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Course Details

Advanced Excel for Financial Professionals: Tools to Automate, Analyze, and Audit Financial Data with AI

Course Description:

Advanced Excel for Financial Professionals: Tools to Automate, Analyze, Audit, and Accelerate Financial Data with AI is designed specifically for accounting, finance, and business professionals who want to modernize their Excel skills using today’s most powerful analytics and automation tools.

Participants will learn how to use advanced Excel features to clean, analyze, validate, summarize, and visualize financial data while integrating modern AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT to accelerate reporting, formula creation, forecasting, reconciliation, and audit workflows.

This hands-on course combines practical financial exercises with real-world automation techniques using PivotTables, XLOOKUP, Dynamic Arrays, Conditional Formatting, Power Query, Power Pivot, Macros/VBA, and AI-assisted analysis. Attendees will also learn how to use AI responsibly to improve productivity, troubleshoot formulas, generate executive summaries, and streamline repetitive financial processes.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to build interactive dashboards, automate recurring reporting tasks, create audit-ready spreadsheets, and leverage AI-enhanced workflows to improve financial analysis and decision-making.

This course is ideal for:

Excel power users seeking modern automation and AI skills

  • CPAs
  • Financial analysts
  • Controllers
  • Auditors
  • Accounting managers
  • Finance professionals

Cancellation Policy: Participants must cancel at least two weeks (ten working days) prior to class or tuition will be forfeited.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PARTICIPATION for CPAs:  As part of our sponsorship with NASBA, we have agreed to provide at least three (3) instances of engagement per CPE hour (50 minutes).  These may come in the form of open-ended questions, hand-raising, polling, and other techniques.  You must answer or respond to all three opportunities to engage in order to receive credit for that CPE hour.   

Knowledge Source Inc. is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Summarize and visualize large volumes of financial data using PivotTables, PivotCharts, slicers, and dashboards.
  • Use modern lookup and Dynamic Array functions including XLOOKUP, FILTER, SORT, and UNIQUE to analyze and reconcile financial data.
  • Apply Data Validation techniques to improve spreadsheet accuracy and audit readiness.
  • Identify risks, anomalies, variances, and exceptions using Conditional Formatting and AI-assisted analysis.
  • Use Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT to generate formulas, troubleshoot calculations, summarize trends, and accelerate financial reporting tasks.
  • Record, edit, and enhance Macros and VBA for automating repetitive month-end and reporting processes.
  • Clean, transform, and consolidate exported financial data using Power Query.
  • Build Data Models, relationships, and forecasting scenarios using Power Pivot and What-If Analysis tools.
  • Create interactive, executive-level financial dashboards with automated reporting features.
  • Evaluate AI-generated outputs critically and apply best practices for responsible AI use in financial environments.

Course Outline:

Module 1: PivotTables, PivotCharts & AI-Assisted Financial Analysis

Summarizing Financial Data Faster

  • Creating dynamic PivotTables
  • Customizing PivotCharts
  • Using slicers and timelines for interactive dashboards
  • Building executive-style dashboard summaries
  • Using AI tools to summarize financial trends and variances
  • AI-assisted chart recommendations and narrative reporting

Module 2: Modern Lookup Functions & Dynamic Arrays

Cross-Referencing Financial Data Efficiently

  • XLOOKUP vs. VLOOKUP
  • FILTER, SORT, UNIQUE, and Dynamic Arrays
  • Error handling and validation techniques
  • Reconciling financial records across datasets
  • AI-assisted formula generation and troubleshooting
  • Explaining formulas with Copilot and ChatGPT

Module 3: Data Validation & Audit-Ready Spreadsheet Controls

Improving Data Quality and Consistency

  • Drop-down lists and custom validation rules
  • Numeric and date validation
  • Preventing inconsistent or duplicate entries
  • Audit-ready spreadsheet controls
  • AI-assisted identification of missing or suspicious data
  • Best practices for financial input controls

Module 4: Conditional Formatting & Exception Reporting

Highlighting Risks, Variances, and Outliers

  • Built-in formatting rules and custom formulas
  • Data bars, icon sets, and color scales
  • Exception-based financial reporting
  • Highlighting duplicate transactions and anomalies
  • AI-assisted risk identification
  • Visual indicators for audit and compliance reviews

Module 5: Macros, VBA & AI-Assisted Automation

Automating Repetitive Financial Processes

  • Recording and running macros
  • Editing and understanding VBA
  • Assigning macros to buttons and workflows
  • Using AI to generate and explain VBA code
  • Automating recurring month-end tasks
  • Reviewing and validating AI-generated automation safely

Module 6: Power Query & AI-Powered Data Cleanup

Cleaning and Consolidating Financial Exports

  • Importing and transforming financial data
  • Merging and appending multiple files
  • Automating repetitive cleanup workflows
  • Standardizing exported ERP/accounting reports
  • AI-assisted Power Query transformations
  • Refreshing and maintaining automated queries

Module 7: Power Pivot, Forecasting & What-If Analysis

Advanced Financial Modeling and Scenario Planning

  • Building Data Models and relationships
  • Using Power Pivot measures and calculations
  • Goal Seek, Scenario Manager, and Data Tables
  • Sensitivity analysis and forecasting
  • AI-assisted forecasting and variance explanations
  • Executive-level financial planning tools

Final Challenge: Building an AI-Assisted Automated Financial Dashboard

Participants will complete a comprehensive financial case study integrating:

  • PivotTables and PivotCharts
  • Dynamic formulas and lookups
  • Data validation and exception reporting
  • Macros and automation
  • Power Query and Power Pivot
  • AI-assisted financial analysis and reporting

The final deliverable includes:

  • Interactive financial dashboard
  • Automated reporting workflows
  • Forecasting and variance analysis
  • AI-generated executive summary

Course Information

Course Level: 
Credit: 8 CPE hours
Fee: $395Klarna
Length: 1 day
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Delivery: Virtual Open Enrollment/Group Live On-site
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