AI for Finance with Microsoft Copilot Training Course

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