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:

Finance Thought Leader specialized in AI, trained more than 5,000 people and on a mission to help more than 1 million finance professionals.

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 100 KPIs (I wish I knew them sooner)
👉 Download your PDF copy here: https://lnkd.in/drNX_va6

Most finance teams drown in metrics but miss the few KPIs that actually move the business.

I’ve created this Top 100 KPIs collection every finance team should know across 10 categories that cover the full finance spectrum:

1. Accounting KPIs
Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), Days Payable Outstanding (DPO), Days Inventory Outstanding (DIO), and the full Cash Conversion Cycle
→ These show how efficiently you manage working capital and operations

2. Cash KPIs
Operating Cash Flow, Free Cash Flow, Cash Burn Rate, Runway, and Liquidity Ratio
→ Track how long your business can survive and when to act

3. CEO KPIs
Revenue Growth, Gross Margin, EBITDA, Net Profit Margin, and ROI
→ The metrics every CEO and board watch first

4. SaaS KPIs
MRR, ARR, CAC, LTV, Churn Rate, and Payback Period
→ If you run a subscription model, these define your business health

5. Investor KPIs
Earnings per Share, ROE, ROA, Debt-to-Equity, and P/E Ratio
→ Metrics that signal financial strength and investor confidence

6. Headcount KPIs
Revenue per Employee, Cost per Hire, Turnover Rate, and Productivity Index
→ Connect finance and HR to improve efficiency and retention

7. Capex KPIs
Capex to Revenue, Capex ROI, Depreciation %, and Asset Turnover
→ Reveal how well you invest and utilize company assets

8. Balance Sheet KPIs
Current Ratio, Quick Ratio, Debt Ratio, and Working Capital
→ Essential for liquidity and solvency checks

9. Tax KPIs
Effective Tax Rate, Deferred Tax %, and Tax Liability to Revenue
→ Track the real cost of taxation and compliance performance

10. Inventory KPIs
Inventory Turnover, Stockout Rate, and Holding Cost %
→ Keep cash flow healthy and avoid overstock or shortages

This is the checklist I wish I had as a Finance Manager and CFO

Use it to:
✅ Select the KPIs that truly drive your business
✅ Assign owners and targets
✅ Review them monthly and make decisions faster

Save this post for your next board or planning session.

If you want the PDF of my Ultimate Finance Cheat Sheet in addition to the 100 KPIS collection, comment "cheat sheet" below and I will send it to you.

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

What is CapEx?
👉 Download my Ultimate Finance resources: https://lnkd.in/e7DPs84q

The Ultimate Breakdown for Finance Teams

CapEx is one of those concepts everyone thinks they understand…
Until they have to explain it in a board meeting

“CapEx looks simple… but it’s where most teams make the wrong calls”
Here’s the post that fixes that

CapEx matters because it shapes:
• Your growth story
• Your asset health
• Your company valuation

But most confusion comes from how to calculate it, when to use it, and how it differs from OpEx

Here’s what’s inside the infographic:
1. What CapEx actually is
Funds used to acquire, upgrade, or maintain long-term assets
Not day-to-day expenses. Capitalized on the balance sheet

2. Why it’s crucial for businesses
• Indicates growth and reinvestment
• Maintains aging assets
• Impacts Free Cash Flow and valuation

3. How to calculate CapEx
PP&E (current) – PP&E (prior) + Depreciation
Or pull it from Investing Cash Flow

4. CapEx vs. OpEx
CapEx = long-term, capitalized, depreciated (trucks, buildings, patents)
OpEx = daily operations, fully expensed (rent, salaries, utilities)

5. Limitations of CapEx
• Huge cash drain
• Risk of asset impairment
• Inflated earnings quality

6. When to analyze CapEx vs. when NOT to
✔ High-heavy industries
✔ Free Cash Flow analysis
✔ Expansion strategy
✖ Early-stage startups
✖ Short-term liquidity checks
✖ Lease vs. Buy distortions

If your team misunderstands CapEx, you’ll misread cash flow, misjudge performance, and mislead investors

This infographic fixes that in 60 seconds

👉 Download my Ultimate resources for finance pros here: https://lnkd.in/e7DPs84q

💬 Want me to make an OpEx version next?

🔁 Repost to help another finance pro understand CapEx

ChatGPT vs Copilot 
👉 Download my 100 ChatGPT Tips: https://lnkd.in/e6VC4Rhq

Which GenAI should you actually use: ChatGPT or Copilot?
That’s a question I get a lot

That’s why I created this guide for you.

Here are my clear rules on which one to choose:

1 - INDIVIDUALS & SMALL BUSINESSES

You’re an individual or small business, not fully in Microsoft or Google?

Recommendation: ChatGPT (take the Teams license if you’re a small business; it has enterprise-grade security and is SOC2 Type II compliant).

It has the best functionalities, best interface, and always ships innovative models first.

Drawback: it's not yet fully connected with your business data (though it's improving with connectors to Google Drive, Calendar, OneDrive, and Outlook).

This is the one I use for my team and me.


2 - BUSINESSES USING MICROSOFT

You guessed it: Copilot.

Why?
Because Copilot 365 with Microsoft 365 brings AI directly to your work data.

This is Copilot’s most underrated feature and the main reason to choose it if you’re a Microsoft shop.

Try this:
Step 1. Switch to "Work" mode
Step 2. Type "/" in Copilot and access a doc
Step 3. Enter the file name
Step 4. Ask Copilot to perform a task on it
Step 5. AI works with real context from your files

That’s a huge advantage over ChatGPT or tools not connected to your work data, where you need preliminary steps to provide context

If you already trust Microsoft with Outlook and Excel online, Copilot makes perfect sense:
- No extra vendor to manage
- Your confidential info stays in Microsoft’s security graph (the same Copilot uses)
- No separate user/license management (it’s tied to Microsoft 365)

And Copilot is just getting started
I got insights from Microsoft Teams telling me that they are working to integrate AI deeper, with more promising features coming soon

Bottom line
Choose based on where your work lives, not the hype
Tell me which one is your favorite one and why

👉 Download my 100 ChatGPT Tips: https://lnkd.in/e6VC4Rhq

Top 100 Excel Shortcuts
👉 Download the High Resolution PDF: https://lnkd.in/dXhJ4HvF

Make yourself 2x more productive in Excel

100 shortcuts ranked from Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Underrated

Like, Bookmark this and Share it.
Thousands of hours will be saved!

If you think you know well Excel, I bet you will still learn something new in the Advanced table (items 51 to 75).

What do we cover?

A list of essential Excel shortcuts for professionals.

