I teach Finance Teams how to use ChatGPT - Keynote speaker on AI for Finance & FP&A

For AI Finance Trainings and Workshops:

✉️ Contact me here: hello@nicolasboucher.online

About me:

Number one Finance Thought Leader specialized in AI, trained more than 10,000 people and on a mission to help more than 1 million finance professionals.

3 million people are receiving daily my insights on AI for Finance across all social media channels.

I teach finance people how to use AI.

You can also book me as a keynote speaker.


My previous roles:

🏭 Thales (Germany):
2022-23: Senior manager controlling role for the Transportation business (€500 million business)
2018-22: Part of the management and led the Finance and Controlling team of a production site (400 people) specialised in producing Traveling Waves Tubes for Satellites
2016-2018: Head of Finance Transformation

👨‍💻 PwC:
2014-2016: Audit Manager in PwC Luxembourg
2012-2014: Audit Manager in PwC Singapore
2009-2012: Auditor in PwC Luxembourg


My experience:

Living in 5 different countries across 3 different continents (France, USA, Luxembourg, Singapore and Germany) gave me the capacity to integrate myself quickly and understand different local and working cultures.

Worked 8 years for Thales, an engineering and industrial french multinational.
I had finance manager roles and was part of the management of a 400 people production site.

Prior to that, I worked 7 years as an auditor and consultant for PwC in Luxembourg and Singapore.


My private life:

I am married and a happy father of two young daughters. We both learn from each other and we enjoy reading french books together and play outside.
When I am not busy with my daughters, I am exercising, cooking and spending quality time with friends.
Finally, traveling and tasting new food are some of my favorite experiences. But if you ask me where is the most beautiful place and where can we find the best food in the world, I have only one response: my hometown, Brittany in France.


My Specialties:

-Finance & accounting
-Controlling, budgeting & forecasts
-FP&A
-ChatGPT
-AI
-Storytelling
-Cross-cultural management, coaching and training
-Cost reduction
-Management
-Analytics, Business Performance and Activity Dashboard
-Audit & controls
-Business Processes Modelling
-Financial Statements and Cash Flow
-Business Intelligence
-Fluent in French (native speaker), English & German

Hashtags:
#finance #controlling #accounting #management #cfo #cash #budgeting #forecasting #chatgpt

https://nicolasboucher.online

Nicolas Boucher

Finance teams think they're using Copilot. They're not.
👉 Here's what they're missing: https://lnkd.in/ehpmZm98

They've got the license
They assume it just works

They open it once a week, maybe twice, and call it "transformation"
Only uses a fraction of what it can do and don't even know it

The meetings still drag
The Excel models still eat hours
The insights still land a day too late

Here's the thing nobody wants to admit: the tool isn't the problem. The knowledge gap is.

Most finance professionals are using Copilot the way they used Google, typing in a question and hoping for the best

They don't know the shortcuts
They don't know the workflows
They don't know what it can actually do inside the apps they're already living in

So I built something to fix that.

Top 100 Copilot tips designed for real finance work, not a vendor demo

This isn't theory.

These are the prompts and workflows that CFOs, FP&A teams, and controllers are quietly using to get ahead while everyone else is still doing things the slow way

Here's what's actually in it:
1. Meetings & communication
• Summarize meetings in seconds
• Extract decisions, actions, and owners
• Catch up on Teams chats instantly

2. Excel & data
• Sanity-check files before sharing
• Build Pivot Tables with plain English
• Explain formulas, clean data, find outliers

3. PowerPoint & Word
• Turn raw docs into exec-ready decks
• Rewrite slides for clarity and impact
• Create presentations from a simple prompt

4. FP&A & analysis
• Reconcile numbers across files
• Run scenarios faster
• Produce decision-ready summaries

5. Advanced Copilot workflows
• Research with sources
• Build Copilot agents
• Automate recurring finance tasks

(See the complete list in the cheatsheet)

And if you want to go deeper…

We’re also hosting a live webinar
How to become an AI CFO,
- Automate reporting and forecasting without writing code
- Cut days of manual work down to minutes
- Adopt AI securely while staying ahead of 2026's fast-changing tools

Where I will also talk about Copilot as one of the fast-changing tools

👉 Download the 100 Copilot Tips cheat sheet here: https://lnkd.in/ehpmZm98
(Save your seat for the masterclass, after downloading the 100 Copilot cheatsheet)

💬 What’s the first Copilot task you want to automate? Do you want to join my Live masterclass?

🔁 Repost if this helps your finance team work faster

I teach Finance Teams how to use AI - Keynote speaker on AI for Finance (Email me if you need help)

Top 22 Excel Formulas
👉 Download the HHD PDF and register for my AI masterclass: https://lnkd.in/d7Qj5e9n

10x your productivity with these 22 Excel must-know formulas:

1. SUM
Adds all numbers in a range

=SUM(A1:A9)
Add values from cell A1 to A﻿9

2. AVERAGE
Calculates the average of numbers in a range

=AVE﻿RAGE(B1:B9)
Averag﻿e of B1 t﻿o B9

3. ROUND
Rounds a number to a specified number of digits

=﻿ROUND(C1;2)
Round C1 to 2 decimal places

4. MIN
Identifies the lowest number in a range

=MIN(D1:D9)
Find the min﻿im﻿um in D1 to D9

5. MAX
Finds the highest number in a range

=MAX(D1:D9)
Get the maxim﻿um v﻿alue in D1 to D9

6. COUNT
Counts th﻿e number of cells that contain numbers

=C﻿OUNT(F1:F9)
Count numeric cells in F1 to F9
*It only counts the numerical inputs

