Course Outline
Introduction and Learning Objectives
A live poll to assess current AI utilization and verify each participant’s Copilot license type, enabling us to adjust the pace and examples accordingly.
Microsoft Copilot in Finance – From Occasional to Consistent Daily Use
Key Topics
• Distinguishing between Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot: Features included in each edition
• Utilizing Copilot across the Microsoft 365 applications most frequently used by finance teams
• Identifying additional capabilities in the Premium edition and determining when an upgrade is beneficial
• Establishing a personal daily usage workflow
Practical Exercise (consistent for both Basic and Premium tiers)
• Participants will audit their routine financial tasks to pinpoint areas where Copilot can be immediately applied
Advanced Prompting Strategies for Financial Tasks
Key Topics
• Structuring prompts to ensure financial accuracy
• Providing Copilot with appropriate context and constraints
• Iterating and refining output results
• Mitigating common errors in numerical outputs
Practical Exercise (consistent for both Basic and Premium tiers, executed via Copilot Chat)
• Participants will transform weak prompts into strong ones using their own financial scenarios and compare the resulting outputs
Excel – Data Reconciliation and Cleansing
Key Topics
• Leveraging Copilot to identify discrepancies and anomalies
• Cleaning and standardizing complex datasets
• Automating repetitive verification checks (full functionality available on Premium only)
Practical Exercise (dual workflow)
• Premium: Reconciling a dual-source dataset directly in Excel using in-app Copilot
• Basic: Uploading the xlsx file to Copilot Chat to generate a mismatch report, then applying corrections in Excel based on the received guidance
• Common Output: A documented, reusable process to implement at your workplace
Excel – Forecasting and Budgeting
Key Topics
• Developing forecast scenarios with Copilot support
• Validating budget assumptions
• Articulating variance drivers in clear, simple language
Practical Exercise (dual workflow)
• Premium: Constructing and modifying a simple forecast model directly in Excel, testing two scenarios with Copilot
• Basic: Uploading the model to Copilot Chat to generate and compare the two scenarios, then transferring the results back into the Excel model
Financial Reporting and Executive Communication
Key Topics
• Converting raw analysis into clear management reports
• Summarizing financial outcomes for non-finance stakeholders
• Drafting executive-level commentary with Copilot
Practical Exercise (dual workflow)
• Premium: Drafting the executive summary directly in Word using in-app Copilot
• Basic: Generating the commentary in Copilot Chat and finalizing the document in Word
• Common Output: A one-page executive summary based on a dataset used earlier in the session
Summary, knowledge assessment, and personal action plan
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the session, participants will be able to:
• Consistently craft robust prompts for financial tasks
• Reconcile and clean data more efficiently with Copilot, regardless of license type
• Develop and test forecast and budget scenarios with AI assistance
• Produce clear, executive-ready reports and summaries
• Precisely understand the capabilities of their current license and determine when a Premium upgrade is warranted
• Immediately apply a personal action plan and reusable prompt examples at their workplace
Requirements
- An active Microsoft 365 business or enterprise account with access to the Copilot Chat app (required for all participants, whether on Basic or Premium)
- Recommended: An enabled Microsoft 365 Copilot (Premium) license within Excel, Word, and Outlook for the in-app workflow
- Intermediate Excel skills: proficiency in formulas, tables, and pivot tables
- Familiarity with AI chat interfaces
- A stable internet connection (the session is conducted online)
Target Audience
Finance professionals already integrating AI into their roles, such as financial analysts, FP&A specialists, controllers, and accountants. Suitable for mixed experience levels, ranging from proficient occasional users to daily users seeking to expand their capabilities
Testimonials (2)
i already have some reports that i know, i will use some of the prompts that looked at today
Kelly Cotham
Course - Copilot for Finance and Accounting Professionals
Learning and creating of agents.
