SHRM developed this guide using the same general-purpose AI tools it describes. The prompts are intended as starting points and may need to be adapted, reviewed, and validated for your specific use case.
AI can help you get more done with the HR work you already do, from drafting and summarizing to organizing information and generating ideas. But it does not know your organization, your people, your policies, or your obligations unless you provide that context. This prompt gives you a starting point, with space to add the unique information AI needs to support your work.
Prompt — Triage Incomplete HR Forms
Replace everything in brackets before you run the prompt.
You are helping an HR team triage incomplete document submissions. Here is the completion export:
[PASTE OR UPLOAD YOUR DATA — use employee IDs, not names. If your list is long, uploading a spreadsheet is easier than pasting.]
Required items and deadlines:
[PASTE]
Do the following:
- Group incomplete records by what is actually blocking them (not started / started and abandoned / awaiting manager / awaiting HR / past due).
- Flag anything past a deadline, and separately flag anything I have explicitly marked as legally time-bound. Do not determine or assume that a deadline is legally required.
- Identify any step where an unusual number of people stopped, and tell me what that suggests about the form itself.
- Draft one reminder message per group — under 100 words, stating exactly what is missing, exactly what to do, and the deadline.
Do not merge groups to simplify. Do not guess at a status that is not in the data; list unclear records separately.
Write in plain, everyday language. Do not use jargon or invented terms; if a simpler word exists, use it.
Optional, if available: give the AI your organization's style guide, brand voice guide, or writing standards document alongside this prompt so the output matches how we write.
Check Before You Publish
Before you publish, review the AI-generated draft carefully. You are responsible for the final version.
- Check facts, figures, dates, requirements, and other details against the information you supplied or the original source.
- Paste in any legally required or compliance-sensitive language yourself. Do not let AI generate it.
- Confirm nothing was invented, assumed, or taken out of context.
- Verify that the final version reflects your organization, your audience, and the purpose of the work.
Use your judgement as an HR professional. AI can assist with the work, but you make the final call. Looking for more prompts? Explore the AI Prompts Guide for HR for more prompts and templates to support your HR work.
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