7. INDEX
Returns a value in table based on row & column number

=INDEX﻿(K1:L10,2,3)
For the value i﻿n the 2nd row & 3rd column from the range K1:K10

8. MATCH
Searches for a value and returns its relative position

=MATCH﻿(L1,M1:M9,0)
To find L1's p﻿osition from the range M1:M9

9. VLOOKUP
Searches for a value in the first column of a range

=VLOOKUP (G1,H1:H10,2,FALSE)
To find G1 in H1:H10

10. HLOOKUP
Searches for a value in the top row of a table

*Number of rows that contains the data you want to retrieve

=HLOOKU﻿P(I1,J1:S2,2,FALSE)
To f﻿ind I1 in the top row J1:S2

11. XLOOKUP
Finds a value in one range & returns a result from another

=XLOOKUP(A7,A2:A4,B2:C4)
To find A7 in A2:A4 & return the corresponding value from B2:C4 if a match is found

12. COUNTIF/COUNTIFS
Counts cells that meet a condition

=COUNT﻿IF (N1:N9;">5")
To count cells greater tha﻿n 5

13. COUNTA
Counts non-empty cells

=COUNTA(O1:O9)
To coun﻿t all non-em﻿pty cells in a range

14. SUMIF / SUMIFS
Counts non-empty cells

=SUMIF(﻿P1:P9,">5")
Add cells that meet a condition

15. IF / NESTED IFS
Performs conditional tests

=IF(R﻿1>5;"Yes";"No")
For sim﻿ple cond﻿itions

Note:

IF: 1 variable
IFS: multiple variables

=IF(test, true, false)

=IF(test1, true, IF(test2, true, false)
Nested IF

=IFS(test1, true, test2, true, test3, true)

16. AVERAGEIF / AVERAGEIFS
Calculates the average for cells that meet criteria

=AVER﻿AGEIF(Q1:Q9;">5")
Average of values over 5

17. Logical Operators (AND, OR)
Combines multiple conditions

=AND(S1>5;S2<2)
Both conditions are true => Output is true

=OR(S1>5;S2<2)
Just 1 condition is true => Output is true

18. CONCATENATE
Joins two or more text strings

=C﻿ONCATENATE(T1," ",T2)
Com﻿bine first name and last name in one cell

19. LEFT/RIGHT
Extracts characters from the start/end of a text string

=LEF﻿T(U1;5)
Excel

=RIGHT(U1;5)
Class

20. MID
Extracts characters from the middle of a text string

=MID(V1;7;7)
7 characters starting from the 7th => Mastery

21. TEXT
Converts a value to text in a specific number format

=TEXT(V1;”MMM-YY")
7/02/2024 => Feb-24

22. IFERRROR
Returns a custom result if a formula errors out

=IFERROR(W1,"0")
Give 0 as output, instead o﻿f "# div" error

Are finance certifications still the "Golden Ticket"? 
Move beyond certifications: https://lnkd.in/dxbPe7P3

While these 10 are the industry gold standards
The "CFO of 2026" needs more than just a certificate

The Top 10 Finance Certifications to Watch:
(Free masterclass to move beyond certifications, See it at the end!)

1. CPA - Certified Public Accountant
Issued by: Local Boards of Accountancy
Focus: Expertise in accounting, tax preparation, and financial planning

2. CMA - Certified Management Accountant
Issued by: Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
Focus: Skills in management accounting, financial planning, analysis, control, and decision support

3. CFA - Chartered Financial Analyst
Issued by: Chartered Financial Analyst Institute
Focus: Widely recognized for investment analysis and portfolio management

4. FMVA - Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst
Issued by: Corporate Finance Institute (CFI)
Focus: Financial modeling, valuation, and analysis skills

5. FRM - Financial Risk Manager
Issued by: Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP)
Focus: Identifying, assessing, and managing financial risks

6. FPAC - Certified Corporate FP&A Professional
Issued by: Association for Financial Professionals (AFP)
Focus: Planning, analysis, budgeting, and decision support in finance

7. CA - Chartered Accountant
Issued by: Local Institutes of Chartered Accountants
Focus: Expertise in financial accounting, taxation, and auditing

8. ACCA - Chartered Certified Accountant
Issued by: Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
Focus: Financial management, taxation, and audit expertise

9. CIA - Certified Internal Auditor
Issued by: Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
Focus: Proficiency in internal auditing, risk management, and control

10. CTP - Certified Treasury Professional
Issued by: Association for Financial Professionals (AFP)
Focus: Managing corporate treasury, cash, and risk management operations

My take? I’m not a big believer in judging talent solely by certifications
They are valuable, but they are often theoretical and expensive

🚀 The Next Level: Beyond the Certification

Certificates show you know the rules
AI shows you how to break the manual workload.

If you want to go beyond theory, join my upcoming Masterclass:
"How to Become an AI CFO"

In 60 minutes, I’ll show you how to:
• Automate reporting and forecasting (zero code)
• Save 20–40+ hours per month.
• Build secure AI workflows for your team.

📅 Tuesday, January 20
⏰ 11am EST | 4pm UK | 5pm CET

👉 Register for the Masterclass here: https://lnkd.in/dxbPe7P3

See you there!

