Getting Started
Everything you need to start building financial models with AI in about 5 minutes.
Requirements
Before you begin, make sure you have:
- An AI assistant — Claude Desktop (Pro/Max), ChatGPT, or any tool that can read files
- Course materials — The financial data sets and lesson guides
- A willingness to learn — No finance background required
This course is designed for people who work with budgets and financial data but aren't finance professionals. If you can read a basic spreadsheet, you're ready.
Installation
Download the Course Materials
Download the course folder containing all the financial data sets, templates, and lesson guides you'll need.
Set Up Your AI Tool
Open your preferred AI assistant and point it at the course folder so it can access the files.
Start Learning
Begin with lesson 1.1 — the introduction will walk you through the financial context and set up your working environment.
Course Structure
The course is organized into seven sequential lessons:
| Lesson | Topic | What You'll Learn |
|---|---|---|
| Module 1: Financial Analysis & Planning | ||
| 1.1 | Introduction | Course overview, financial context setup |
| 1.2 | Reading Financial Data | Financial statements, revenue vs profit, cash flow |
| 1.3 | Building a Budget | Budgeting approaches, 12-month projection |
| 1.4 | Scenario Planning | Sensitivity analysis, multi-scenario modeling |
| 1.5 | Variance Analysis | Planned vs actual performance comparison |
| 1.6 | Financial Summaries | Investor-ready and leadership-ready reports |
| 1.7 | Wrap-up | Recap, your financial toolkit, next steps |
Tips for Success
Take your time. The course is designed for 2-3 hours total, but there's no rush. Do it at your own pace.
- Follow along actively — Don't just read; actually build the models and run the analyses
- Question the numbers — Good financial analysis starts with healthy skepticism
- Save your outputs — You'll build on earlier work in later lessons
- Apply to your work — Think about how each technique applies to your real budgets and data
Troubleshooting
My AI tool can't see the files
Make sure you've selected the correct course folder. Ask your AI: "Can you see the financial data files?" If not, repoint it at the right directory.
I don't understand a financial term
Just ask! The course introduces concepts gradually, but if you hit an unfamiliar term, ask your AI to explain it in plain language.
I'm stuck on a calculation
Tell your AI what you're trying to accomplish. The interactive format means help is always one message away.
Ready?
Head to the first lesson and start building: