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

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

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

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)

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

View newsletter: AI+Finance by Nicolas Boucher

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

“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!

Machine learning in 6 steps
👉 Join my AI Masterclass here: https://lnkd.in/dpTt-bRP

Most people overcomplicate machine learning before they even start
I’ve helped thousands simplify their process and get real insights fast

Here’s how I do it in 6 clear steps

Step 1: Start with a small, clear question
Don’t try to model everything at once
Pick one or two metrics you want to understand better
For example: revenue trends, churn behavior, or cost breakdowns
Use a small CSV to begin
Big datasets usually cause more confusion than clarity early on

Step 2: Upload your data and state your goal
Open a new conversation with your LLM chatbot
Tell it exactly what you want to predict or explore
Keep it simple and jargon-free
The AI will suggest the right model and explain why it fits

Step 3: Ask for a quick first look
Before any code is written, ask the AI to run a preliminary analysis
Look for patterns
Request a basic model
Visuals
And a plain-English summary
If things don’t make sense here, adjust your approach before coding anything

Step 4: Generate Python code
Once the early results look solid, ask the AI to write Python code for Google Colab
Make sure the file paths are correct for the CSVs you’ve uploaded
Now you’re ready to test it properly

Step 5: Run it in Google Colab
Paste the code into a new notebook
Upload your data
Run each section
In a few minutes, you’ll get predictions, charts, and insights

Step 6: Export and refine
Ask for the code to export results
Download everything
Then bring your CSVs back into the chatbot and ask how to improve the model
This is where the learning really happens

I’ve shared this process with startups, analysts, and execs
It works because it keeps you moving
One simple step at a time

I also have a free masterclass next week,
How to become an AI CFO

If you want to go beyond the PDF 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
EST: 11am | UK: 4pm | CET: 5pm

👉 You can reserve your seat for my live masterclass here: https://lnkd.in/dpTt-bRP

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

See you in the masterclass!

Stop treating NetSuite like a static database
Start treating it like your smartest team member
👉 Learn how here: https://lnkd.in/dnZ4Nw5v

Finance teams are sitting on a goldmine of data
but they’re still "mining" it manually

Which is a "no-go" especially today
where we are in the forefront of AI

and finance teams are the one who should be leading it!

They spend 80% of their time exporting, cleaning, and formatting
Leaving only 20% for the actual analysis that moves the needle

AI changes this equation forever
But the thing is, you have to know how to use it

I’ve partnered with Oracle NetSuite to break down exactly how you can move from manual spreadsheets to real-time strategic insights using the 3 Levels of AI

Here is what the journey to an AI-Native finance team looks like:
1️⃣ Embedded AI: Automate the "high-friction" manual tasks. Think automated bill capture and continuous auditing that catches errors before month-end

2️⃣ Intelligent Analytics: Stop building saved searches. Use natural language to get instant answers on revenue trends or aging reports

3️⃣ Connected AI (MCP): This is the game-changer. Securely "plug" models like Claude or ChatGPT directly into your live data for custom dashboards and complex analysis

Example of MCP use case in Netsuite: Real-Time Variance Analysis ("Flux-in-Flight")
Instead of waiting for month-end close, audit expenses in real-time.

Prompt:
Check the Travel expense category for Q3 to date vs Q2 to date. Group by Department. If any department is more than 20% over, drill down and list the top 3 vendor bills driving the increase.

(See more in the infographic)

The results aren't just "cool" they are measurable:
✅ 20-30% reduction in close cycle time
✅ 50%+ faster variance analysis
✅ 3-5 hours saved per person, every single week.

Ready to see this in action? 🎥
I’m hosting a special webinar on January 22nd where I’ll be doing a live deep dive into these workflows and showing you how to set up your own AI Finance Toolkit 🛠️

Don't let your team get stuck in the "experimentation" phase
while others are reaching "AI-Native" status

👇 Register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/dnZ4Nw5v

See you there!