Here is a preview:

🟠 Basic

1. How to copy text?
Ctrl + C

2. How to cut text?
Ctrl + X

3. How to paste?
Ctrl + V

4. How to undo?
Ctrl + Z

5. How to redo?
Shift + F11

(get the answers 6-25 in the Cheat Sheet below)

⚪ Intermediate

26. How to autosum?
Alt + =

27. How to fill down?
Ctrl + D

28. How to fill right?
Ctrl + R

29. How to do flash fill?
Ctrl + E

30. How to insert hyperlink?
Ctrl + K

(get the answers 31-50 in the Cheat Sheet below)

⚫ Advanced

51. How to show / hide ribbon?
Ctrl + F1

52. How to create custom view?
Alt + W + C

53. How to paste special (values only)?
Ctrl + Alt + V > V

54. How to change font format?
Ctrl + Shift + F

55. How to goal seek?
Alt + A + W + G

(get the answers 56-75 in the Cheat Sheet below)

🔵 Underrated

76. How to move to the next open workbook window?
Ctrl + F6

77. How to move to the previous open workbook window?
Ctrl + Shift + F6

78. How to insert current date and time?
Ctrl + Shift + :

79. How to paste values & formatting only?
Ctrl + Alt + V > T

80. How to apply or remove cell wrap?
Alt + H + W

(get the answers 81-100 in the Cheat Sheet below)

📥 Get the full HD cheatsheet for free: https://lnkd.in/dXhJ4HvF

🔁 Repost to help your team get faster in Excel

💬 Which shortcut do you use most? Drop it below

Steal my Audit Checklist (Excel Template)
👉 Download yours for free here: https://lnkd.in/dFWf3YRA

I have prepared an Excel Checklist to help you in your audit preparation

Use this checklist to get ready for your next audit

If you are a CFO, a controller, an accountant, or a Finance manager, this checklist is for you.

What is inside the Excel file?

19 tabs comprising the following checklists:

1. Overview Checklist (in the picture below)
2. Financial Statements Preparation
3. Account Reconciliation and Analysis
4. Documentation and Record Keeping
5. Internal Controls and Compliance
6. Risk Management
7. Tax Review and Planning
8. Inventory Management
9. Fixed Assets and Capital Expenditures
10. Investments and Other Financial Assets
11. Employee Benefits and Pensions
12. ESG Compliance
13. Technology and Data
14. Review of New Accounting Policies
15. Related Party Transactions
16. Subsequent Events and Contingencies
17. Sustainability and Continuity Planning
18. Communication with Auditors
19. Final Review and Reporting

👉 Don't forget to download it for free here: https://lnkd.in/dFWf3YRA

If you need any other template, let me know in the comments

CEO, CFO, COO, CIO, CMO, and CRO

👉 Download my top 100 KPIs here: https://lnkd.in/edvvYTJc

They sound impressive
but what do they actually do?

I broke it down in one visual below

Here’s a sneak peek at what each role owns
As well as the first 5 rows of the comparison

See the full comparison in the image below

1. CEO → Strategy, growth, vision, investors, expansion
CEO leads the company
CEO drives strategy, growth, and innovation
CEO represents the company to stakeholders & is the public face
CEO sets corporate values
CEO drives global expansion

2. CFO → Financials, performance, risk, profitability
CFO manages finances
CFO ensures stability and establishes discipline
CFO reports financials to the board and shareholders
CFO sets financial benchmarks
CFO optimizes existing markets

3. COO → Daily ops, resource planning, execution
COO oversees daily operations
COO implements the strategic initiatives
COO coordinates departments for smooth execution
COO aligns operational processes with said values
COO manages operational aspects of market penetration

4. CIO → Tech stack, security, data
CIO defines & leads the company's tech strategy
CIO oversees IT infrastructure and systems
CIO ensures technology aligns with business goals
CIO manages cybersecurity and data protection policies
CIO establishes IT Governance & IT Budget (CAPEX, OPEX)

5. CMO → Brand, demand gen, customer journey, messaging
CMO leads marketing strategy & brand position
CMO drives brand awareness & customer acquisition
CMO represents the brand across channels and media
CMO sets brand voice and messaging tone
CMO plans market penetration campaigns

6. CRO → Revenue growth, monetization, customer value, sales performance
CRO drives revenue growth
CRO monetizes strategic initiatives
CRO reports revenue metrics to the board & stakeholders
CRO sets revenue targets & quotas
CRO crafts revenue models for market penetration

This visual will give you instant clarity on who does what at the top

Also, get your copy of the Top 100 KPIs here: https://lnkd.in/edvvYTJc

🔁 Repost to help your network understand the C-suite

Free AI for Finance Course

👉 Download my 100 Prompt Tips PDF: https://lnkd.in/dZ4WKBvS

Save 1000s of dollars with this free course

Bookmark this and follow the curriculum below
+ TONS of FREE RESOURCES at the end!

You want to learn AI for Finance?
I have built and curated a free finance course for you

15 free lessons to make you more knowledgeable than 90% of the finance professionals in using AI

🙏 Help me spread this free course: like, share and comment!

Leverage AI to boost your career
and become irreplaceable

1. AI for Finance Fundamentals Email Course - https://lnkd.in/gFbWBDQ9

2. Prompting & Data-prep - https://lnkd.in/gtz7Bd78 & https://lnkd.in/gC8MqVG7

3. AI Roadmap for Finance team - https://lnkd.in/gK7svud4

4. Generative AI for managers - https://lnkd.in/g_EAYwv8 

5. ChatGPT vs Copilot vs Gemini - https://lnkd.in/gd-8ysiv

6. Top 100 ChatGPT Tips - https://lnkd.in/gX2sekmf

7. Top 100 AI Finance Tools - https://lnkd.in/gvKvkbvA

8. ChatGPT for Finance - https://lnkd.in/grBz2tGv

9. ChatGPT Image Generation for finance - https://lnkd.in/g55D5PtP

10. 30 Ways ChatGPT Helps Finance - https://lnkd.in/gwJ5CKXx

11. 28 Ways to use ChatGPT in Finance - https://lnkd.in/gV8FV82e

12. 6 AI Use Cases for Finance (real ones) - https://lnkd.in/g4wbFW7Q

13. 3 Ways to automate your work with AI - https://lnkd.in/gwUqv83G

14. Save 1 hr per day with ChatGPT - https://lnkd.in/gGdsC-Vr

15. The fast close playbook - https://lnkd.in/gniqwtju

- - -

Here are my bonus resources for you:

My Ultimate Finance Cheatsheet 2025
👉 https://lnkd.in/dxRatm2A

Top 10 Free Finance Resources
👉 https://lnkd.in/d9TA7bNu

Ultimate Finance Resources
👉 https://lnkd.in/dnfrN6R8

🙏 Help me spread this free course: like, share, and comment!

