Agree on what each number counts
If a youth program offers three sessions and one participant attends all three, that person contributes one unique participant and three visits. A shared definition keeps the difference clear when staff prepare a report. Write down the reporting dates, locations, and rules for each count before the team starts entering numbers.
Put the numbers in a table with one owner who can resolve questions. If a total is missing, mark it as missing and record who can verify it. Use the agreed reporting table as the source for calculations. When you hand material to AI, give it the approved totals and instructions to flag any gaps it sees.
Draft from material your team has approved
Give AI the report outline, the approved totals, and a short set of staff notes. Ask for a draft that separates the numbers from observations. For example, the draft could name which sessions had higher attendance, then note that a staff member heard some participants ask for later start times. That observation can inform planning, and staff can decide whether the evidence is enough to include it in the report.
Use only material approved for the tools you work with. For many routine reports, totals and program notes cover what the draft needs. Team members can add approved quotations or stories later if the report calls for them.
Make final review part of the workflow
Ask the person who knows the data to verify the totals and the period they cover. Ask the person who knows the program to review the explanation. Give both reviewers the source table and notes so they can spot where a draft adds detail the source does not support. Save the corrected draft and source material together so someone can answer questions later.
- Check unique participants and repeat visits separately.
- Confirm dates, locations, and which programs the totals include.
- Read each claim alongside the source that supports it.
- Keep projections and future plans clearly labeled.