Prompt Chaining

Interested in improving your data analysis techniques using artificial intelligence? The Prompt Chaining technique can help you achieve clear and accurate results with tools like ChatGPT, specializing in breaking down complex problems into more manageable tasks through different interactions in separate chats. Let's see what it's all about and how you can apply it specifically to sales analysis using Excel.

What is Prompt Chaining and how to apply it with ChatGPT?

Prompt Chaining is based on breaking down large challenges into small parts that you handle individually in multiple chats. Unlike the usual way, where you keep everything within a single chat, this technique involves taking each result achieved and moving it to a new specific chat, ensuring greater clarity and fewer errors.

For example, the task of creating a complete report from sales data in Excel can be separated into simpler, more specific analyses:

• Monthly and quarterly analysis.
• Patterns by age and product category.
• Trends by consumer gender.

How to structure an effective prompt in ChatGPT?

A good prompt clearly includes four elements:

1. Role: Define who will perform the task (e.g., data analyst).
2. Memory: Refer to relevant or previous information.
3. Focus: Clearly states what you want to achieve.
4. Boundary: Explicitly states boundaries and scope of the analysis.

For example:

• "Act as a data analyst."
• "Review this attached Excel and identify trends by month and quarter."

What steps to follow for a complete analysis?

How do you begin sales analysis by month and by quarter?

First, clearly define what you need and request charts that clearly show this data. Then, ask ChatGPT for an analysis based on clear and concrete graphs, making sure to request specific data such as exact dates or quantities.

By obtaining this clear and concrete information, you can easily move on to the next step without losing consistency and accuracy.

How do you identify trends by category, age and gender?

You perform this specific analysis in new chats, taking with you only the analytical summaries previously performed. For example, you can:

• Bring previous sales results into a new chat.
• Request specific trends based on the age or gender of the consumer.
• Ask for detailed patterns and concrete findings on behavior and consumption according to these segments.

How to build a useful and reliable executive report?

Finally, using all the information previously collected:

• You create a new chat clearly indicating that you are now acting as a "sales manager."
• You provide him/her with the results of previous analysis.
• You request an executive, concise and goal-oriented report for concrete future actions.

This way you get a useful document for strategic decisions.

What are the benefits of Prompt Chaining?

This technique helps to avoid deviations in the interpretation of requests and minimizes the possible occurrence of errors or hallucinations in artificial intelligence, ensuring accurate and reliable results.

Key advantages:

• Increased accuracy in complex analysis.
• Clarity in roles and assigned tasks.
• Useful results for effective implementation in companies.

Have you already tried Prompt Chaining? We invite you to share your results in the comments and mention what interesting findings you discovered when applying it.