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Prompt repository Finance & accounting

Query a supplier invoice that does not match the order

A supplier invoice does not match the purchase order or what was delivered, and you need a clear, polite email that gets a corrected invoice.

Registry no.
FIN-006
Collection
Finance & accounting
Laid out for
Any chat model
Score
10 out of 10
Blanks to fill
6
Added

Finance & accountingAny chat

The prompt

Score 10 of 10, Excellent

Use it when A supplier invoice does not match the purchase order or what was delivered, and you need a clear, polite email that gets a corrected invoice.

  • {{supplier_contact}}
  • {{supplier}}
  • {{sender_name}}
  • {{invoice_details}}
  • {{our_records}}
  • {{terms}}
Full prompt and why it works
Prompt
Write an email to {{supplier_contact}} at {{supplier}} about an invoice that does not match our records. It is a draft for {{sender_name}} in accounts payable to review and send. The goal is a corrected invoice or a clear explanation, without damaging the relationship.

Invoice as received:
"""
{{invoice_details}}
"""

Our purchase order and receiving records:
"""
{{our_records}}
"""

Payment terms and anything agreed separately: {{terms}}

First, compare the invoice with our records line by line and list each difference in a table with the columns Item, Invoice says, Our records say, Difference. Show the arithmetic for any amount, for example "12 units x 40.00 = 480.00; invoiced 520.00; difference 40.00".

Then write the email:
- A subject line with the invoice number.
- 100 to 180 words: what we received, the specific differences as a short list, what we need from them (a corrected invoice, a credit note or an explanation), and what we will do in the meantime, based only on what the terms say about paying undisputed amounts.
- Signed "{{sender_name}}".

The tone should be neutral and cooperative, allowing for an honest mistake on either side. Do not accuse the supplier of overcharging, and do not threaten to withhold payment or end the relationship unless the terms provide for it.

Use only the documents above, and do not decide which record is right. If our own records could explain the difference (for example, a partial delivery that has not been logged), say so in a note to {{sender_name}} after the email, so they can check before sending.

If the documents are incomplete or unclear, list what is missing; do not guess.

Variables

{{supplier_contact}}
The person at the supplier who handles billing, if you know them.
{{supplier}}
The supplier's name.
{{sender_name}}
Who will send the email.
{{invoice_details}}
The invoice lines, quantities, prices, totals, invoice number and date, copied from the invoice.
{{our_records}}
The matching purchase order lines and what was received, with dates.
{{terms}}
Payment terms and any agreed prices or discounts, for example "net 30, agreed price 40.00 per unit".

Why it works

  • Format. A line-by-line comparison table comes before the email, so you see every difference and its arithmetic before anything is sent.
  • What to avoid. No accusations and no threats to withhold payment unless your terms allow it, which keeps a billing error from turning into a dispute.
  • If unsure. If your own records could be wrong, such as an unlogged partial delivery, it flags that for you to check first.

How to use it

  1. Press Fill in variables and type your details into each blank. What you type stays in this browser.
  2. Copy the filled prompt into the AI tool you already use, such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, or open it in the Grader or the Prompt Tester here.
  3. Before you rely on it, try it on three or four real examples. The Prompt Tester runs them all at once and shows which ones go wrong.