One short question can hide five answers

Sales may mean gross revenue, net revenue, orders, or margin; “down” may mean month over month, year over year, or versus plan. Clarification should expose only the missing variables that can change the conclusion.

Use a minimal confirmation sheet

Parse metric, scope, time, comparison, and output. Ask only for missing material slots, use business terms instead of field names, and let users edit the chosen definition. For an inventory question, confirm stock definition, coverage days, warehouse scope, and demand window.

Audit the clarification path

Store the original question, follow-up, user choice, final filters, and answer. Check whether the system asks about real ambiguity, changes only the relevant part after an edit, and stays consistent when the same definition is used again.

Know when to stop asking

Stop when metric, scope, time, and comparison are explicit and remaining uncertainty will not alter the action. Display the selected definition and provide an edit path. For judgment calls such as replenishment, present evidence and risk signals without pretending the recommendation is certain.

Public references

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