Who should attend

This course is ideal for accountants who rely on Excel for reporting, reconciliations and analysis and want to use AI safely and effectively. It focuses on structured design, audit-friendly practices and automation using modern Excel tools. Any finance professionals responsible for producing accurate, repeatable reports will benefit from attending. No prior knowledge of AI tools is expected. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS COURSE IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH MAC USERS

Course overview

• Introduction to AI in Excel - How AI integrates into modern Excel workflows to improve productivity while maintaining governance and control.
• AI Prompting Skills - Writing effective prompts, avoiding common mistakes, understanding why instruction-based prompts work best and managing AI conversations for clarity and consistency.
• AI as a Formula Assistant - Generating formulas from business goals, supplying accurate ranges, explaining inherited formulas, debugging errors and improving formula readability and efficiency.
• Modern Excel Functions with AI - Using Dynamic Arrays, XLOOKUP, LET and Data Validation, comparing legacy vs modern approaches and translating business requirements into structured solutions.
• Goal-Based Problem Solving - Describing desired outcomes rather than features, highlighting key results, generating and locking values, applying intelligent formatting and using efficient shortcuts.
• Audit-Friendly Excel Design - Implementing native in-cell checkboxes, replacing legacy form controls, using TRUE/FALSE logic in filters and dynamic arrays and correcting outdated AI guidance.
• Tables & Structured References - Building scalable, reliable models using Excel Tables, structured references and detailed AI prompts to enhance automation and reduce risk.
• Data Reconciliation Techniques - Comparing lists, identifying matches and mismatches, automating comparison logic with modern functions and using AI to recommend structured approaches.
• Report Automation with Power Query - Importing, cleaning, normalising and transforming data, removing duplicates, filling blanks, adding calculations and building PivotTables and charts.
• Practical Application & Validation - Hands-on exercises to develop and refine prompts, critically evaluate AI outputs, reinforce validation principles and understand AI limitations.

Key learning outcomes

• Write effective prompts to achieve accurate Excel-related results
• Generate, explain, troubleshoot and optimise formulas using AI
• Apply modern Excel features including Dynamic Arrays, XLOOKUP and LET
• Implement audit-friendly alternatives to legacy Form Controls
• Use Tables and structured references to improve model reliability
• Reconcile and compare lists using modern functions
• Automate periodic reporting using Power Query
• Critically evaluate and validate AI-generated outputs

• Course requirement: not compatible with Mac users

All participants should please note the following:

• Pre-course registration on OpenAI and Copilot:

  Prior to the course, all participants should register for a free account on ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/auth/login so they can complete the hands-on exercises.  If possible – with a Microsoft Account – also register on https://copilot.microsoft.com/.

• Test Session

  If you would like to test your connection and setup prior to your course, please contact cpd-mail@charteredaccountants.ie or 01 523 3930 and we will arrange this with you.

• Two Monitors

  Having two monitors is strongly recommended for this training.  It allows you to view the trainers PC in one monitor and the application that is the subject of the training in the other.  If you only have a single screen please inform the trainer – ideally before the training session.

• Microsoft Office / Apps Version

  Participants should have a Microsoft 365 subscription but supported older Office desktop versions are workable.

• Windows 10/11

  We prepare the files and deliver the course using Windows 11 (participants with Windows 10 ESU are fine).  Please be aware that Mac users will be unable to attend this course.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS COURSE IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH MAC USERS

Speaker bio

Professional Training is a group of experienced specialists providing focused training in IT and Management skills. Our trainers use a combination of tailored, flexible approaches and real-life business knowledge to develop and provide techniques and solutions for immediate implementation by our course participants. We have delivered a range of CPD programs with Chartered Accountants Ireland since 1997.

Contact us

If you have any questions regarding this or any other CPD course or requirements, please feel free to contact the team here or call us at (+353) 01 523 3930