🔁 Repost to help more finance professionals
start using AI in their daily workflow

Atomic Habits for Finance
👉 Download my 48 Laws of Power applied to Finance: https://lnkd.in/edgY7bWe

What if the real difference between an average finance team
and a world-class one wasn’t talent… but habits?

Most teams try to “work harder” during closing, forecasting, or budgeting.
But the truth?

Finance improves in the same way individuals do
through tiny, consistent behaviors that compound over time

That’s why I built this cheat sheet: to translate Atomic Habits into Finance habits you can start today

Here’s what’s inside:

1. How Atomic Habits actually work
Identity, systems, and tiny gains matter more than intensity.
A finance team that sees itself as reliable and data-driven behaves differently.

2. The 4 Laws applied to Finance
#1: Cue – Make it obvious
– Clear dashboards
– Daily stand-ups
– Simple finance scorecards
– Habit stacking during closures and POs

#2: Craving – Make it attractive
– Temptation bundling (variance analysis + coffee)
– Social groups that celebrate clean and on-time data
– “Forecast accuracy leaderboard” for business units
– Motivation rituals in meetings

#3: Response – Make it easy
– Smaller, more frequent forecasting cycles
– Pre-built templates for P&L, variance, board packs
– Standard naming conventions
– The 2-minute rule: if it takes <2 minutes, do it now

#4: Reward – Make it satisfying
– Show reduced cycle times and error drops
– Visible payoff dashboards
– Track on-time submissions & forecast accuracy trends
– Reward behaviors that stick

1% daily improvement
A finance team improving 1% per day becomes 37× better after one year
Tiny process improvements beat massive transformation projects

How to break bad habits
– Make them invisible (remove distractions)
– Make them unattractive (highlight cost of errors)
– Make them difficult (add friction to bad habits)
– Make them unsatisfying (reinforce consequences)

Finance excellence isn’t built in Q4 but it’s built in the daily routines you repeat all year

💬 Which habit are you implementing first?

🔁 Repost to help more finance teams improve 1% every day

👉 Download my 48 Laws of Power applied to Finance: https://lnkd.in/edgY7bWe

100 Prompt Tips
👉 Download the PDF here: https://lnkd.in/dzTqfSjX

Stop writing prompts that confuse AI instead start using ones that compound your results
Most people don’t have a prompt problem

They have a framework problem
Here’s what this visual makes painfully clear:

Clarity > Cleverness
Structure > Guessing
Process > Randomness

The image breaks down 100 prompt tips into 4 categories:

FRAMEWORKS
Tools like CBI-FBI, AIDA, CARE, STAR, SWOT, PESTLE and more that turn vague ideas into precise instructions

DATA TIPS
How to extract tables, convert data, build dashboards, clean datasets and automate insights with
ChatGPT

HACKS + PROMPT ENGINEERING
Templates, constraints, version control, chunking, clarifying questions - all to get higher-quality outputs

FINANCE + PROCESS
Ready-to-use scripts for P&Ls, FP&A workflows, scenario modeling, investor updates and reporting automation

Here’s the real takeaway:

If you learn even 5 of these frameworks, your output improves instantly

Not because AI gets smarter
But because you stop asking messy questions

Want the PDF version of this post?

👉 Download it here: https://lnkd.in/dzTqfSjX

🔁 Repost to help your team get better at prompting

Top 50 Finance KPIs
👉Download it in HD now: https://lnkd.in/d5F8bv2m

Includes explanations and formulas!

You see a lot of KPI lists, but they miss something:
1) These lists do not explain the goal of the KPI
2) These lists do not give you the KPI formula

In this Cheat Sheet, you get both!
Because a KPI is not helpful without explanation and without a formula...

Take it as a catalog from which you can pick 3 to 4 key KPIs.

I like to take 4 KPIs to make a 4-quadrant dashboard.

The standard quadrant I would recommend?

This one:

1. Revenue Growth
2. Net Profit Margin
3. Operating Cash Flow
4. Employee engagement

What would be yours?

You can pick from the 50 following KPIs:

🧾 Accounting KPIs:
1. Debt-to-Equity Ratio
2. Invoice Processing Time
3. Working Capital Ratio
4. Net Profit Margin
5. Return on Equity
6. Gross Profit Margin
7. Accounts Receivable Turnover
8. Fixed Asset Turnover
9. Accounts Payable Turnover
10. Inventory Turnover

💰 Cash KPIs:
11. Operating Cash Flow
12. Days Payables Outstanding
13. Average Days Delinquent
14. Days Sales Outstanding
15. Days of Inventory Outstanding
16. Cash Burn Rate
17. Free Cash Flow
18. Cash Conversion Cycle
19. Cash Reserves in Days
20. Overdues Ratio

👨‍💼 CEO KPIs:
21. Revenue Growth
22. Market Share
23. Employee Productivity
24. Innovation Index
25. Brand Equity
26. Market Expansion
27. Sustainability Metrics
28. Employee Engagement
29. Employee Turnover
30. Cash Flow

🖥 SaaS KPIs:
31. Lifetime Value
32. SaaS Quick Ratio
33. New Buyer Growth Rate
34. ARR Per FTE
35. Customer Churn Rate
36. Runway
37. Customer Acquisition Costs
38. Monthly Recurring Revenue
39. Average Revenue Per User
40. Total Addressable Market

💼 Investors KPIs:
41. Earnings per Share
42. Quick Ratio
43. Dividend Payout Ratio
44. Current Ratio
45. Return on Investment
46. Share Buyback Ratio
47. Price-to-Earnings Ratio
48. Gross Margin Ratio
49. Dividend Yield
50. Net Promoter Score

👉Download it in HD now: https://lnkd.in/d5F8bv2m

My 25 Hidden Excel Shortcuts
👉 Get my full 100 Excel Shortcuts PDF: https://lnkd.in/deaTy2Xs


I made a list of 25 underrated Excel shortcuts that can save you hours
(and impress your colleagues)

I bet you don't know at least half of them

Excel Shortcuts List:

1. Move to the next open workbook window: Ctrl + F6

2. Move to the previous open workbook window: Ctrl + Shift + F6

3. Insert current time: Ctrl + Shift + :

4. Paste values & formatting only: Ctrl + Alt + V > T

5. Apply or remove cell wrap: Alt + H + W

6. Clear all formats: Alt + H + E + F

7. Insert a line break in a cell: Alt + Enter

8. Insert a new comment in a cell: Shift + F2

9. Open cell options menu: Shift + F10

10. Paste special - transpose: Ctrl + Alt + V > E

11. Insert sparkline from selected data: Alt + N + SL / SW / SO

12. Enter full-screen mode: Ctrl + Shift + F1

13. Record a macro: Alt + F8

14. Open the Visual Basic editor: Alt + F11

15. Autofit column height: Alt + H + O + A

16. Hide a sheet: Alt + H + O + U + S

17. Unhide a sheet: Alt + H + O + U + H

18. Insert slicers: Alt + N + SF

19. Apply or remove strikethrough: Ctrl + 5

20. Expand or collapse the formula bar: Ctrl + Shift + U

21. Collapse sheet outline: Alt + A + H / J

22. Create names from selection: Ctrl + Shift + F3

23. Insert new worksheet: Shift + F11

24. Select an entire row: Shift + Space

25. Select an entire column: Ctrl + Space


👉 Interested in more Excel shortcuts? Get them all here: https://lnkd.in/deaTy2Xs


What’s your go-to Excel shortcut?