The 100 AI Finance Tips Handbook
(135 pages to become a top 1% AI-driven Finance Pro in 2026)
👉 Comment "AI TIPS" and I will send your ebook (+ your invite)

I am planning to limit the launch to only the first 100 comments so make sure to be quick!

This is the premiere release of this handbook and it’s the most comprehensive AI resource I’ve built for finance teams

This guide can save you 10+ hours every single week in 2026
and it is worth $1,000+ in saved training time

Most finance professionals are stuck in "prompting purgatory." 
They know AI is powerful, but they don't know the specific use cases for their daily work

So I compiled the most practical, "plug-and-play" tips
into one handbook: 100 Tips for AI in Finance

Inside the handbook, you will find:
#1 AI Prompting for Finance: How to get accurate, hallucination-free results
#2 Data Analysis & Clean-up: Speeding up your monthly closes
#3 Forecasting & Modeling: Using AI to spot trends your eyes might miss
#4 Automating Reporting: Moving from manual data entry to strategic analysis
#5 Risk & Compliance: Using AI to audit and find anomalies in seconds
... and 95 other actionable tips you can use today

Also, this handbook is organized into 5 levels: 
Level 1 – Foundations: how AI really behaves, how to handle confidential data, and how to avoid “black box” outputs
Level 2 – Data & Numbers: analysis workflows, modeling, dashboards, and automation (Excel, Power Query, scripts, Colab)
Level 3 – Prompting Mastery: proven techniques to force clearer reasoning, better structure, and more reliable outputs
Level 4 – Custom AI: how to build GPTs/agents/gems that think like finance - consistent, auditable, governable
Level 5 – AI CFO: how to scale AI across the finance function with roadmaps, governance, KPIs, and adoption

I’ve seen FP&A managers and CFOs spend days on manual tasks that these tips could solve in under 15 minutes

This is the shortcut to stop being "the person who does the reports" and start being "the person who provides the insights"

👉 Comment "AI TIPS" if you want to receive the link to download this handbook and your free seat for my upcoming AI masterclass.

♻️ Repost to help a colleague who is still doing finance the "old way"

17 FREE AI Finance Resources (only the fastest one will claim it)
These resources are worth more than $10,000+

👉 Comment "AI" to get it (+ bonus: free AI Finance masterclass invite)

These AI Finance resources are a collection of my top masterclasses, courses, and expert videos that I created in 2025.

All of the methods inside are tested and CFOs reported savings
of 10+ hours every week.

This is more than important now because:
The gap between a "Traditional CFO" and an "AI-First CFO" is now more than a 10-hour-per-week difference in productivity.

To help you bridge that gap, I’ve updated my resource library.

Here is what’s inside the "17 AI for Finance Resources" collection:

- Excel's AI Agent Mode builds complete financial models in minutes
- See how CFO Saul Mateos uses AI to save 10+ hours per week
- How to use ChatGPT 5 to build INSANE financial models
- ChatGPT for FP&A Masterclass with Drivetrain 
- The complete guide to using Microsoft Copilot as a finance pro
- How to Create a Finance Forecast in 30 Minutes with Maxio
- Vibe coding for finance pros - Featuring Christian Martinez
- Advanced AI Tips with Ramp
- The Blueprint to Using AI for Finance in 2026 with Shawn Kanungo
- How to use Gemini for Finance
- Stop Throwing Money Away on SaaS with Vertice
- 3 practical ways to use AI for financial analysis
- Financial Storytelling with AI and Jedox
- Train your finance team on AI in 30 days
- From Traditional CFO to AI CFO with Agicap
- Finance Masterclass: How to Become an AI-First CFO in 2026
- Master AI in Accounting with Zenskar

There are many masterclasses I gave for companies last year, which are included for which companies paid thousands of dollars.

I advise that you stop throwing time away on manual spreadsheets and outdated SaaS

I’m giving this collection away for FREE to help you lead the AI transition in your company

BONUS: When you comment, I’ll also send you your exclusive invitation for my upcoming AI Finance Masterclass

Only the fastest will get it, as last time we had thousands of requests, and unfortunately, we don't have that much capacity yet!

So, don't wait! React fast and comment "AI" to get the downloadable link!

Share it around so that you help other finance pros who are losing hours every week.

You’re not paid to read documents,
you’re paid to see what others miss
👉 Master this at our AI CFO Webinar: https://lnkd.in/dGWTJABy

If you're digging through PDFs and spreadsheets for one insight
You're doing it the hard way

I used to juggle reports, trackers, and memos in my head
but the brain isn’t built for that complexity

I started using NotebookLM. It doesn’t guess; it only works with your uploaded files

Finance Brain in 3 Steps:

Step 1: Upload your files
Organize by project: Strategy (competitor PDFs), Operations (variance reports), or Compliance (regulations)

Step 2: Ask for synthesis, not a summary
A summary repeats data; synthesis finds the insight between files

Try these prompts:
* Strategic: "Compare Competitor A’s risks with ours. What are we missing?"
* Operational: "Cross-reference Q3 expenses with our Operating Plan to find unplanned overspends."
* Regulatory: "Which clauses in this Tax Guide contradict our internal policy?"

