Claude's native Excel integration pulls live market data (from LSEG, Moody's, S&P Capital IQ) and executes pre-built financial skills—DCF models, comps analysis, sensitivity tables—updating in real-time. Practitioner built a full 11-tab model with multiple scenarios in under 10 minutes.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN →You can now leverage AI-native Excel tools with live data feeds to compress financial modeling timelines from hours to minutes, freeing FP&A time for analysis and storytelling.
Finance professionals are using targeted ChatGPT prompts to automate high-volume repetitive tasks: variance summaries, forecasting narratives, cost-reduction analysis, and executive reporting. Start with routine activities to build confidence before scaling to complex workflows.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN →Prompt ChatGPT with specific FP&A tasks ("draft variance analysis for 15% revenue shortfall") to generate first drafts for refinement, reducing manual report writing by 50%+ on routine summaries.
Power Query eliminates copy-paste workflows by automating data import from multiple sources (bank statements, transaction files, SQL databases), cleaning and transforming data through non-code steps, then refreshing dashboards with a single click. Finance teams consolidate month-end reports in minutes instead of hours.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN →Use Power Query's Get Data → Transform → Load workflow to build self-refreshing KPI dashboards that update automatically, removing the largest time drain from FP&A month-end closes.
Board presentations must prioritize high-level annual summaries (Year 1–5 columns only) with detailed assumptions kept separate. Ground all projections in 12–36 months of historical performance and industry benchmarks to defend against board scrutiny of unrealistic targets.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN →Strip your forecast deck to summary-level numbers, reserve granular detail for backup tabs, and anchor every assumption to historical data—this prevents the 'wishful thinking' objection that derails board approval.
FP&A owns a structured annual budget cycle: planning phase (guidelines + top-down targets), execution phase (bottom-up department inputs with standardized templates), review phase (consolidation and variance analysis), and approval/monitoring. Process typically starts 2–3 months before board sign-off.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN →Structure your budget timeline working backward from board approval, use locked templates to prevent custom Excels, and hold weekly check-ins to catch issues early—this repeatable process scales across teams.
Finance leaders handle headcount planning conflicts by gathering early stakeholder input, defining KPIs (turnover, revenue per employee, hiring velocity), and framing discussions around strategic business goals rather than pure headcount cuts. Dynamic forecasting with HR alignment reduces planning surprises.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN →Reframe headcount conversations from "we need to cut" to "what roles drive the most revenue per dollar?"—this data-driven approach builds executive alignment and reduces pushback on difficult staffing decisions.