This post was sponsored by NetSuite

Paul Barnhurst

Founder of The FP&A Guy | Providing training and content that helps FP&A and Finance Professionals be better at their job today and tomorrow.

I am a passionate teacher and creator of FP&A content. I enjoy helping FP&A professionals become more effective creators of value for their businesses. Today, I provide content and training on important subjects, including FP&A, Excel, Power Query, Data Visualization, Storytelling, and more. 

I host three popular podcasts, FP&A Tomorrow, Future Finance, and Financial Modeler’s Corner, which bring you the best and brightest people in finance and FP&A. 

I am a Microsoft MVP and have earned the AFP FP&A Certification and the FMI Advanced Financial Modeler Certification. 

I am a big advocate of FP&A planning tools and share research on FP&A software. I have also published several market guides to help buyers understand the landscape. 

☛ Feel free to contact me – Pbarnhurst@thefpandaguy.com

Podcast Host

Paul Barnhurst, The FPandA Guy

If I see one more person tell me....

I might have to resign my LinkedIn Account and never open the app again

Share a favorite below:

Mine below: 

I can build a financial model by talking to AI in five minutes
How much I can learn from an Excel shortcut Cheat sheet
That I can become an AI CFO
That Excel is dead
That to be advanced in Excel all you need is VLOOKUP
That it is all about learning AI
That AI will take all the jobs
That your not a real company if you do not make a billion dollars
....

What is driving you crazy on LinkedIn?

In our latest Future Finance podcast, Glenn Hopper and I dug into what 2025 taught us about AI adoption and gave some predictions for 2026 .
 
Highlights:
 
→ The individual vs. company gap - Finance professionals are getting dramatically more productive with AI. But at the enterprise level? Most companies still haven't figured out systematic deployment.
It's a disconnect companies need to address.
 
→ Automation is the next frontier - Glenn nailed it: "2025 was proof of concept, 2026 is don't wait on software vendors." Stop reinventing the wheel with every new chat. Start building workflows with tools like Zapier or n8n for your recurring tasks.
 
→ Your people are already using AI - Whether you have a policy or not. As Glenn put it "If someone on Reddit is doing their exact job in 1/10th of the time, they're not going to be the chumps doing things the old way."
 
→ Vibe coding is real - You don't need to be a developer anymore. I'm seeing finance folks build mini-apps to automate tasks that would've required IT involvement just a year ago.
 
The ChatGPT Outlook integration Glenn used to build a client turnover report in 30 minutes—something that would've taken days manually? That's the future.
 
As finance professionals we can't just wait for the perfect tool. Microsoft isn't going to solve everything. Neither is Claude or ChatGPT. We need to get our hands dirty and figure out what works for OUR workflows.
 
Give the episode a listen and let us know what you think.
 
Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gZuckVik
 
🎓 Check out our sponsor QFlow.ai at https://lnkd.in/gaudpc_G your GTM Finance CoPilot

Congrats to Datarails as they just closed a $70 million Series C led by One Peak, bringing total funding to $175 million. 

Hats off to the entire team at Datarails.  I have had the privilege of working with several great people at Datarails and am thankful for the friends I have made during my time hosting the FP&A Today podcast. 

This announcement comes on the heels of several other announcements in the FP&A space and is exciting to see.  Datarails has leaned heavily into AI and keeping you in Excel, and I am excited to see them grow.

Look forward to seeing more Bob Sheetner (aka FPandA) appearances.

Open article: Datarails Raises $70M Series C Led by One Peak to Make AI the Foundation of the CFO's Office by tmcnet.com

Datarails Raises $70M Series C Led by One Peak to Make AI the Foundation of the CFO's Office

This week, I had the opportunity to catch up with Bryan Lapidus, FPAC. Bryan is the FP&A subject matter expert at AFP.
 
He is someone everyone in the FP&A field should be following, as he is able to provide valuable insights and cut through the noise and hype going on in the marketplace.
 
Conversation highlights:
 
On being a great FP&A professional:
 
"You have to be good at finance and the processes by which you deliver your financial services, and you have to be good as a partner to the business."
It's not either/or. You need both.
 
