Use ChatGPT, Claude & Copilot to write, debug and audit Excel models, and build a full project finance model with AI
What You Will Learn:
- Use AI tools to write, debug, and explain Excel formulas — from simple lookups to complex nested logic and Lambda functions
- Build a complete project finance model from scratch — assumptions, timeline, revenue, debt scheduling, financial statements, and ratios
- Automate models with AI-generated VBA — formatting macros, scenario-switching buttons, and error checks
- Recognize AI hallucinations, bias, and limitations so you can use AI safely and critically in professional financial modelling work
- Review and audit financial models with AI — spotting formula inconsistencies, stress-testing assumptions, and documenting findings
- Size debt with sculpted repayments to a target DSCR and solve the circularity with an AI-written VBA solver
- Show more
The New Reality of the Spreadsheet Jungle
Look, I’ve spent the better part of a decade staring at Excel models until my eyes crossed, and I’ll be the first to tell you: the “old way” of manual cell-by-cell entry is dying. I recently sat through the “AI in Financial Modelling: ChatGPT & Claude in Excel” course, and it’s a total shift in how we approach industry-standard tools. Most people think using AI in finance means asking ChatGPT to “make a budget,” but this course actually dives into the architectural plumbing of project finance. It’s less about shortcuts and more about building a second brain to handle the heavy lifting of complex nested logic and Lambda functions that used to take hours to debug.
What I appreciated most was the focus on the “Big Three” LLMs—ChatGPT, Claude, and Copilot—and knowing which one to use for specific tasks. For instance, Claude’s reasoning capabilities are often superior for financial model auditing, while Copilot is your “right hand” inside the actual workbook. This isn’t a generic “prompt engineering” class; it’s a hands-on lab experience that forces you to build a full project finance model from the ground up. You aren’t just watching videos; you’re actually sizing debt and solving circularities using AI-written VBA scripts. It’s the kind of job-ready skills training that separates the spreadsheet monkeys from the strategic analysts.
Prerequisites: What You Need Before Diving In
Don’t expect to jump into this if you don’t know what a DCF or an IRR is. While the course covers beginner to advanced AI techniques, it assumes you have a foundational grasp of Excel. You should be comfortable with basic arithmetic and the general layout of a financial statement. If you’ve never touched a VBA module before, don’t worry—the AI handles the syntax—but you do need the logical mindset to know what you’re trying to automate. Essentially, if you can navigate a workbook, you’re ready to level up.
The Stack: Skills & Tools You’ll Master
This course is a deep dive into AI-augmented financial modelling. You’ll be working with a powerhouse stack of tools and concepts designed for career growth in modern finance:
- Generative AI Tools: Mastery of ChatGPT-4, Claude 3.5 Sonnet (essential for code accuracy), and Microsoft Copilot integration.
- Advanced Excel: Moving beyond VLOOKUP into the world of dynamic arrays, Lambda, and AI-generated M-code for Power Query.
- Automation: Writing, testing, and deploying VBA macros for scenario switching and error checks without needing to be a computer science major.
- Project Finance Specifics: Building debt sculpting schedules, DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) targets, and handling circular references with AI-written solvers.
- Model Auditing: Using AI to “stress test” assumptions and find the broken link in a 50-tab workbook in seconds rather than days.
Career Benefits & Job Roles
We are currently in a transition period where certification prep that includes AI is becoming the gold standard. If you are aiming for roles in Investment Banking, Private Equity, or FP&A (Financial Planning & Analysis), showing that you can leverage AI for real-world projects is a massive competitive advantage. Hiring managers are no longer just looking for “Excel proficiency”; they want “AI-efficiency.” This course bridges that gap, making you a prime candidate for Senior Financial Analyst or Project Finance Manager roles where speed and accuracy are non-negotiable. It’s about career growth through technical leverage.
The Pros: Why This Course Hits Different
- Solving the Circularity Problem: Anyone who has built a project finance model knows that debt sizing and interest during construction create circular loops. Watching the AI write a VBA solver to handle this is like watching magic, and it’s a skill that will save you an immense amount of frustration.
- The Reality Check on Hallucinations: I love that the instructor doesn’t pretend AI is perfect. There is a heavy emphasis on recognizing AI bias and “hallucinations.” Learning how to audit AI-generated formulas is arguably more important than learning how to generate them.
- End-to-End Project Build: You aren’t just doing isolated exercises. You build a full project finance model—from assumptions and revenue timelines to debt scheduling and final ratios. This portfolio piece is exactly what you need to prove your job-ready skills.
The Cons: A Honest Critique
The only real downside is the pacing of AI tool updates. Because the world of ChatGPT and Claude moves so fast, a couple of the UI walk-throughs for the AI interfaces might look slightly different from the current versions you see on your screen. You have to be comfortable with a bit of “software drift” and willing to adapt when a button moves from the left sidebar to the top header in the latest AI update.