Course Outline
Welcome and objectives
Live poll on current AI usage and a check of each participant's Copilot license type to tailor the pace and examples.
Copilot for Finance – From Occasional Use to Consistent Daily Practice
Topics
• Copilot Chat vs. Microsoft 365 Copilot: benefits of each edition
• Copilot across the Microsoft 365 apps most used by finance teams
• Where the Premium edition adds capability and when upgrading is worthwhile
• Establishing a personal daily usage routine
Practical exercise (identical for Basic and Premium)
• Participants audit their everyday finance tasks to identify immediate opportunities for Copilot application
Advanced Prompting for Finance Tasks
Topics
• Prompt structure for financial accuracy
• Providing Copilot with the right context and constraints
• Iterating and refining results
• Avoiding common errors in numeric outputs
Practical exercise (identical for Basic and Premium, conducted in Copilot Chat)
• Participants rewrite weak prompts into strong ones using their own finance scenarios and compare the outputs
Excel – Data Reconciliation and Cleaning
Topics
• Using Copilot to identify mismatches and anomalies
• Cleaning and standardizing messy datasets
• Automating repetitive checks (full functionality available only in Premium)
Practical exercise (dual workflow)
• Premium: Reconciling a two-source dataset directly in Excel using the in-app Copilot feature
• Basic: Uploading the xlsx file to Copilot Chat, generating a mismatch report, and applying corrections in Excel based on the guidance received
• Shared deliverable: A documented, reusable process that participants can take back to their desks
Excel – Forecasting and Budgeting
Topics
• Building forecast scenarios with Copilot assistance
• Testing budget assumptions
• Explaining variance drivers in plain language
Practical exercise (dual workflow)
• Premium: Building and adjusting a simple forecast model directly in Excel, testing two scenarios with Copilot
• Basic: Uploading the model to Copilot Chat, generating and comparing two scenarios in chat, then transferring the results into the Excel model
Financial Reporting and Executive Communication
Topics
• Converting raw analysis into clear management reports
• Summarizing financial results for non-finance stakeholders
• Drafting executive-ready commentary with Copilot
Practical exercise (dual workflow)
• Premium: Drafting the executive summary directly in Word using the in-app Copilot feature
• Basic: Generating the commentary in Copilot Chat and finalizing the document in Word
• Shared deliverable: A one-page executive summary based on a dataset used earlier in the day
Recap, knowledge check, and personal action plan
Outcomes
By the end of the day, participants will be able to:
• Write consistently strong prompts for financial tasks
• Reconcile and clean data faster with Copilot, regardless of license type
• Build and test forecast and budget scenarios with AI support
• Produce clear, executive-ready reports and summaries
• Understand exactly what can be achieved with their current license and when upgrading to Premium is justified
• Apply a personal action plan and reusable prompt examples immediately at their desk
Requirements
- Active Microsoft 365 business/enterprise account with access to the Copilot Chat app (mandatory for all participants, applicable to both basic and premium tiers)
- Optional: Microsoft 365 Copilot (Premium) license enabled in Excel, Word, and Outlook for the in-app workflow
- Intermediate Excel proficiency: formulas, tables, pivot tables
- Basic familiarity with AI chat tools
- Stable internet connection (the session is delivered online)
Audience
Finance professionals who already use AI in their roles, including financial analysts, FP&A specialists, controllers, and accountants. The group includes mixed experience levels, ranging from confident occasional users to daily users seeking advanced capabilities.
Testimonials (1)
Trainer was very knowledgeable and easy to speak to