→ Master your tools, processes, and financial analysis
→ Understand how your business creates value and serves customers
→ Get out from behind your screen and experience what your numbers represent
 
On one of the things holding FP&A back:
 
"I talk to a lot of people who are stuck in process for the sake of process... You have these long detailed reports that nobody wants to get rid of because, well, if you get rid of it, then you're at risk."
 
I cannot help but wonder how many of us are producing reports that no one reads? Tracking metrics that don't drive decisions?
 
Bryan's advice: Audit everything. If it doesn't lead to meaningful discussion and outcomes, stop doing it.
 
On continuous learning:
 
"Your ability to learn technical skills needs to be constant in every role... And the ability to learn your next technical skill is directly based on your last one."
 
The skill isn't Excel or Power BI or Python. The skill is LEARNING.
 
On why community matters:
 
"Being part of a community brings that whole community's experiences to you. The ability to talk to 10 other people, I can learn what they've learned from their stories... it's an experience multiplier."
 
The connections are the best part of AFP conferences from my perspective.
 
Speaking of conferences, Bryan also shared insights on the AFP FP&A Forum (March 23-25 in Indianapolis) and why they organize content around three tracks: Finance & Processes, Technology & Data, and Personal & Team Effectiveness.
 
For those wanting to attend the AFP FP&A Forum, and I highly recommend it. Use code: TheFPAGuy-FPAForum2026 to take $150 off and register here: https://lnkd.in/gAxA8czq
 
Listen to the full Episode: https://lnkd.in/gV9U62mG
 
FP&A Unlocked is sponsored by Campfire.
 
Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for the general ledger, revenue automation, close management, and more, all in one unified platform.
 
Explore Campfire today: https://lnkd.in/dKxnyDNV 

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📰 Join The Modern Finance Playbook Newsletter and get a free FP&A Business Partnering Digital Course Module at https://lnkd.in/g5H4YsvH
📺 Check out the podcast on our YouTube Channel at https://lnkd.in/ejtkdsQd

In this engaging episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst welcomes back Bryan Lapidus, FPAC, Director of FP&A Practice at the Association for Fin

Open article: How FP&A Professionals Can Evolve Beyond Reporting and Become Strategic Partners with Bryan Lapidus by Paul Barnhurst • 2 min read

How FP&A Professionals Can Evolve Beyond Reporting and Become Strategic Partners with Bryan Lapidus

Understanding How Excel Agents work!!!
 
I've interviewed nearly every founder of Excel AI agent companies. I've asked them all, "What makes them different?" I got answers about their tools, their approaches, and their models. But I never really understood what was happening behind the scenes, and after interviewing Tim Jacks, I have a much better understanding.
 
This week, Tim joined us as we went under the hood to better understand how LLMs, chatbots, and particular Excel agents work
 
Key takeaways
 
The Technical Reality:
➔ LLMs don't memorize—they recognize patterns across massive datasets
 
➔ Every prompt you send includes your full conversation history (this is one reason why context windows matter)
 
➔ Agents are LLMs wrapped with tools that let them take action (manipulate Excel, search web, etc.)
 
What Actually Helps Your Work:
 
➔ Use rewind features strategically. Going back to edit a bad prompt is way more effective than continuing to ask "why didn't that work?" The LLM literally has no memory of your frustration
 
➔ Understand tool limitations. When an agent fails at a task, it might be because its tools (Office Scripts vs Excel object model) aren't suited for that specific operation
 
➔ Keep conversations focused. More context = worse performance eventually. Long threads consume processing power
 
➔ Tim's breakdown of how agents differentiate themselves through their tools, not just their models was helpful to understand. It will allow me to better understand how agents work and the differences between them.
 
As we all said, after this episode, learning this was interesting, but not needed to use the tools effectively.
 
Ian Schnoor, CFA, CFM said it best when he said : "I've been teaching Excel for 20 years. I don't know how VLOOKUP was coded. Has it impacted my ability? No."
 