CEO vs CFO vs COO KPIs
👉 Download my Top 100 KPIs here: https://lnkd.in/dgwVdfEM

📊 CEO KPIs
1. Revenue Growth
(Current period revenue - Previous period revenue) / Previous period revenue

2. Gross Profit Margin
(Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold) / Revenue

3. Net Profit Margin
Net Income / Revenue

4. Return on Investment (ROI)
Net Income / Investment Cost

5. Earnings per Share (EPS)
(Net Income - Preferred Dividends) / Average Outstanding Shares

6. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
(Marketing + Sales Costs) / New Customers Acquired

7. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
(Average Revenue per Customer × Average Customer Lifespan) / CAC

8. Employee Engagement
Measures employee satisfaction and engagement using surveys or performance reviews

9. Employee Turnover
Number of Employees Who Left During the Period / Average Number of Employees

10. Net Promoter Score (NPS)
% Promoters - % Detractors

---

📉 CFO KPIs
1. EBITDA
Net Income + Interest + Taxes + Depreciation + Amortization

2. Return on Equity (ROE)
Net Income / Shareholders’ Equity

3. Working Capital Ratio
Current Assets / Current Liabilities

4. Debt-to-Equity Ratio
Total Debt / Total Equity

5. Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC)
Days Sales Outstanding + Days Inventory
Outstanding - Days Payable Outstanding

6. Debt Service Coverage Ratio
Net Operating Income / Total Debt Service

7. Return on Assets (ROA)
Net Income / Total Assets

8. Inventory Turnover
Cost of Goods Sold / Average Inventory

9. Quick Ratio
(Current Assets - Inventories) / Current Liabilities

10. Cash Flow
Operating Cash Flow + Investing Cash Flow + Financing Cash Flow

---

⚙️ COO KPIs
1. Project Efficiency
Actual Project Cost / Planned Project Cost

2. Productivity of Staff
Total Output (unit or value) / Total Number of Employees

3. Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
Image is wrong (will be corrected in next post).
It should be Unit sold x Standard Cost

4. Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
Availability × Performance × Quality

5. Operational Efficiency
Total Output / Total Input

6. Customer Satisfaction
Number of Satisfied Customers / Total Number of Customers

7. Time to Market
Number of Orders Delivered on or Before Promised Delivery Date / Total Number of Orders

8. Quality Index
Defects / Total Units Produced

9. Capacity Utilization
Actual Output / Potential Output

10. Safety Incident Rate
(Number of Incidents × 200,000) / Total Hours Worked

👉 Get my Top 100 KPIs here: https://lnkd.in/dgwVdfEM

🔁 Repost if this gave you a clearer view into the C-suite mindset

Your team’s output became 10x bigger
That means as a manager your review 10x also!

👉 Enroll in my free AI course now: https://lnkd.in/dNNPzeMX

Reviewing AI work is much easier when you master the fundamentals first
Click on the link above ☝️

AI Broke Your Review Process
It created a massive "Transparency Gap."

Every week, I see the same situation: Your juniors can now produce 10x more output. But more output does not mean better work.

You are left with a pile of deliverables you can't trust because you are starting your review from zero.

You don't know:
• What was AI-generated vs. manual analysis?
• Which parts were reviewed vs. just accepted?
• What context they gave the AI?

The Reality?

You spend your entire Friday trying to figure out
which parts are accurate and which parts are AI guesses

The Solution: The Crystal Method

We built this system to fix the bottleneck. It makes review faster, not slower
It answers three questions for every piece of work:

1️⃣ What did AI do? (Which parts were generated vs. manual)
2️⃣ How was it done? (Which tool, which prompt, what context)
3️⃣ What was verified? (What the human checked vs. accepted)

That’s it. Three answers, massive clarity

The shift? From "Did they do the work?"
to "How did they do the work?"

From "Redo the maths" to "Check the method"

If you lead a team using AI, follow the implementation roadmap in the infographic:
1. Build Awareness: Discuss where AI helps and where it creates problems
2. Define Scope: Use the Golden Rule (Use AI to generate, not calculate)
3. Standardize: Define the tool, model, and verification checklist
4. Create Reusable Tools: Stop copying prompts; start building custom GPTs
5. Full Automation: Only do this when steps 1-4 are solid

Your team is using AI whether you train them or not
Take 60 minutes this week to ensure that usage is clear & transparent

Reviewing AI work is much easier when you master the fundamentals first

👉 Learn the AI Finance Fundamentals here with my free AI course: https://lnkd.in/dNNPzeMX

ChatGPT 5.2 ≠ ChatGPT 5.1 (especially on Thinking)

📥 Download my 100 ChatGPT Tips: https://lnkd.in/djxgz65s

You got a bad AI answer? You used the wrong “brain”

Most finance pros treat every model the same…
then wonder why the output is:
confident but wrong
messy when you need a clean table
inconsistent halfway through a long analysis

Here are the key differences:

Hallucinations
5.2: hallucination rate reduced to 6.2% + errors ~30% less common + improved reliability for professional use
5.1: hallucination rate 8.8% + more errors with longer/complex reasoning + accuracy can decline in research/citation-heavy tasks

Long-context memory & consistency
5.2: retains info ~100% consistently + far fewer memory drops + better for long, multi-source work
5.1: would forget earlier details mid-conversation + frequent re-prompting needed + not ideal for long, multi-source work

Vision accuracy (screenshots, UI, diagrams)
5.2: stronger visual understanding + more accurate at reading screenshots/charts/UI layouts
5.1: vision works, limited UI detail + less reliable for screenshots/app interfaces

Structured output (slides, sheets, apps)
5.2: more polished layouts + ready-to-use slide decks/sheets
5.1: can generate slides & sheets + often needs heavy manual cleanup

Thinking time vs answer quality
5.2: thinking mode can run much longer + longer thinking correlates with better correctness
5.1: auto mode favors speed + thinking helps, but depth is limited

Quick summary:
5.2 = A Serious Analyst (deep reasoning, professional output, long & complex tasks)
5.1 = A Smart Assistant (faster, conversational, everyday tasks, personalized tone)

Here’s my simple rule:

ChatGPT 5.1 = the fast assistant
I use it for quick drafts, short questions, and everyday tasks

ChatGPT 5.2 = the serious analyst
I use it when accuracy matters: long-context work, screenshots/UI interpretation, structured outputs

Using the right model for your needs is also another way to save time

👉 Which one have you used today: 5.1 or 5.2?