Step 3: Get your output
Generate audio overviews, infographics, or slide decks instantly. NotebookLM pulls connections across documents and cites its sources

Now I turn 12 hours of reading into 15 minutes of thinking

Pick your messiest stack of documents, upload them, and run one prompt
You’ll see why this is the secret weapon of modern finance teams

—

If you want to go beyond and actually save 20–40+ hours per month
I am hosting a live session for real finance teams

- Automate reporting and forecasting without writing code
- Cut days of manual work down to minutes
- Adopt AI securely while staying ahead of 2026's fast-changing tools

Tuesday, January 27, 2025
EST: 11am | UK: 4pm | CET: 5pm

👉 Join me here for a live masterclass, together with 1000s of CFOs and finance pros: https://lnkd.in/dGWTJABy

🔁 Repost to help a finance peer who is tired of feeling behind on AI

This changes the game for financial analysis:

(and it’s not an Agent for Excel)

It’s called MCP
(Model Context Protocol)

And you can use it to connect AI to your data, and your apps.

So, if you’re tired of being a data cleaner,
And want to become a better business partner using AI…

You can get ahead by joining my free masterclass (with NetSuite) here - https://lnkd.in/dnZ4Nw5v

Because, most finance teams don’t struggle with AI.
They struggle connecting their data to AI
(securely)

But with MCP or ‘Connectors’ you can connect ChatGPT and Claude to the apps you use every day.

You can ask AI questions like:

“Summarize this Excel forecast in Drive”
“Get last month’s finance slides from Dropbox”
“Find me the last commentary from Sarah in my e-mails”

Plus, it’s super easy to set up.

In ChatGPT - Go into your settings and look for ‘Apps’
2. In Claude - Go into your settings and find ‘Connectors’

But, if you want to get ahead faster, join me next week (with NetSuite) where I will show you:

How to create financial models in minutes
How to use AI to automate financial analysis
How turn data into insights using AI prompts and MCP (Model Context Protocol)

Spaces are limited, so reserve your space here - https://lnkd.in/dnZ4Nw5v

P.S. - For live attendees we’re giving away an exclusive ‘AI for Financial Analysis Handbook’ with prompts, use cases, and step-by-step guides - totally free.

If you want an early copy ahead of the Masterclass, let me know.

Brand partnership • I teach Finance Teams how to use AI - Keynote speaker on AI for Finance (Email me if you need help)

How I use AI to clean 12 messy Excel tabs in 10 seconds:
(plus, how you can stop your month-end crisis dead)
Join us to get ahead in 2026 → https://lnkd.in/eyc7gb37

It's 2026 and you're still doing month-end the hard way:
1. Downloading your GL,
2. Cleaning your data in Excel,
3. Building your variance tables,
4. Writing your commentary by hand.

Well, you can start getting ahead right now.
↳ Just use AI to create data cleanup scripts.

Here’re the steps:
• Step 1: Give ChatGPT context using the first 10 rows of your messy data
• Step 2: Define your logic (keep columns C, D, E; remove lines 3, 4, 5)
• Step 3: Add metadata like "Cardholder Name" and "Company"[
• Step 4: Run the generated Apps Script in Google Sheets

(Full guide in the document below)

But if you want to skip the scripts entirely?
↳ That is where Concourse comes in.

It’s a dedicated Finance Agent that:
1. Has in-built expert prompts for finance use cases
2. Remembers exactly how you want your reporting done
3. Connects directly to your data so you never export a CSV again

If you felt like you were falling behind in 2025,
2026 is your chance to get ahead

Join me and Concourse for a free 60-minute Masterclass
This Thursday, February 5th 12:30 EST
Spaces are limited so join here now → https://lnkd.in/eRpTPCC9

We are covering:

How to build a variance dashboard to impress your team
↳ (without touching Excel or writing a single formula)

Why formatting slides is a waste of time. And the AI workflow
↳ that builds your deck (so you can level up your analysis)

The best way to connect AI securely to your data
↳ (so you never have to export a single CSV again)

What else do you want to see?

🔁 Repost to help others escape the month-end crisis.

P.S - Does it take you more than 3 days to close your month? Yes or No.

Data Cleaning with AI

Most AI automations fail before they break even.
Here’s the framework finance teams use to avoid that.

Your team is full of AI ideas:
• “Let’s automate monthly reporting.”
• “Can AI draft the board deck?”
• “What about automating forecasts?”

All good ideas in theory.

In practice, most fail because no one asks one question first:
“What’s the payback?”

I learned this the hard way by over-automating tasks that saved minutes…
but took days to build and months to maintain.

So I now use a simple 3-category framework:

1. Pure Automation
Rule-based, stable, repetitive tasks that break even fast

2. AI Workflows (human-triggered)
AI drafts → humans review. High leverage, low risk

3. AI Agents
Promising — but still risky for business-critical finance processes

This lens makes it obvious what to automate, what to augment with AI,
and what to skip entirely.

👉 This Thursday, I’m breaking this down live in a free 60-min masterclass,
sponsored by Concourse, where I’ll also show:
• GL export → full management report in under 10 minutes
• A variance dashboard built without Excel formulas
• How to connect AI directly to your data (no more CSVs)

If you want fewer late nights at month-end and automation that actually pays off:

👉 Reserve your free spot here: https://lnkd.in/ez27Su5v

View newsletter: AI+Finance by Nicolas Boucher

Sponsored by Concourse If your month-end still feels like a recurring crisis, I've found something to help you escape this painful cycle. In next Thur

Open article: I wasted 3 days on finance automation and saved no time (avoid this) by Nicolas Boucher • 8 min read

I wasted 3 days on finance automation and saved no time (avoid this)

If your finance team feels like a service desk, read this.
(my newsletter below has the fix)

It’s Tuesday. Your inbox fills up with the same questions again:
“How are we tracking vs budget?”
“What if we add 2 headcount in Q2?”
“When will the big clients pay?”