This episode is definitely for the nerds who want to peek under the hood. Did it change how I'll prompt tomorrow? Probably not. But it gave me a mental model that helps everything make more sense.
 
Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gYys5FHT
 
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🎓 ​ Earn your Advanced Financial Modeler accreditation from the @Financial Modeling Institute (FMI) at https://lnkd.in/gQV55MxS (U se code Podcast to save 15%)

AI is a tool in your tool belt, not a type of CFO
AI does not fix your fractured foundation
AI does not make you a great leader

AI can make you and your team more effective and efficient but to get the most out of 2026 you need to make sure you have a solid foundation. 

Winners in 2026 will

✅ Redesigns workflows so work actually moves faster and smarter, not just “more automated”

✅ Invests in soft skills such as judgment, business acumen, and data storytelling.

✅ Think about AI as a partner, not some magical solution.

Join me on January 28, as I join Wassia Kamon, CPA, CMA, MBA for a LinkedIn Live: 

Closing the Skills Gap: How to Build Finance Teams Ready for the AI Era.

If you are in finance, this session is for you.
📅 January 28
🕒 12:30 pm MT / 2:30 pm ET
🔗 Save your spot here: https://lnkd.in/eaFQVZBS

I hope you enjoyed the video as much as Wassia and I enjoyed making it.

Free FP&A Resources

I am often asked what are my top FP&A resources so I wrote this article with my top free resources for my 63,000+ FP&A Unlocked Newsletter subscribers. 

The resources include 

Free Modern Finance Newsletter - This is where many of my best ideas are given away for free
Register here:  https://lnkd.in/g4nM6zeq

Free FP&A Community:  Join my free FP&A Community The FP&A Hub with over 2,00 members
Join here:  https://lnkd.in/gYX73Ru3

Free Data Storytelling Course - This is a free 5 Day course about how to improve your data storytelling
Register here: https://lnkd.in/gCfjDgSg

Free Microsoft Excel Tables Course - Learn the Power of Microsoft Excel tables for free
Register here: https://lnkd.in/gybmb5TX

Free FP&A Software Selection Course - Learn about the FP&A software marketplace, how to select and implement a tool. 
Register here:  https://lnkd.in/ddTj8tJp

Let me know in the comments what resources could I add that would help you  most?

If you’ve been following me (Paul Barnhurst ) or my podcast FP&A Unlocked for a while, you know my mission is simple: To help FP&A professionals becom

Open article: Level Up Your FP&A Career: A Roadmap to My Top Resources (Free Courses, Community, and More) by Paul Barnhurst • 2 min read

Level Up Your FP&A Career: A Roadmap to My Top Resources (Free Courses, Community, and More)

Playing an instrument 

Anyone who has learned an instrument knows that if you focus on only playing the same note over and over again, it quickly becomes annoying and does not sound good, plus you will not be able to do much with only one note. 

In business, focusing on learning just one thing, even if it is AI vs taking a well-rounded approach to learning, is much like focusing on only one note. 

As you strive to improve your FP&A, remember to develop plans to focus on the most important skills.  A well-rounded approach, improving the skills that will help you differentiate yourself in the marketplace, is important. 

Below is a list of many of the key skills we need to be successful in FP&A,

Key Soft Skills 

➡️ Active Listening
➡️ Data Storytelling
➡️ Business Partnering
➡️ Empathy
➡️ Relationship Building
➡️ Communication

Key Technical Skills 

➡️ Financial Modeling
➡️ Excel
➡️ Understanding data/data management/data structure
➡️ Data visualization
➡️ Artificial intelligence
➡️ Ability to Simplify
➡️ Accounting

Let me know in the comments what one skill you are focused on learning other than Artificial Intelligence?

Master Excel and FP&A with practical tips, powerful formulas, and real-world techniques. Join The FP&A Guy for hands-on tutorials covering everything from basics to advanced financial modeling. Bring your questions and let's excel together!

🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://lnkd.in/gCpFmJub

Excel Hour - Learn to Excel with The FP&A Guy

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