6-lesson course · about 2 hours

Know which file fed every number in your management pack

For CFOs, controllers, FP&A teams, accountants and finance operations professionals

Everything for Finance teams

A focused 2-hour course for controllers and finance operations staff. Use AI to inventory incoming spreadsheets, record source and version, and trace any reported figure back to the file and step behind it.

Try lesson 1 freeSee what you’ll learn

What you’ll be able to do

By the end, you can…

Inventory the reporting folderList every file by name, owner, date received, reporting period, currency and units, so final_v3_REAL is no longer a guess.
Let AI draft the inventory, then check itPrompt an approved AI tool to draft and sort the inventory table, then check its rows against the files themselves and fix what it got wrong.
Record source, version and statusKeep a source register that marks each file as current, provisional or rejected, with the reason, so rejected files stay out of totals.
Stop duplicates double counting a periodTell a true duplicate from a superseded file or a separate file with similar data, and record which file replaces which.
Trace a figure back to its sourceFollow a reported number to the register entry, file version and step that produced it, and write a trace record someone else can follow.
Handle a late correction cleanlyLog the correction as a new version, find every figure that depends on it, and tell analysis, narrative and presentation owners which version to use.

How it works

A tutor that meets you where you are

  1. Lessons that fit your levelSix lessons in two modules. Later lessons are written for your level as you reach them, so you spend time on what you need.
  2. An AI tutor you can ask anythingType or speak your questions, such as how to treat two files from the same owner for the same period, and get an answer in context.
  3. Quizzes and flashcards for each lessonShort checks tied to each lesson help you remember the register fields, status rules and trace steps.
  4. Progress tracking and a certificateSee where you are in the course, pick up where you left off, and receive a certificate of completion when you finish.

Curriculum

The curriculum

The course moves in the order you would work: first get the reporting folder under control, then build a source register and use it to trace figures and handle late corrections.

Module 1Know What Is in the Reporting Folder3 lessons

  1. 1Inventory the Folder: The Fields That Identify a File
    • List each file in a reporting folder with name, owner, date received, reporting period, currency and units
    • Explain why file names and modified dates alone cannot show which file fed the numbers
    • Spot inventory rows where the period, currency or units are missing or unclear
  2. 2Use AI to Draft the Inventory, Then Check It
    • Write a prompt that asks an AI tool to draft an inventory table with the agreed fields from a folder listing
    • Choose what file content can and cannot be shared with the AI tool under the organisation's rules
    • Check an AI-drafted inventory against the source files and correct its errors
    • Sort and filter the checked inventory by period, owner and date received
  3. 3Find Duplicates and Superseded Files
    • Spot likely duplicate files by grouping inventory rows by owner, period and similar file names
    • Distinguish a true duplicate from a superseded file and from a separate file that covers similar data
    • Confirm a suspected duplicate by comparing the files' contents rather than their names
    • Record which file replaces which so the older one cannot enter a total

Module 2Build and Use the Source Register3 lessons

  1. 4Build the Source Register: Source, Version and Status
    • Write a register entry with file, version, source, received date, period, currency, units and status
    • Assign each file a status of current, provisional or rejected and record the reason
    • Mark entries so that only current or provisional entries may feed pack totals, with provisional figures labelled
    • Check that only one entry per source, scope and period is marked current or provisional
  2. 5Trace a Reported Figure Back to Its Source
    • Trace a reported figure back to the register entry, file version and step that produced it
    • Write a trace record that another person could follow to reproduce the figure
    • Spot a figure whose trace leads to a rejected file or to no register entry
  3. 6Handle a Late Correction Through the Register
    • Record a late correction as a new register version and update the status of the version it replaces
    • Identify every reported figure that depends on the corrected file by using the trace records
    • Write a change note that tells analysis, narrative and presentation owners what changed and which version to use
    • Check that no part of the pack still refers to the replaced version

Who it’s for

Made for you if…

Made for: CFOs, controllers, FP&A teams, accountants and finance operations professionals

Controllers assembling a monthly or quarterly management pack

You need to say with confidence which file and version produced each figure, and show it when asked.

Finance operations staff who collect files from business units and subledgers

You receive the spreadsheets and need a simple way to log them, spot duplicates and keep rejected files out of totals.

Reporting analysts working from a crowded shared folder

You want to stop guessing which file is current and give reviewers a trace they can follow.

Questions

Good to know

How long does the course take?

It is designed to take about 2 hours, across six self-paced lessons.

What do I need before I start?

Basic spreadsheet skills such as sorting, filtering and simple formulas, working knowledge of your reporting cycle, access to the reporting folder for your current management pack, familiarity with its main figures, and an AI tool your organisation has approved for internal use.

Which AI tool should I use?

Use the tool your organisation has approved for internal use. The course does not cover choosing, configuring or buying an AI platform.

Is it safe to put our files into an AI tool?

The course teaches you to decide what file content can and cannot be shared under your organisation's rules, and to keep customer identifiers, account credentials and nonpublic reporting information out of unapproved cloud tools.

Will this teach variance analysis or reconciliations?

No. Variance analysis, management commentary, scenario modelling, reconciliation methods and correcting entries are outside this course. It focuses on knowing and tracing your source files.

Does it cover pulling data from our ERP?

No. The course starts from the spreadsheets that arrive in your reporting folder. Extracting data from ERP or other source systems is not covered, nor are automated reporting agents or full audit and control design.

What level is it aimed at?

It starts at beginner level for using AI in document checks and takes you to an intermediate level of keeping a working source register.

Build a source register you can trace every figure through

$47

One payment · lifetime access

  • Six self-paced lessons in two modules, about 2 hours in total
  • Lessons that adapt to your level as you progress
  • An AI tutor you can ask questions, typed or out loud
  • Quizzes and flashcards tied to each lesson
  • Progress tracking
  • Certificate of completion

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Refunds: Full refund if you ask before you open your first lesson. Once you’ve started, purchases aren’t refundable, except where the law gives you that right.

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