You run the scenario, send it back… and a follow-up lands 10 minutes later.

That’s the trap: finance becomes the calculator.
And the queue keeps you away from real analysis.

The fix in 2026: build a self-service scenario tool in ~5 minutes with Canvas (ChatGPT or Gemini).
Your business partners change inputs themselves and see results instantly.

Join me on Tuesday to learn my time saving techniques live:
https://lnkd.in/d9zDFjM2

How to Become an AI CFO Don't miss my first AI CFO Masterclass of 2026 (this Tuesday!) I will teach you: How to automate reporting, forecasting & anal

Open article: Stop being a finance request ‘help desk’ (free yourself in 5-steps) by Nicolas Boucher • 7 min read

Stop being a finance request ‘help desk’ (free yourself in 5-steps)

Stop wasting hours on manual dashboards
Get real-time insights in seconds with AI
Join our live webinar tomorrow: https://lnkd.in/dnZ4Nw5v

Most finance teams spend 80% of their time maintaining models
instead of advising the business

We are stuck rebuilding spreadsheets after every "What if...?"
and waiting days for answers that were needed in the meeting

It is time to close the "hallucination gap" by moving to Connected Data

To help you make this shift,
I’m giving away my Free AI Finance Handbook to everyone who joins our live session tomorrow

Inside the handbook: You’ll find the step-by-step technical setup for the workflows I’m sharing with NetSuite, so you don't have to start from scratch

I’ve designed this handbook specifically to help you master the core of our session: my partnership with Oracle NetSuite

Where we’ll show you how the Model Context Protocol (MCP) acts as a secure bridge between your AI and your live financial data

Make sure to register now and get the handbook: https://lnkd.in/dnZ4Nw5v

The 3-Step Workflow:
1️⃣ Ask in plain English: "Graph our Q3 revenue trends"
2️⃣ Connect to Live Data: MCP fetches data directly from NetSuite using your specific permissions. 3️⃣ Instant Visualization: The AI processes the raw data and instantly renders a chart or dashboard.

Why this is a must-have for 2026:
- No more manual prep: Find trends instantly without the manual data preparation dance.
- Full Auditability: Logic lives in code that you can review or ask the AI to explain.
- Platform Freedom: Whether you use ChatGPT’s Canvas, Copilot’s PowerPoint integration, or Gemini’s Google Slides workflows, MCP connects them all

The Impact:
✅ 20-30% reduction in month-end close cycle time
✅ 50%+ faster variance analysis
✅ 3-5 hours saved per person, every single week

Don't stay stuck in maintenance mode while others reach AI-Native status

Register here and get the handbook: https://lnkd.in/dnZ4Nw5v

See you on January 22nd!

This post was sponsored by NetSuite.

Buying AI licenses won’t upskill your finance team
(here's what will)

CFOs have asked me the same question for 3 years:
“How do I train my team on AI without chaos or security risks?”

What I see in most companies:
Multiple AI licenses are bought, then a big announcement and the team goes exploring
On the end: nothing happens

Here’s the 30-day blueprint that actually sticks:

Week 0: Pick one tool and commit 
Week 1: 1-hour “Eye Opener” 
Week 2: Hands-on workshop with your team’s own files
Week 3: Build Sharing habit 
Week 4: Mini hackathon: 

Open my newsletter below to learn in detail.

👇 Join my FREE masterclass next week to see the playbook + 5 high-impact use cases (and get the AI in Finance Handbook).
https://lnkd.in/dkfJ6jkM

This newsletter was sponsored by NetSuite

Sponsored by NetSuite If you’re a finance pro that's tired of cleaning data, who wants more time to become a better business partner. Next week I have

Open article: 30 days to a finance team your competitors will envy (full guide inside) by Nicolas Boucher • 8 min read

30 days to a finance team your competitors will envy (full guide inside)

Are you still grinding through manual data entry?
Stop losing the time you should spend on strategy
👉 Learn my AI workflows here: https://lnkd.in/dsrAdd3P

I’ve been testing Gemini Canvas for a few weeks, and here’s what surprised me

It’s not just another doc tool
It’s a smarter workspace that cuts the grind from reporting, analysis, and content creation

Here’s how I use it in my workflow

I log into gemini.google.com and open a Canvas
From there, I can drop in my data points, themes, or even a rough outline
Gemini instantly turns it into a draft tailored for reports, financial briefings, or client notes

I adjust the tone depending on the audience
Regulatory? Keep it formal
Execs? Make it sharp and concise
Clients? More persuasive

You can choose the length and even ask Gemini to suggest edits to improve clarity
Headings, bullets, numbered lists... all done automatically

But the real power is in visuals
With one click, Gemini turns long reports into infographics or interactive web pages
Great for internal dashboards or exec presentations
You can also take deep-dive research and convert it into quizzes, visuals, or other engaging formats

Everything stays inside the Canvas
I just hit Create when I’m ready, and choose a format: PDF, infographic, web page, or Google Doc

And yes, you still need to be mindful of data security
I use a Google Workspace Business account that fits my company’s needs

If you’re in finance, reporting, or content-heavy roles
This tool is worth exploring
The free tier gives you the core features
Paid plans unlock deeper integration if needed

If you want to go beyond and actually save 20–40+ hours per month
I am hosting a live session for real finance teams

- Automate reporting and forecasting without writing code
- Cut days of manual work down to minutes
- Adopt AI securely while staying ahead of 2026's fast-changing tools

