PRACTICAL AI EXPERIMENT: AI INVENTORY MANAGEMENT
© 2026 Shyam Uthaman | shyamuthaman.com

====================
ROUND 1 PROMPT
====================

I manage inventory for a business. Review the attached inventory workbook.

The workbook contains an Inventory Data sheet and an Inventory Policy sheet.

For every SKU, determine whether the inventory needs attention using the business rules in the Inventory Policy sheet.

Use only these statuses:

- No Action
- Reorder Review
- Overstock Review
- Cannot Verify

Read the Inventory Policy sheet before assigning a status.

Consider confirmed incoming inventory when the policy allows it.

Do not place purchase orders.
Do not change inventory records.
Do not invent demand, lead times, incoming quantities, thresholds, or business rules that are not in the workbook.

Return a simple table with:

- SKU
- Product
- Status
- What needs attention
- Evidence from the workbook
- Suggested action for inventory review

If the workbook does not contain enough information to determine a status, say Cannot Verify.

Show me only what an inventory manager would need to know.

====================
ROUND 2 PROMPT
====================

I manage inventory for a business. Review the attached inventory workbook.

The workbook contains an Inventory Data sheet and an Inventory Policy sheet.

For every SKU, determine whether the inventory needs attention using the business rules in the Inventory Policy sheet.

Use only these statuses:

- No Action
- Reorder Review
- Overstock Review
- Cannot Verify

Read the Inventory Policy sheet and the notes for each SKU carefully before assigning a status.

Use the experiment reference date stated in the Inventory Policy sheet when evaluating timing.

If a business rule depends on more than one condition, evaluate all of those conditions together before assigning a status.

Use Normal Weekly Demand for planning when the policy tells you to do so.

Do not treat a temporary promotion as normal future demand when the workbook identifies it as a one-time promotion.

Consider an open purchase order only when the workbook provides enough information to determine whether it arrives in time.

If an open PO exists but an important date such as the ETA is missing, follow the Cannot Verify rule in the policy rather than guessing.

Do not recommend replenishment for a discontinued product unless the Inventory Policy explicitly requires it.

If a supplier is on hold, still evaluate the inventory risk and mention the supplier hold in the recommended action.

Check for both stockout risk and overstock risk.

Do not place purchase orders.
Do not change inventory records.
Do not invent demand, dates, lead times, quantities, thresholds, supplier conditions, or other business rules.

Return a simple table with:

- SKU
- Product
- Status
- What needs attention
- Evidence from the workbook
- Suggested action for inventory review

If the workbook does not contain enough information to determine a status, say Cannot Verify.

Show me only what an inventory manager would need to know.
