a junior analyst,” the output changes dramatically. Now, the tool understands who the summary is for and can adjust its language and detail level accordingly.

Each extra detail you add helps the model generate a more tailored, precise response.

Specify the Format You Want

Another useful strategy is telling the AI tool exactly how you want the response delivered.

AI tools can format answers in multiple ways—paragraphs, bullet points, tables, even images and videos. By specifying the format you want upfront, you save time that you’d otherwise spend reformatting the output yourself.

Add Context and Background

Finally, add context to your prompt. This ensures the AI fully understands the task and any relevant background.

For example, if you previously generated a report with AI and your CFO said it was too long, you can include that feedback in your next prompt: “Summarize this report in a way that’s concise and easy to scan, because my CFO doesn’t have time to read long reports.”

That extra context makes the AI much more effective.

Putting It All Together

When you combine these strategies—being specific, defining the format, and adding context—you move from writing weak prompts to strong ones.

Here’s a quick experiment you can try:

• Prompt 1: “Explain a balance sheet.”
• Prompt 2: “Explain a balance sheet in bullet points for a first-year accounting student who forgot to study for a test that starts in 5 minutes.”

The second version produces a far more useful result. And that’s the power of prompting well.