Stop Buying New AI Tools

👉 Download my 30-Day AI finance playbook: https://lnkd.in/dw5DQkaD
(To learn how to train your finance team on AI)

You're probably paying for 3 AI tools, and using none of them well

Your junior analyst is on ChatGPT
Your FP&A manager swears by Claude
Your director is experimenting with Gemini

Meanwhile, you're stuck wondering:
Which AI tool should we standardize on?

Here’s the real problem →
You're not choosing based on what works for the team
You're choosing based on what feels newest or most hyped

Let’s fix that

The Real Problems

Problem 1: You're Paying Twice (or 3x)
• Teams buy Copilot or Gemini licenses
• But still expense ChatGPT Plus
• That’s $2,400/year wasted on duplicate tools

Check your license here:

For Copilot:

Problem 2: Nobody Can Collaborate
• Each AI tool keeps prompts and knowledge siloed
• When someone leaves, their context goes with them

Problem 3: Analysis Paralysis
• 10 minutes wasted just deciding which tool to open
• 3 tools = 3x the time to find one answer

The Smarter Approach: Go Ecosystem-First

Instead of asking “Which AI is best?”, ask:
“What ecosystem are we already in?”

If you're already on:
• Microsoft 365 → Use Copilot
• Google Workspace → Use Gemini

Why this works better:

Security as Standard
• Enterprise-grade data protection
• No personal account sharing
• Audit trails + IT-managed access

Team Collaboration
• Everyone shares prompts and files
• Conversation history is retained
• Knowledge builds over time

Seamless Integration
• Copilot and Gemini access your OneDrive or Google Drive
• No manual uploads or copy-paste
• AI works where your team already works

But What About Advanced Features?

Copilot (GPT-5.2) and Gemini (Gemini 1.5) now support:
• “Thinking mode”
• Slide generation
• Report summaries

And they run on the same foundational models
But directly embedded in your workflow

Follow the 80/20 Rule
80% of work = Ecosystem AI
• Emails, summaries, lookups, reports

20% of work = Specialist AI
• Deep modeling, creative ideation, scratch generation

Your Move (This Week):
1. Open your Microsoft or Google admin panel
2. See what you’re already paying for
3. Pick one ecosystem AI tool for your team

Chances are, you already own what you need
✓ No more tool debates
✓ No more triple testing
✓ No more wasted budget

👉 Learn how to train your finance team on AI in 30 days: https://lnkd.in/dw5DQkaD

The future-ready finance team isn’t chasing the “best AI”

It’s aligning around the one AI mindset that just works

🔁 Repost to help more finance professionals use AI together better

Prompting 101 Cheatsheet
👉 Enroll in my free AI course: https://lnkd.in/dgFNrHuC

A CFO preparing a cost-reduction plan types one line into ChatGPT
The answer sounds smart but it’s useless for the board deck

For CFOs, FP&A and finance leads, vague prompts are expensive
They waste time, hide risks, and make AI look like a toy instead of a strategic partner

I have turned this prompting system into a one-page cheat sheet you can hand to your whole team

It’s the same structure I use when training 5,000+ finance professionals and inside my 1,500+ member AI Finance Club

Here’s what’s inside:
1. What a “prompting technique” actually is
→ Why a precise, well-structured prompt beats a vague question every time.

2. The CSI framework (Context-Specific-Instruction)
→ How to brief AI like a colleague, not a search bar, with a cost-reduction example for a mid-size European company.

3. The FBI add-on (Format-Blueprint-Identity)
→ Turn generic text into board-ready tables, tuned to your tone, industry, and role.

4. The CSI + FBI combo prompt
→ A full example you can paste into ChatGPT to design a structured cost-saving plan with realistic initiatives

5. Chunking technique for complex analyses
→ Break big asks (like an acquisition assessment) into safe, controllable steps the model can actually handle

6. Six-step acquisition prompt chain
→ From “you are an expert financial analyst” to a concise go/no-go summary for your board without leaking sensitive details

7. Guardrails for sensitive data
→ A reminder to keep confidential numbers inside secure enterprise AI accounts only

When your prompts mirror how you brief a senior finance colleague
context, structure, and clear roles

AI finally delivers outputs you can take to the board

👉 Free AI for Finance Beginner Email course here: https://lnkd.in/dgFNrHuC

Where I will talk more about the CSI-FBI Framework for writing perfect AI prompts

Repost to help your team work faster

Which point will you try first?

How CFOs use GenAI to cut costs
👉 Enroll in my free AI Course: https://lnkd.in/ggmMizQk

Cost programs don’t fail from lack of ideas
They fail due to lack of structure

Most teams know what could be cut
Very few can rank it, size it, and turn it into an executable plan fast
So instead of starting with blank slides, you start with a structured first draft, then validate it with your data

Here’s what’s inside:
1. The exact prompt I use (copy/paste):
I am the CFO of a manufacturing company

I need to come up with a cost-saving plan

Create a detailed plan for me and my team

The plan should do a table first and then a project plan detailing the top 10 low-hanging fruits and the exact plan to enable them

Write this like the best cost-cutting consultant with super practical and pragmatic approach and bring some innovative ideas

2. Result you will get under 30 seconds
Top low-hanging-fruit initiatives ranked by impact vs effort
Savings ranges benchmarked to EU manufacturing peers
Named roles, KPIs, timelines, and risk mitigations
Tool recommendations (Power BI, e-sourcing, low-code apps, SaaS AI)
Governance cadence and kick-off checklist ready to paste into your deck

3. The keywords that steer the output:
“Table first”
“Exact plan”
“Innovative ideas”
“Practical & pragmatic”

4. Example of a pragmatic mini action plan (this is the level of detail):
Reverse-Auction for Tier-B Materials
Scope: 180 SKUs (fasteners, packaging, secondary alloys) worth €8M p.a.
Owner: Strategic Sourcing Lead

Steps
Cleanse spend data & spec sheets (June)
Bundle SKUs into 4 lots to boost volume leverage (July)
Invite >6 qualified suppliers; supply sample for QA (Aug)
Run 45-min online auction (Sept)
Dual-source top lot to keep pressure (Oct)

Quick win
Pilot 1 lot (€1M) first—often lands ~5% saving within 30 days

Contract guardrails
Index-linked price bands, dual-source clause, quarterly rebates

5. Why this is powerful for you
Instant knowledge synthesis — thousands of best practices, one coherent plan
Iterative co-creation — stress-test ideas and refine in minutes
Cost-free first draft — consultant-grade structure without the day rate
Scalable expertise — pivot from opex to capex, WC, or board-ready scripts fast

6. How to get more value from the LLM:
#1 Be specific in the ask — format, depth, tone (“table first, then plan”)
#2 Provide context — industry, size, constraints
#3 Challenge & iterate — “stress-test initiative #5”
#4 Validate with data — model it before executing
#5 Blend human + AI — AI drafts, humans judge feasibility and drive change

GenAI won’t run your cost program
But it can compress week 1 into minute 1 so your team spends time deciding, not drafting

👇 Master the fundamentals of AI for Finance here: https://lnkd.in/ggmMizQk

Which initiative would you stress-test first?

