Course Outline
Welcome and Session Objectives
An initial assessment of current artificial intelligence utilization and participant Copilot license status will be conducted to calibrate the training pace and tailor examples to the audience’s specific capabilities.
Copilot for Finance: Transitioning from Occasional Use to Standard Operational Practice
Curriculum Overview
- Differentiating Copilot Chat from Microsoft 365 Copilot: Key features included in each tier.
- Application of Copilot across primary Microsoft 365 applications utilized by finance departments.
- Enhanced capabilities provided by the Premium edition and criteria for determining upgrade justification.
- Strategies for establishing a consistent daily workflow.
Practical Exercise (Applicable to Both Basic and Premium Licenses)
- Participants will audit their daily financial tasks to identify immediate opportunities for Copilot integration.
Advanced Prompting Techniques for Financial Operations
Curriculum Overview
- Structuring prompts to ensure financial accuracy and precision.
- Providing Copilot with appropriate contextual parameters and operational constraints.
- Methods for iterating on and refining generated outputs.
- Mitigation strategies for common errors in numerical data output.
Practical Exercise (Applicable to Both Basic and Premium Licenses, via Copilot Chat)
- Participants will refine inefficient prompts into optimized versions using their own financial scenarios and compare the resulting outputs.
Excel: Data Reconciliation and Cleaning
Curriculum Overview
- Utilizing Copilot to identify data mismatches and anomalies.
- Methods for cleaning and standardizing unstructured datasets.
- Automation of repetitive verification checks (Premium edition functionality only).
Practical Exercise (Dual Workflow)
- Premium Tier: Reconciling a two-source dataset directly within Excel using in-app Copilot.
- Basic Tier: Uploading the .xlsx file to Copilot Chat to generate a mismatch report, then applying corrections in Excel based on the guidance provided.
- Shared Deliverable: A documented, reusable process for data reconciliation that participants can implement immediately for government operations.
Excel: Forecasting and Budgeting
Curriculum Overview
- Developing forecast scenarios with Copilot assistance.
- Testing budget assumptions through AI-supported analysis.
- Articulating variance drivers in clear, non-technical language.
Practical Exercise (Dual Workflow)
- Premium Tier: Building and adjusting a simplified forecast model directly in Excel, testing two distinct scenarios using Copilot.
- Basic Tier: Uploading the model to Copilot Chat to generate and compare two scenarios within the chat interface, then transferring the results back into the Excel model.
Financial Reporting and Executive Communication
Curriculum Overview
- Transforming raw data analysis into clear management reports.
- Summarizing financial results for non-finance stakeholders.
- Drafting executive-ready commentary using Copilot.
Practical Exercise (Dual Workflow)
- Premium Tier: Drafting the executive summary directly within Word, utilizing in-app Copilot.
- Basic Tier: Generating commentary in Copilot Chat and finalizing the document in Word.
- Shared Deliverable: A one-page executive summary based on a dataset reviewed earlier in the session.
Closing Activities
Session recap, knowledge assessment, and development of a personal action plan.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- Construct consistently effective prompts for financial tasks.
- Reconcile and clean data more efficiently using Copilot, regardless of license type.
- Develop and test forecast and budget scenarios with AI support.
- Produce clear, executive-ready reports and summaries.
- Determine the specific capabilities available under their current license and identify when an upgrade to Premium is operationally justified.
- Immediately apply a personal action plan and reusable prompt examples to their daily work for government missions.
Requirements
- A valid Microsoft 365 business or enterprise subscription granting access to Copilot Chat is a prerequisite for all attendees (compatible with both basic and premium tiers).
- Participants seeking in-application workflow integration may optionally enable the Microsoft 365 Copilot Premium license for Excel, Word, and Outlook.
- Intermediate competency in Excel, including proficiency with formulas, data tables, and pivot tables, is expected.
- Fundamental familiarity with artificial intelligence chat interfaces is required.
- A reliable broadband internet connection is necessary, as this training is conducted via an online delivery model for government entities.
Target Audience
This program is designed for financial practitioners who currently incorporate artificial intelligence into their daily operations, such as financial analysts, FP&A specialists, controllers, and accountants. The curriculum accommodates a spectrum of experience levels, ranging from occasional users to advanced professionals seeking to expand their technical capabilities.
Testimonials (2)
Learning and creating of agents.
Jana Nalevankova - Ness Romania
Course - Boost Your Productivity with Microsoft Copilot 365
Trainer was very knowledgeable and easy to speak to