👉 How to become an AI CFO Masterclass: https://lnkd.in/dsrAdd3P

🔁 Repost to help a finance peer who is tired of feeling behind on AI

How to build an AI roadmap for Finance
👉 Sign up for my live masterclass: https://lnkd.in/d3iBWyvg


Most finance teams want to use AI
Very few know where to start

The result
Too many tools
No clear impact
And growing frustration across FP&A and accounting teams

But don't worry, I have already built a roadmap
Already used by 1000s of finance teams

Here’s the framework 👇

1. Start with a corporate AI license
• Enterprise-grade security and privacy
• Clear rules for your finance team
• No shadow AI usage

2. Automate finance processes first
• Use AI to generate scripts
• Python + AI = fast automation
• Focus on repetitive tasks

3. Automate payables with AI
• AI AP tools connected to your ERP
• Invoice capture, checks, postings
• Immediate time savings

4. Add AI-native finance tools
• Forecasting
• Reporting
• Planning and analysis
• Pick tools that solve one clear problem

5. Create custom AI agents
• Custom GPTs or Copilot agents
• Gemini Gems for finance use cases
• Your own finance copilots

6. Build AI workflows
• Text analysis
• Code automation
• Audio workflows
• Insights from large datasets

7. Move to AI forecasting
• Only once data foundations are ready
• Predict trends, not just report history

And if you have some problems or questions
about this AI Roadmap

You can join us here in my Live Masterclass next week Tuesday
Save your seat here: https://lnkd.in/d3iBWyvg

I’ll walk through this roadmap live
Practical examples, no buzzwords

• Automate reporting, forecasting, and analysis without writing code
• Cut days of manual finance work down to minutes
• Save 20–40+ hours per month with AI workflows
• Adopt AI securely and stay ahead of fast-changing tools

Built specifically for CFOs, FP&A and finance teams

Live on Tuesday, January 20
EST: 11am | UK: 4pm | CET: 5pm

💬 Where is your finance team today on this roadmap

🔁 Repost if this helps you structure your AI journey

The Top 1 mistake finance teams make in analysis?
They describe everything, but prescribe nothing
👉 Learn how to automate analysis: https://lnkd.in/ddrH2SD5

They act like reporters, not advisors
They tell the board what happened, but not what to do next
They explain results, but stay silent on risks and decisions

And it’s costing them influence

"Revenue grew 8%" is safe
"Revenue will likely slow to 4% next month" is bold
But only one of those statements moves strategy forward

To shift from being a back-office observer to a strategic partner, you need all 4 types of analysis:

Type 1: Descriptive
What happened and by how much

Type 2: Diagnostic
Why did it happen and what caused the change

Type 3: Predictive
What’s likely to happen next and what risks or trends to watch

Type 4: Prescriptive
What should we do now based on what we know

Most finance teams stop at Type 1
Some reach Type 2
Very few consistently deliver Types 3 and 4

That’s the gap
That’s the opportunity

I created the 4-Analysis Prompt Framework to help close this gap
Use it to level up your analysis, train your teams, and shift your role from data summarizer to strategy enabler

Because when you bring predictions and recommendations to the table,
people stop seeing you as just the numbers person

They see you as the business partner who drives better decisions

Be the strategic voice your company listens to
Not just the one that recaps last quarter

Here's the quick recap
1. Descriptive – What happened?
2. Diagnostic – Why did it happen?
3. Predictive – What’s likely next?
4. Prescriptive – What should we do now?

Most teams stop at Type 1
Some make it to Type 2
Very few touch 3 and 4

That’s the gap. That’s your opportunity

-

In my How to Become an AI CFO Masterclass: https://lnkd.in/ddrH2SD5

I will share how to:

1. Automate reporting, forecasting & analysis without writing code
2. Cut days of manual work down to minutes with AI workflows
3. Adopt AI securely with confidence
4. Keep on top of the rapid developments in tools and when you should use them

All of these AI for finance lessons
Live, and most importantly free!

I am giving away these lessons to help finance pros
start using AI in 2026 the right way

👉 You can join me and 1000s of finance pros: https://lnkd.in/ddrH2SD5

🔁 Repost to help a finance peer who is tired of feeling behind on AI

See you in the masterclass!

Still paying the “PowerPoint tax”?
👉 You can change that by joining me live: https://lnkd.in/dHDshJZK

Most finance pros spend 6 hours "fixing" slides
Formatting, aligning, and manual labor

You weren't hired to be a designer
You were hired to be a strategic partner

The "New Way" transforms you into the AI CFO
You save 5.5 hours per presentation

Shifting from a mechanic to a strategist
(Which is what you want to be!)

Here is how to do it in 4 simple steps:

1. Generate Your Story Structure
• Open an LLM and use a prompt for the "three whats"
• Define your role, audience, and context
• Get an outline: What happened, what it means, what to do

2. Create Your Slides
• Open PowerPoint online for better AI features
• Use Copilot to "Create a presentation about..."
• Paste your LLM outline directly into the tool

3. Refine and Verify
• Trim the content to make slides scannable
• Verify all numbers to avoid hallucinations
• Apply your corporate theme for a professional look

4. Practice Your Delivery
• Use "Rehearsal Coach" in the Slide Show tab
• Let AI track your pace, tone, and filler words
• Get feedback on body language and slide reading

👉 You can go to my newsletter if you want more details: https://lnkd.in/dcitBYfH

or even better get my Top 100 AI tips here: https://lnkd.in/d6AHmc78

After you get the Top 100 AI tips,
You will be redirected to a webpage about my "How to become an AI CFO" masterclass!