Save 10 Hours/Week with Your AI Clone

👉 Download my 100 Prompt Tips here: https://lnkd.in/dmRgrhCj

Ever feel like you’re constantly reintroducing yourself to ChatGPT?

Every time you start a new chat, you waste time explaining your role
Your company
Your style
Your metrics
Your tone

And then you spend even more time fixing generic outputs that just don’t sound like you

That’s the Content Tax
A silent productivity killer that drains 20 minutes per task...
and worse, breaks your consistency

Here’s how I got rid of it 👇

I built my AI Digital Clone
A personalized version of GPT that already knows how I think, write, and work
It understands:
The structure of my board packs
Which metrics I care about
My preferred writing tone and formatting
The level of detail I expect

This isn’t just about using “memory” in ChatGPT
It’s about giving AI a permanent blueprint of you...
your voice, your process, your goals

I broke the setup into 6 clear steps:
1. Gather your professional materials
CV, LinkedIn profile, company info: the building blocks of your digital self

2. Define your tone
Grab a few emails that sound like you and explain how to replicate your writing style

3. Upload everything to a new chat
Your resume, tone guide, and company context go in together

4. Fill in the blanks
Use prompts to help the AI answer key questions about who you are

5. Generate the master prompt
Ask the AI to create a detailed instruction set so it always acts like your clone

6. Build your custom GPT
Now you're ready to create a reusable AI assistant that never forgets who you are

Whether you're using ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot... the process is the same
You just need the right inputs

👉 Download my 100 Prompt Tips here: https://lnkd.in/dmRgrhCj

Key takeaway:
The time you spend not building your digital clone is time lost to repetition
Build it once → save 10+ hours every week

Paul Barnhurst

The FP&A Guy

Founder

FP&A Tomorrow

FP&A Tomorrow is a podcast focused on discussing not only what is happening in FP&A but what does the future look like for FP&A. The show is hosted by The FP&A Guy and is the premier podcast FP&A podcast. The show launches in April 2024.

Podcast Host

Financial Modeler's Corner

Hosting a world-class podcast all about Financial Modeling.  The podcast is for anyone who wants to listen to and learn from the best financial modelers in the world.

Future Finance

Future Finance is the podcast show that illuminates the future of finance through the lens of AI, innovation, and technology.  I co-host the show with the amazing Glenn Hopper.

Co-Host

The FP&A Hub

Co-founder of the only dedicated planning and analytics community created by and for planning and analytics professionals.  

Com join us today at https://community.plan-buddies.com/c/about-us

Co-Founder

Born Capital

The tides of change are flowing into the finance function which sends the function into the age of 4.0. We say it is "Enabled by tech - Driven by people". 

At Born Capital, we focus on tech enablement and are looking for early-stage startups in what we call #CFOTech that will enable the finance function to become a profit driver. We have a keen interest in FP&A and Business Finance as this is where we see the biggest improvement potential.

Actually, CFOs themselves know this as 71% of them are not happy with the performance of their FP&A team despite significant investments made in the past decade. We will help the office of the CFO get the right tech and tools to step up to the plate and deliver on the expectations of the CEO and other CXOs.

Feel free to reach out if you would like to know more about how we can help your start-up to the next level...

Advisory Board Member

Operators Guild

The Operators Guild is an independent, invitation-only group, home to the world’s top finance and operations (high growth and technology) leaders.

Scaling a company is hard. We are working together to share best practices, help one another solve similar problems, and invest in the operator community. We meet and connect regularly to support each other as we create the next generation of high-growth companies and company leaders.

Member

FP&A Today

Host FP&A Today, one of the premier podcasts on FP&A.  It is a weekly show where we bring you the latest news and actionable tips about all things FP&A.

DigiCert, Inc.

Director of Finance Sales Operations and Analytics

Solera, Inc.

Director of FP&A - Dealer and Aftermarket Division

Director of FP&A - Dealer Divison

Built Excel data model and developed financial reporting tool that allows easy review of budget and actuals for 30 North American legal entities transactional data, this model has helped reduce accounting errors and improved insight into key business expenses and vendors.
•	Provide support to NA CFO for $500M+ SaaS business to include preparing decks, providing ad-hoc analysis, and attending various leadership meetings.
•	Coordinate consolidation of forecasts and monthly results for 3 North American business units
•	Co-Led team effort to select software financial planning system and led effort to select consulting company to implement TM1 panning tool.
•	Worked closely with accountants to improve balance sheet reconciliation reporting for prepaid and capitalized software projects allowing business to have a clearer picture of actual spend on software & software projects.
•	Supported various accounting improvement initiatives resulting in improved accounting processes, to include reconciling over $4M of unreconciled balance sheets.

FP&A Manager

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

Paul Barnhurst, The FPandA Guy

The people getting promoted in FP&A aren't always the best analysts.

They're often the best communicators.
They know how to walk into a room and make executives care.
They turn numbers into stories.

And they become trusted advisors while others stay stuck as "𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧."

I saw this for years. 
It happened to me. 

Brilliant FP&A pros with killer insights... getting overlooked.
Not because their work wasn't good.
Because they couldn't make it land.

That's why Ron and I built "𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞."

A 5-day course to help you close that gap.
So your analysis finally gets the recognition it deserves.

It’s almost done.
𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞!

Very excited to share more details on this course, so stay tuned to LinkedIn for more information.

Free Course: Selecting the right FP&A Software!!!!

What is the best FP&A Software?

This is a question I get all the time, and my favorite is when they say I will not tell anyone you told me. 🤣 Like it is some secret. 

The reality is that no best tool exists, and the same person will often select a different tool depending on the company they are working at and the needs they have at the time.  Many factors, including company size, software stack, and personal preference, etc. will all play a role in the process.   

