DAY 1 — Understand & explore

Module 1 — The AI opportunity in finance (09:00–10:00)

Why AI, why now, why me?

We start with the business case — not the technology. Financial professionals who adopt AI early have a measurable advantage. This module shows why, and helps you determine where you have the most to gain.

• The productivity opportunity: where finance teams spend their time and where AI makes the difference
• The six value drivers of AI in finance: speed, accuracy, insight, scalability, consistency and focus
• Self-assessment: where do you start and what do you want to achieve?
• Course philosophy: practical first, honest about limitations, grounded in financial expertise

Result: you understand the real business case for AI in finance and have identified the specific task on which you will base your Day 2 workflow.

Module 2 — What is AI? Strengths, weaknesses & providers (10:00–11:00)

Which tool do I use when?

Before you can use a tool effectively, you need to understand how it works — at a practical level, not a technical one. The mental frameworks from this module will make every subsequent module more valuable.

• What AI really is — beyond the hype, focused on what is relevant for finance
• How Large Language Models work — explained through a financial analogy
• The problem of knowledge cutoffs — and why this is dangerous in finance
• Hallucinations: what they are, why they happen and how to protect yourself
• Where AI excels — and where it does not
• Comparison of the key providers: Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini and Grok — specifically evaluated for financial applications

Result: you select the right tool for every task and understand the professional risks that require active management.

Break (11:00–11:15)

Module 3 — Vertical analysis: what AI does with financial data (11:15–12:30)

What can AI do with my numbers?

We apply the insights from Module 1 to all major types of financial data. For each type, we explore what AI can do with it — including concrete example prompts you can use immediately.

• Spreadsheet analysis and forecasting: variance analysis, ratios, scenarios
• PDF and document analysis: extracting key data and risks
• Balance sheet analysis: liquidity, debt, working capital
• Income statement: margins, revenue quality, writing commentary
• Cash flow analysis: free cash flow, risks, liquidity tests
• Financial calculations: DCF, NPV, IRR, covenants, FX
• Research and reporting: market intelligence, competitive analysis

Prompt techniques in use: Chain-of-Thought and CoVe

Result: you have immediately usable prompts for all major financial data types.

Lunch break (12:30–13:30)

Module 4 — Horizontal analysis: AI across all FP&A functions (13:30–15:00)

Where does the value lie in my role?

We zoom out to the full finance function. For each FP&A discipline, we examine how AI provides concrete support — so that after this module you know where your greatest opportunities lie.

• Planning & Forecasting: building budgets, forecasts and scenario analyses, validating assumptions more quickly
• Investment Analysis & Capital Allocation: building and analysing business cases (DCF, NPV, IRR)
• Financial Analysis & Benchmarking: automating ratio analyses, comparing with peers, detecting trends
• Performance Analysis & Management Reporting: generating KPI analyses, explaining variances, writing reports
• Cost Analysis & Optimisation: analysing cost structures, detecting inefficiencies, identifying savings
• Working Capital & Cash Flow Management: monitoring cash flows, analysing working capital (DSO, DIO, DPO), flagging liquidity risks
• Treasury & Financial Risks: FX analysis, interest rate risks, hedging strategies, cash management
• Credit Analysis & Counterparty Risk: assessing creditworthiness, supporting scoring models, preparing credit reports
• Compliance, Audit & Risk Management: monitoring regulations, performing controls, preparing audits
• Valuation, M&A & Due Diligence: company valuations, acquisition analyses, summarising due diligence

Result: you identify your top 3 AI opportunities in your own role — the foundation for your workflow tomorrow.

Break (15:00–15:15)

Module 5 — Advanced techniques: reality vs. marketing (15:15–16:30)

When do I believe an AI provider — and when do I not?

Every vendor today claims to offer AI. This module gives you the critical framework to evaluate those claims — so you invest wisely in the right tools.

• Machine learning: what it truly delivers vs. what is overstated
• NLP (natural language processing): document analysis and reporting
• Computer vision: invoice processing and scanned documents
• Optimisation algorithms: capital and cash management

Result: you ask the right questions before you invest and are not misled by marketing claims.

Day 1 closing & evening assignment (16:30–17:00)

Which task will I redesign tomorrow?

