Prompt Workshop
Why it is written this way
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You are an operations manager responsible for drafting the company's holiday schedule announcement. This memo will be read by all employees and select external partners. The audience has two distinct goals: those who simply want to confirm the closure dates, and those who need to know where to escalate urgent issues during the break.
Please write a holiday operations memo based on the "On-Call Operations Plan" below. The holiday closure period is {{holiday period}}.
Structure the announcement as follows: Single-line Subject/Title · Holiday Closure Dates · "Services Operating During the Break" · "Services Paused Until Reopening" · "For Urgent Inquiries / Escalations" · Business Resumption Date. Present each section as a concise list (1–2 lines per item) and keep the entire text within 700 characters. Escalation and contact methods must be kept as a standalone section.
Do not invent departments, on-call roles, or contact details not provided in the source notes. Leave placeholders like [Contact Info] for phone numbers and emails so I can fill them in manually. For unconfirmed details, mark them as "TBD (To Be Announced)." Below the announcement, list up to 3 action items I need to verify before sending this out.
On-Call Operations Plan: """ {{on-call operations plan}} """
- Material What the AI needs to know ×2
- Work What to do, and how ×1
- Output What comes back, in what shape ×2
The most common flaw in holiday announcements is only stating the closure dates. While the dates are displayed prominently, there is no information on who to contact if a server goes down or shipping inquiries surge during the break. This prompt ensures that at least half of the announcement focuses on escalation workflows.
Read the full explanation · 3 paragraphs
Dividing the audience into two groups in the context paragraph is intentional. By highlighting both "those confirming time off" and "those seeking escalation contacts," the AI structures the memo so both groups can find what they need immediately without scrolling. The task paragraph firmly anchors the holiday duration, preventing discrepancies between the subject line and the body text.
In the format section, separating "Services Operating" from "Services Paused" prevents customer confusion and unexpected delays in order processing. This structure works seamlessly across any holiday or seasonal closure simply by updating the inputs.
The constraints section prevents hallucinations. Incorrect department names or emergency numbers in a holiday memo can cause serious operational disruptions, but AI models tend to fill gaps with plausible-sounding guesses. By enforcing placeholders like [Contact Info] and "TBD," the prompt safely handles missing data. Excluding raw phone numbers prevents typos from causing missed emergencies. Finally, requesting a separate pre-send verification checklist ensures unresolved ambiguities are highlighted rather than forced into the announcement text. Wrapping the raw notes in """ prevents contextual descriptions from being misinterpreted as instructions.
Unfamiliar terms? See Aha AI: output-format, prompt
Compared with a bad example
Write a holiday closure notice. We are closed from Nov 24 to Nov 27.
Because only the closure dates were provided, the announcement only mentions time off. Crucial details—such as reduced support hours, shipping pauses, and system on-call rotations—are entirely missing. Furthermore, the AI will likely fabricate vague placeholders like "Emergency Contact: Department Leads."
Variations
Holiday Notice for Customers and Vendors
When the target audience changes, their priorities change. While internal memos focus on on-call rotations, customer-facing notices must focus on orders, support, and delivery timelines.
Show prompt
Based on the details below, write a holiday closure notice for our customers and external partners. Avoid internal jargon or departmental names, and clearly state how orders, support inquiries, and shipments will be handled during the closure period ({{holiday period}}). Conclude with a brief note of appreciation without excessive apologies. Keep it under 500 characters.
""" {{on-call operations plan}} """
Day-Before Holiday Reminder on Slack
Employees rarely re-read lengthy memos the day before a holiday. This variant cuts unnecessary background and highlights only actionable tasks and emergency contacts.
Show prompt
The holiday break for {{holiday period}} begins tomorrow. Write a company-wide Slack reminder in 6 lines or fewer. Include single-line reminders for pre-departure checklists (desk cleanup, out-of-office email auto-responders, handovers), and use the final two lines to highlight key on-call roles and emergency contacts extracted from the notes below.
""" {{on-call operations plan}} """
Last updated 2026-09-02 · Found a mistake? Let us know