That is why I have created a free course titled:

𝐅𝐏&𝐀 𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The course helps you:

➡ Identify when it might be time for a dedicated tool
➡ Understand the core components of FP&A software
➡ Understand how to segment the market and narrow down the list of tools to consider for your use case
➡ Select the right tool for your business by conducting a formal RFP Process
➡ Implement the tool using best practices for your implementation process

Included in the course are:

➡ 44 Videos
➡ Interview with implementation specialist Christopher McKay from Capitalize Analytics
➡ Templates: RFP Checklist, RFP Cover Letter, Requirements Document, Evaluation Criteria Templates

The sections for the course are: 

➡ Introduction to FP&A Software
➡ When do I need a Planning Tool?
➡ The Benefits of Planning Software
➡ Core Components of Planning Software
➡ Segmenting the Market for Planning Software
➡ Tool Types
➡ Selecting a Software Tool for Your Business
➡ Managing the RFP Process
➡ Implementing Your Planning Software
➡ The Future of Planning Software
➡ Conclusion and Key Takeaways

This is the most complete course you will find on selecting and implementing FP&A software, and I have made it absolutely free.

 I also offer FP&A software selection services, so you can contact me directly for assistance selecting the tool best suited to your needs.   

Link to course:
https://lnkd.in/ddTj8tJp

A special thanks to Christopher McKay, Kamal Gregory, MBA, and Capitalize Analytics for assisting with the implementation section of the course. 

Let me know in the comments what questions you have about the process.

The Formula That Made Me Question Everything About AI in Excel
 
Want to hear Giles rap? Then this episode is for you. He raapped freestyle about LAMBDA.
 
We watched an AI tool turn a simple Esports task, split the text, and add the two largest numbers into a 100+ character formula monstrosity.
 
Then Ian broke it down to 15 characters using basic Excel functions.
 
This moment from our latest Mod Squad episode captures where we are with AI Excel tools in 2025.
 
Here's what happened:
 
We tested Melder (our 7th AI tool) on a straightforward problem: extract numbers from text strings separated by dashes, find the two largest, and add them up.
 
Melder's solution? A nested nightmare involving SUBSTITUTE, MID, REPT (repeating spaces 100 times!), and multiple embedded functions. There
 
Ian's solution? TEXTSPLIT + VALUE + LARGE + MAX = done.
Gile's Solution: TEXTSPLIT + VALUE + LARGE + SUM = optimized for Excel Esports.
 
The bigger lesson for FP&A professionals:
→ AI tools promise "never write a formula again" - but you absolutely must understand what they're building
→ Overengineered doesn't mean more accurate - often the simplest solution is the best
→ When your boss asks "what does this formula do?" you need an answer beyond "the AI made it"
→ Break down complex formulas to validate logic 
 
 
The reality check:
 
Melder showed promise - completing our Excel esports case quickly with 4 out of 5 bonuses solved. But we hit "Failed to build Agent Focus" errors repeatedly. It unfortunately couldn't even create its own worksheets, requiring manual setup of a worksheet before building the deferred revenue schedule. We hope this is an update in the future to put it on parity with other tools.
 
On the whole, Melder was a mixed bag. It showed a lot of promise being in "Open-Beta," and we liked the custom functions, ability to upload your own files, but the reality is we do not think it is ready for General Release or for paying customers, and has some work to do.
 
 
After testing seven tools, Giles nailed it: "Have we learned anything new from a bird's eye view?
 
No. They're all doing lots of interesting, good, and bad things."
 
The AI plateau is real.
 
Bottom line: These tools are powerful assistants, not replacements. Your value as a Finance professional isn't just building models - it's understanding, validating, and explaining them.

The tool that wins won't be the one that writes the most complex formula. It'll be the one that helps you understand what it built.
 
Listen here 🎤 https://lnkd.in/g-jfrxWH
 
 
⭐⭐⭐
🎓 ​ Earn your Advanced Financial Modeler accreditation from the Financial Modeling Institute (FMI) at https://lnkd.in/gQV55MxS (Use code Podcast to save 15%)
📰 Join The Modern Finance Playbook Newsletter and receive access to a free FP&A Business Partnering Digital Course Module - https://lnkd.in/g5H4YsvH
📺 Check out the podcast on our YouTube Channel at https://lnkd.in/gxZ45zXN

I've been working on something with Ron Monteiro, CPA, CMA.

Something for FP&A professionals who conduct brilliant analysis...

But watch their insights get ignored in the boardroom.

The ones who know their analysis is solid. But feel like something's just not landing.

If that's you?

You are not alone. I still remember when my boss said, and I quote: "Your Analysis was Brilliant, but Your Presentation Lacked." 

What I have coming is going to help.

I'm not saying more today.

But check back tomorrow for more details.

It's going to be worth the wait.

Something that I’ve noticed through the years is that FP&A pros don’t have a communication problem.

They have a translation problem.

Because nobody told us early in our careers:

That executives don’t make decisions based on just the numbers.
They make decisions from the story behind the numbers.

And most of us were never taught how to tell that 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.
So we present data.
Walk through tabs.
Explain what changed.
Meanwhile… the real insight, the part leaders actually need, gets buried.

Ron and I have been working on something to address that issue.

For the FP&A pros who are technically strong but tired of feeling unheard.
For the ones who want their analysis to land, not just get reviewed.

For the future strategic partners who just need the right communication tools.

We’re dropping it tomorrow.

When people ask what makes me difference as a Finance Trainer and podcast host. I have 5 things I share

1. The look of my beard
2. The color my beard
3. The length of my beard
4. They style of my beard
5. The look of my beard

Or in the words of Joel Steendam: 


Came for the content, stayed for the beard. A true champion of good modelling!”


If that is not enough for you then check out my new free 5-day email course designed to help transform your analysis into stories executives want to hear. 

https://lnkd.in/gCfjDgSg

No alternative text description for this image

We are Shortcut, we solve Financial Modeling World Cup cases "10𝐱 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬." We also find it acceptable to leave a B/S with an out-of-balance error of $1.3 million.
 
This week, we tested Shortcut against its bold claims and found that it does not live up to them, but it did perform several tasks very well.
 
My co-host Giles Male and I tackled Shortcut without Ian Schnoor, CFA, CFM 😢 , who was traveling back from London, and our honest, no-hype feedback is below.
 
Shortcut is the AI spreadsheet tool that went viral, claiming to solve Financial Modeling World Cup cases "10𝐱 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬." and today it makes the bold claim on its website to be
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥'𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭 𝘈𝘐
 
The results?
 
