After completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Recognize why prompt, insight-centric reporting surpasses static month-end packages—and the business risks of slow information.
• Distinguish reporting types (trend, comparative, LTM) and presentation views (GAAP, cost-center, natural) for distinct stakeholder needs.
• Select foundational Excel techniques—Power Tools, Excel functions and formulas, conditional formatting—and Gen AI prompts that safely accelerate routine tasks.
• Apply PivotTables, functions and formulas to create core trend, comparative, and LTM calculations.
• Use data-validation dropdowns, dependent lists, slicers, and timelines to build self-service report interfaces that guide scenario analysis and minimize input errors.
• Select lightweight automation—Worksheet_Change events, one-click VBA/Office Scripts, and refresh-all Power Query routines—to distribute ready-to-use workbooks rapidly.
• Apply Gen AI (“My Excel Buddy” custom GPT) responsibly to generate formulas, refactor macros, and assist you with all Excel related tasks.
• Select chart types that best reveal trend and comparative insights for stakeholders.
• Apply conditional-formatting rules and clean layouts to spotlight risk by indicating outliers and reducing cognitive load.
• Use Gen AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT or Copilot) to propose chart options, generate audience-focused narratives, and determine follow-up questions for decision-makers.
• Identify core operational reporting areas that support CFO-level decision-making
• Apply Excel-based techniques to build dynamic operational dashboards for areas like AR, AP, headcount and sales trends
• Determine how Gen AI can be used to suggest key metrics, explain trends, and improve reporting in operational packages

• Foundational Reporting Structures
• Align teams on what trends, comparatives, and LTM analyses deliver and when each is appropriate.
• Reporting Views in Practice
• Clarify where GAAP, cost-center, or natural account layouts best serve senior leadership.
• Excel Essentials: Formulas, functions, Power Tools, tips and techniques
• Preview how simple rules trigger faster decisions without advanced coding.
• Mindset Shifts for Continuous Improvement
• Cultivate a culture of experimentation, iteration, and data literacy.
• Advanced data-validation & dependent lists – structured drop-downs keep user inputs clean and drive self-service parameter changes.
• Scenario-driven slicers – one-click region or date pivots let users explore “what-ifs” without rewriting formulas.
• PivotTables as data sources – how to set up pivottables as reporting data sources
• Micro-automation tips – one-click VBA or Office Scripts refresh data, tidy formatting, and export polished PDFs in seconds.
• Gen AI prompt patterns – Use responsible prompting, data privacy, and ethical considerations in their Gen AI use and consider where “My Excel Buddy” custom GPT can streamline workflows.
• Chart Selection for Trends & Comparatives — lines for rolling-LTM, clustered columns for YoY, waterfalls for bridge analysis, sparklines for quick context.
• Conditional Formatting for Storytelling — heat maps, icon sets, and formula-driven highlights that flag KPIs needing immediate action.
• Storyboarding with the “What-Why-How” Model — craft a three-sentence narrative that moves leaders from awareness to action.
• AI-Assisted Narratives & Chart Suggestions — see live prompts that turn variance tables into first-draft commentary and recommend the most persuasive visual.
• Operational reporting categories
• AR aging, AP Vendor analysis, sales, and employee headcount analysis
• Excel tools for operational reports – using PivotTables, and Excel’s power tools for drill-down and refreshable insights
• Gen AI prompt-driven support – brainstorming key metrics, generating commentary, identifying red flags, and producing scenario narratives
• Controls and risk lens – embedding visibility into anomalies, compliance gaps, or potential fraud in operational reporting.