You will learn even more AI use cases for finance!
These are real, solid, and concrete examples of AI in finance

Which I have taught to 1000s of finance pros!
👉 Join us here next Tuesday! https://lnkd.in/dHDshJZK

🔁 Repost if this helps your team work faster

Month-end still feels like a recurring crisis?
Here’s how finance teams are escaping it with AI

If you’re honest, building a solid 13-week cash flow model takes at least 1–2 hours.
That’s assuming:
• no broken formulas
• no off-by-one errors
• no “quick question?” messages on Slack or Teams

Recently, I built a 13-week cash flow model with:
• 2 products
• Different payment terms
• Leasing costs
• Salaries
• Machine down payments

👉 It took under 10 minutes.
Not because the logic was simpler 
but because I wasn’t stuck linking cells.
I was thinking about:
• Timing assumptions
• Cash pressure points
• Whether the model actually reflected reality

This is the shift happening with Excel Agent Mode.
You brief the model like a junior analyst.
It builds the formulas, structure, and documentation.

This Thursday, I’m breaking this down live in a free 60-min masterclass,
sponsored by Concourse, where I’ll also show:
• GL export → full management report in under 10 minutes
• A variance dashboard built without Excel formulas
• How to connect AI directly to your data (no more CSVs)

👉 Reserve your free spot here: https://lnkd.in/ez27Su5v

Sponsored by Concourse If your month-end still feels like a recurring crisis, I've found something to help you escape this painful cycle. In this Thur

Open article: Why my 10-minute cash flow beats your 2-hour version (steal this) by Nicolas Boucher • 6 min read

Why my 10-minute cash flow beats your 2-hour version (steal this)

I will teach you AI for finance
In my free masterclass today
👉 Interested? Join us here: https://lnkd.in/evHKSuhA

The problem isn’t ambition
It’s time

You’re stuck in:
→ Endless reporting cycles
→ Manual forecasting
→ Ad-hoc analysis requests
→ Finance workflows built in the Stone Age

AI fixes this
If you actually know what you’re doing

Today, I’m running a free 1-hour masterclass:
How to Become an AI CFO

Here’s what you’ll learn 👇

1. Automate reporting (no code required)
• Stop doing Excel gymnastics
• Let AI generate management-ready reports
• Turn raw data into insights in minutes

2. Forecast like a machine
• Build budgets faster
• Stress-test scenarios instantly
• Without writing code

3. Kill manual work
• Build AI workflows that actually work
• Eliminate repetitive tasks
• Scale without hiring

4. Use AI without getting fired
• What’s safe to share (and what’s not)
• Avoid the mistakes everyone makes
• Stay compliant

📅 Today, Tuesday, February 3, 2026
⏰ 11 am EST | 4 pm UK | 5 pm CET

2,400+ finance professionals already signed up!

👉 Like this post and tag somebody who should come with you
Then go here to reserve your seat: https://lnkd.in/evHKSuhA

Why listen to me?
I’ve trained 10,000+ finance pros and work with brands like Mercedes-Benz, KPMG, and Rakuten on AI in Finance

P.S. Already using AI in finance?

💬 Drop a comment below and share to your finance team!

“The first useful AI presentation”
One of the real comments from my latest masterclass

Last night reminded me why I keep running “How to Become an AI CFO” sessions:

Finance professionals don’t need more AI hype
They need a clear path and use cases proven to work

That’s what we did live with 100s of CFOs and finance pros

What I shared in the masterclass

1) 3 secrets to become an AI CFO
- You don't need to be technical with AI
- How to automate hours of work without new tools
- Why now, every CFO role requires AI Skills

2) Your AI CFO Roadmap
Build an AI roadmap based on your company size

3) Practical, not theoretical
You could feel it in the chat: people weren’t just “impressed”
they were identifying use cases for their own portfolio dashboards, reporting, analysis, and automation

(And yes… someone called it the first useful AI presentation they attended , that’s the goal)

You could feel it in the chat people weren’t just “impressed”…
they were identifying use cases for dashboards, reporting, analysis, and automation

"Didn't believe this was possible"
“Powerful honestly”
“Did you say ‘Team of Avengers’? Love it!”
…made my day

Want the invite to the next masterclass?

Comment “AI CFO” below and I’ll DM you the registration link as soon as it opens

Let’s make AI actually useful for finance leaders

and ofcourse, I am not letting you leave this post
Without something valuable

My Top 100 Prompt Tips: https://lnkd.in/deCEf7WX

100 AI tips for AI in Finance eBook: https://lnkd.in/duzE3g-3

30-Day AI Finance Playbook: https://lnkd.in/dTa_HjzK

🔁 Repost if you found these resources super valuable!