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝:
→ Best visual formatting we've seen—color coding, layout, separate assumption tabs
→ Solved 5 of 7 intermediate Excel esports challenges correctly
→ Built a three-statement model structure that looked incredibly professional
 
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐬:
→ Created custom number formatting that literally REVERSED positive and negative signs (We've never seen this in our careers)
→ Built a model with an unbalanced balance sheet, then rationalized why a $1.3M variance was "acceptable" and said it was not going to fix it.
P.S. This would get you fired if you told your boss this was acceptable.
→ Hard-coded calculations instead of using dynamic formulas
→ When we asked to solve Excel Esport cases, it didn't even attempt the bonus questions that other tools tackled without us having to prompt it.
 
𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭: Solid tool that fails to live up to its bold claims
 
Giles and I disagree on which tool we like best for different reasons, but we are aligned on one thing:
 
AI is not ready to take a modeler's job. In fact, Giles said this moment is "the most dangerous moment in Excel financial modeling, and he expects it will only get better from here"
 
It is so dangerous because the outputs look SO professional. A junior analyst could easily submit this work without catching the fundamental errors hidden beneath the polished surface.
 
My take for FP&A professionals: This isn't about whether AI tools work—they absolutely can enhance productivity. But the marketing hype claiming these tools replace expert modelers is dangerously premature. You need strong foundational skills to catch what AI gets wrong.
 
Listen here:
https://lnkd.in/gTA-H6kY
 
⭐⭐⭐
🎓 ​ Earn your Advanced Financial Modeler accreditation from the Financial Modeling Institute (FMI) at https://lnkd.in/gQV55MxS (Use code Podcast to save 15%)
📰 Join The Modern Finance Playbook Newsletter https://lnkd.in/g5H4YsvH
📺 Check out the podcast on YouTube https://lnkd.in/gxZ45zXN

It’s live.

Ron and I built this for every FP&A pro who’s ever watched their analysis get ignored:

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐏&𝐀 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫

A free 5-day email course that shows you how to turn your financial insights into clear, compelling stories leaders actually act on.

Inside, you’ll learn how to:

• Make executives care about your numbers
• Use the 3-Story Framework to make your insights memorable
• Align your message with business strategy
• Shift from “reporter” to trusted partner

If your analysis is strong but your influence feels capped… this will help.

Click here to sign up for the 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 and receive it in your inbox absolutely free. 

https://lnkd.in/gCfjDgSg

I answered absolutely YES!  


This was my response yesterday when  a college kid asked me if he still needed to learn how to model and use Excel with AI. 

I strongly believe the need for strong Excel skills for FP&A peofessionals has never been stronger. 

The AI tools inside Excel are getting better and they will make us more efficient and effective but we have to know what we are doing to take full advantage of these tools. 

Those who invest the time to learn both Excel and AI will have an advantage over those who invest in one or the other. 

When it comes to learning Excel For FP&A pros some great courses are offered by Carl Seidman, CSP, CPA on the LinkedIn platform. 

I spent a couple hours yesterday reviewing content from two of his Excel FP&A courses. 

➡️ Excel for FP&A

https://lnkd.in/g3CV_XDe

➡️ Advanced Excel fo FP&A

https://lnkd.in/gQnPeSY8

I will admit I picked up some new ideas and tips that I will use in my modeling/teaching that are much cleaner than what I was previously doing. 


If you are not investing in Excel you are making a mistake. DM me if you need more course ideas but Carl’s content is very good.

"I've never had a failure in my life. I've only had learning experiences."
 
My mission president told me this when I was 20, serving a 2-year mission in California for the LDS Church. At first, I remember thinking he was crazy. What is he talking about?
 
Then he explained: Every failure teaches you something. If you learn from it, it's not really a failure.
 
Later, when working at a summer camp, we had 8 Keys to Success, and one of them was Failure Leads to Success.
 
This week on FP&A Unlocked with Glenn Snyder and Rosemary Linden, one of the things we talked about was our biggest failures and lessons learned.
 
Rosemary shared how, early in her career, she sent an email to a sales leader about a pricing violation. She was technically right. But she damaged trust and learned a crucial lesson:
"Being right is not the job of FP&A. It's being influential."
 
Glenn shared how he built a brilliant IT cost allocation model that his CFO said was brilliant, but then he watched it get rejected because he did it in isolation and did not involve the IT leaders. His CFO's words changed everything: "If you can't figure out how to bring people along with you, your career will never go anywhere."
 
My failure? Being too detailed for YEARS. I'd take executives through every step of my analysis.
 
One manager literally messaged me in meetings: "Pull it back up."
 
A General manager taught me the BLUF principle (Bottom Line Up Front). First sentence = answer. Everything else = supporting detail.
 
Within a year of that conversation, I was a Director.
 
Here's what we learned about turning failures into learnings:
 
➡️ Treat mistakes as information, not your identity
➡️ Own failures publicly with "I," share successes with "we"
➡️ Face-to-face communication > email (especially for tough conversations)
➡️ Get stakeholder buy-in BEFORE presenting to executives
 
Check out the full episode with Rosemary Linden here:
https://lnkd.in/gY8i2UqB
 
What failure taught you the most about your career?
 
 
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 episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Glenn Snyder and Rosemary Linden to talk about the important role of FP&A in today’

Open article: The Soft Skills in Finance for CFOs to Build Influence and Leadership with Rosemary Linden by Paul Barnhurst • 3 min read

The Soft Skills in Finance for CFOs to Build Influence and Leadership with Rosemary Linden

Never thought I would get to be on the stage via AI with Kamal Gregory, MBA but I am glad he has a hat :)

My course will be dropping any day so keep your eyes open for it.

When #AI finally made the moment happen before real life did. 🤖🎩 

Apparently the future of FP&A includes machine-generated conferences… and custom hats. 

Huge shoutout to my friend Paul Barnhurst — The FP&A Guy — for “handing” me one of his legendary hats on stage. 
(Yes, this is an AI-generated photo. No, we have not met in person yet. Yes, AI decided we should share a stage anyway.) 
But honestly… this picture is kind of perfect for where FP&A is heading: 

AI accelerating insights before humans catch up 
FP&A leaders showing up with brand-level swagger 
And software selection becoming one of the most strategic moves a finance team can make 

Speaking of which — Paul has a new course dropping soon: 
FP&A Software Selection and Implementation Course 
If you’ve ever been stuck choosing between 14 demo calls, 9 feature matrices, and 3 vendors that all “do everything,” this course is going to save people years of their lives. 

Until then, I’ll be over here waiting for the real-life moment when Paul hands me an actual FP&A Guy hat. 
(And yes, I’m absolutely wearing it on my next Zoom call.) 
#FPandA #AI #FinanceTransformation #TheFPAAGuy #SoftwareSelection #FPnAFriends #CapitalizeAnalytics Capitalize Analytics Workday Adaptive Planning Vena Solutions Jedox Pigment

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