DeskPlainBuild a traceable change log and separate wording edits from changed requirements. Start with the source facts, copy a ready-to-use prompt and check the result before using it.
Two documents can use different language for the same requirement, or similar language for a different deadline. Give each version a clear label and compare the same scope. A useful comparison points to the exact text behind each claimed change rather than declaring a newer version universally better.
Prepare the information that matters
Identify the version date, section boundaries and which version is authoritative. Provide both excerpts in full for the comparison area. If one is missing a page, keep that limitation visible rather than interpreting absent text as a deliberate deletion.
Use a service your organization permits for this material. A pasted excerpt is the assistant's source for this workflow; the prompt does not give it access to files, mail or meetings you have not supplied.
Copy the ready-to-use prompt
The main prompt
Copy this into your AI assistant. Add your notes where marked.
Compare the two document versions I provide. Compare the same scope and distinguish unchanged meaning, wording edits, additions, removals and changed requirements. For every claimed change, show an excerpt from each version and explain the practical question it raises. Check dates, thresholds and conditions carefully. If one excerpt is incomplete, do not assume missing text was deliberately removed. Do not assume the newer version is authoritative. Return a traceable change table and questions for the document owner. Ask me for the missing version if only one is provided. DOCUMENT VERSIONS [Paste Version A and Version B with clear labels here]
Work through a concrete example
Input to work from
A: five business days; coordinator approval. B: seven business days; coordinator approval; facilities approval above 20 attendees.
A useful output to compare against
Deadline | five business days → seven business days | Changed requirement Coordinator approval | present in both | Unchanged Facilities approval | absent in A, required above 20 attendees in B | Added condition Question to confirm: which version applies to requests already submitted?
This is an editorial worked example, not a captured response from a particular model. Your assistant may return different wording or make mistakes.
Why these choices matter
The unchanged coordinator requirement is retained. The comparison also identifies a transition question that neither excerpt answers. It does not infer that existing bookings must be resubmitted or that a proposed change has already taken effect.
Review and improve the first answer
Use this after the first answer, in the same conversation. Keep the original source available.
Check every claimed difference against both excerpts. Remove unsupported differences and list any claim of deletion that might instead reflect an incomplete excerpt. Identify what remains unchanged.
Ask for a specific correction when the response misses the goal. Changing the requested format can improve readability; it cannot make an unsupported fact true. Return to your source when the answer changes a number, date, responsibility or condition.
Check the result before using it
- Compare the same section scope in both versions.
- Verify dates, thresholds and added conditions directly.
- Check that an apparent removal is not on a page you omitted.
- Ask the document owner which version and transition rule apply.
Fix the common failure patterns
| What goes wrong | What to change |
|---|---|
| The longer version is described as better | Ask for evidence-based changes, not a quality verdict. |
| A word change is treated as a policy change | Compare the actual requirement before classifying it. |
| AI decides which rule governs | Get the authoritative version from the document owner. |
Hand the change log to the document owner with the unresolved transition questions. Keep both original versions until the owner confirms what should govern the next use.
Find another task in the AI at Work prompt library, or continue with the related DeskPlain guides below.
Keep these in mind
- Compare the same section scope in both versions.
- Verify dates, thresholds and added conditions directly.
- Check that an apparent removal is not on a page you omitted.
Common questions
Does the prompt run an AI assistant on DeskPlain?
No. This is a library of ready-to-copy prompts. Copy the text, add your source material in your chosen AI assistant and review the answer.
Are the examples real user data or model test results?
No. They are original fictional worked examples showing the intended reasoning and checks. They are not a benchmark or captured model output.
Will the prompt always return a correct result?
No. Review the result against the source and the task-specific checks. Ask about missing information instead of accepting an invented answer.
Sources & further help
Original DeskPlain prompts and fictional worked examples, prepared with AI assistance. Examples illustrate the intended reasoning; they are not captured model responses or a claim of testing across AI products. Read the editorial policy.