The ChatGPT feature CFOs need
👉Download my 100 AI Tips Handbook: https://lnkd.in/djTrG6_7

Most people are still using ChatGPT like a search bar

But there’s a whole other level that unlocks serious productivity

It’s called Agent Mode

Instead of just helping you think, it can actually do work
Like extract data from websites
Build Excel models
Transform messy files
And even create full presentations

The best part
You stay in control while it handles the execution

Here’s how to get started in under 5 minutes

Step 1: Turn it on
Click Tools → Agent mode inside any ChatGPT chat

Step 2: Write a better prompt
Give it context, a clear problem, and a defined goal
For example, don’t just say “clean this file”
Tell it what the file is, what’s wrong, and what you want as output

Step 3: Try real use cases
Finance pros are already using it for
Adding variance commentary
Building weekly KPI packs
Reconciling bank vs GL
Department-level budget analysis

Step 4: Review like a manager
Think of it as checking a junior’s work
You’re not doing the formulas anymore
You’re deciding, correcting, guiding

One thing to keep in mind
Agent Mode isn’t about speed
It’s about doing work you probably wouldn’t have attempted solo

And yes, it can handle some of your toughest tasks in under 15 minutes

If you’ve been waiting to try Agent Mode
This is the week to do it

And if you liked this, I have something that you will like even more
In this link: https://lnkd.in/djTrG6_7

Contains my Top 100 AI tips for finance, which you can have for free!
+ A free seat for my Live AI for Finance masterclass

Next week, Tuesday! January 27, 2025

Save your seat,
And I will see you there with live AI in Finance use cases!

🔁 Repost if you want to master AI in 2026!

I help finance professionals and teams master FP&A skills so they can make better decisions, create more impact, and advance their careers.

I’ve trained the finance teams at Google, Merck, Lowe’s, Discover, Liberty Bank, and many others—both in person and online. 

As the Director of Wharton’s FP&A Program, I bring a blend of academic rigor and real-world experience to every session. 

Over 100,000 finance professionals follow my insights on LinkedIn, and 30,000+ subscribe to my weekly newsletter.

Before founding Inside FP&A, I spent a decade in finance leadership roles at Procter & Gamble and Unilever, earned my MBA from NYU Stern, and helped take Squarespace public as an FP&A leader.

Ways you can learn with me:

🎓 Wharton FP&A Certificate – 8-week cohort-based online program, globally recognized credential. 

💻 FP&A Bootcamp – 2-week live online workshops to quickly level up practical skills. 

📚 Inside FP&A Academy – 4-week on-demand program covering technical + interpersonal FP&A skills.

🏢 Custom In-Person Training – Tailored workshops for finance teams of 5+ employees.

📢 Marketing Collaborations – Partner with me to reach finance leaders via sponsored webinars, videos, newsletters, and LinkedIn posts—ideal for companies in the CFO tech stack.

If you want to build stronger FP&A capabilities—individually or across your team—visit InsideFPA.com to learn more or contact me directly at christian.w@insidefpa.com.

Christian Wattig

After 11 years in FP&A at P&G, Unilever, and Squarespace, I've seen brilliant analysts fail because they mastered Excel but couldn't influence decisions.

And I've seen average analysts become CFOs because they understood this:

FP&A success isn't about one skill. It's about six interconnected pillars.

The 6 Pillars Every FP&A Professional Must Master:

1️⃣ Annual Budgeting - Where strategy meets reality
2️⃣ Forecasting - Predicting the future (with receipts)
3️⃣ Financial Analysis - Finding the story in the numbers
4️⃣ Financial Modeling - Building bulletproof models
5️⃣ Business Partnering - Being the financial quarterback
6️⃣ Financial Storytelling - Making CFOs lean forward

Here's the truth:

Most FP&A professionals are strong in 2-3 pillars.

The ones who make Director? They've mastered all six.

I've trained teams at Google, Merck, and Lowe's on this exact framework.

The transformation happens when they stop thinking in silos and start connecting these pillars.

Example: Your forecast (Pillar 2) is only as good as your ability to explain it (Pillar 6) and defend your assumptions (Pillar 4) while partnering with ops (Pillar 5).

Everything connects.

Swipe through the carousel to see what mastery looks like in each pillar →

Which pillar is your strongest?

Drop it in the comments - I read every single one 👇

📌 𝗣.𝗦. I’m teaching my 𝟲-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗙𝗣&𝗔 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 live - how to turn analysis + forecasting into decision-ready insights. Fri 1–2:30pm ET. 

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 (𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲, 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀): https://luma.com/insidefpa

Director, Wharton FP&A Program | Founder, Inside FP&A | On-site FP&A training at your offices (US & CA) and self-paced online learning

The 6 Pillars of FP&A (1)

9 PM. Monthly close. You're about to send the board deck.

You just added a new product line.

And your entire Excel model breaks.

We've all been there. The formulas that worked last month suddenly don't. You're dragging cells, praying you didn't break a SUM range, hunting for broken links.

You're not doing finance work anymore. You're a data janitor.

Meanwhile, someone using metric-based modeling in Abacum added a new product line AND a new entity. Their model didn't break. They're already heading to bed.

The difference comes down to where the logic lives:

📌 In Excel, logic lives in individual cells. Add a row? Hope nothing breaks. Add a month? Drag formulas and cross your fingers.

📌 In Abacum, you write the logic once for the metric. When the business expands, the formulas cascade automatically because it's a multidimensional cube that holds actuals, forecasts, and budgets in one place.

One approach has you spending 90% of your time cleaning data and fixing broken links.

The other has you designing business logic because the data pipeline is automated.

The irony? We got into FP&A to be strategic partners. Not to troubleshoot VLOOKUP errors at 9 PM.

If your model breaks every time the business changes, it's not a model problem.

It's an architecture problem.

Learn more about Abacum here: https://lnkd.in/dXHwfGu6

-Christian Wattig

Brand partnership • Director, Wharton FP&A Program | Founder, Inside FP&A | On-site FP&A training at your offices (US & CA) and self-paced online learning

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