• Open Q&A on the content of Day 1
• Preview of Day 2: from understanding to applying
• Evening exercise: choose one repetitive task from your own role to redesign tomorrow as an AI workflow

Result: you start Day 2 with a concrete task in mind — ready to turn into a working workflow.

DAY 2 — Apply & implement

Module 6 — Practical implementation: data, quality & integration (09:00–10:15)

Is my organisation AI-ready?

Day 2 begins with the prerequisites: before AI can deliver value, the right foundations must be in place. This module prevents you from investing in AI without having the basics in order.

• Data quality: the 5 dimensions — completeness, consistency, accuracy, timeliness, accessibility
• AI readiness: how prepared is your organisation?
• Integrations: Microsoft 365, ERP systems, BI tools, FP&A software
• AI limitations and expectation management: what works and what does not

Result: you have a clear picture of what is needed to successfully implement AI in your organisation.

Break (10:15–10:30)

Module 7 — Workshop: writing effective prompts for finance (10:30–12:30)

How do I write prompts that work?

The most practical module of the training. You build your own prompt library based on your own role and tasks — no generic examples, but prompts you will use tomorrow.

• Anatomy of a good prompt: context, goal, style, task, audience, constraints and format
• The 5 frameworks applied to financial tasks:
  • COSTAR(-F) → best for clear structure & communication
  • Chain-of-Thought → best for reasoning
  • ReAct → best for AI agents & tools
  • CoVe → best for accuracy
  • Prompt Chaining → best for complex workflows

• Group work by role: CFO, analyst, controller, treasurer — each group builds prompts for their own context

Result: you finish with a set of directly usable, tested prompts for your financial tasks.

Lunch break (12:30–13:15)

Module 8 — Building AI workflows (13:15–14:45)

How do I redesign my work process?

A good prompt is only a building block. Real productivity gains lie in workflows — repeatable processes where AI and human each do what they do best. We redesign the task you chose yesterday evening.

• Workflow principles: what does AI do, what do you do, where is the boundary?
• Analysing the current process: where is time being lost?
• Designing the new workflow: step by step
• Practical example: monthly report redesigned → 54 hours saved per year
• Building your own workflow based on your evening assignment

Prompt techniques in use: COSTAR(-F), ReAct and Prompt Chaining

Result: you have a concrete, tested AI workflow ready for use in your own role.

Break (14:45–15:00)

Module 9 — Governance, ethics & risk management (15:00–16:00)

How do I use AI responsibly?

Using AI responsibly is not optional — it is a professional requirement. This module gives you the framework to deploy AI safely and audit-ready in a financial environment.

• Data privacy and confidentiality: what can and cannot be entered into AI tools?
• Human oversight remains essential: when do you trust AI — and when do you not?
• Error management and verification: the 3-check method
• Drafting an AI policy for your organisation
• Audit and regulation: how do you document AI usage?

Result: you have a governance framework to use AI safely, responsibly and audit-ready.

Module 10 — Action plan & closing (16:00–17:00)

What do I do over the next 90 days?

The training closes with a concrete implementation plan. No vague intentions, but specific steps — linked to your own role, your own tasks and the opportunities you identified over these two days.

• Drawing up your personal 90-day plan
• Concrete commitments: which task, which tool, which week?
• Further learning pathways: how do you keep up in a rapidly evolving landscape?
• Summary of the key insights from both days
• Q&A

Result: you leave with a concrete implementation plan and know exactly what you will do over the next 90 days.

What you take away

Concrete deliverables: tested prompt library tailored to your role, your own AI workflow ready for use, personal 90-day plan, governance framework for responsible use, framework for tool selection, access to network and resources.

Skills: choosing the right AI tool for every task, designing AI-driven workflows with quality controls, writing prompts that deliver finance-quality output, applying AI across all FP&A functions, analysing financial data faster and more thoroughly, using AI responsibly with attention to privacy, human oversight and audit requirements.

Your AI journey

Level 1 — AI Essentials: the foundation for every manager or professional

Level 2 — AI for Financially Confident Managers: AI applied to financial decision-making

Level 3 — AI in Finance & FP&A: this programme — advanced applications for finance professionals

This is not a theory-based training. It is a fully practical AI framework based on real financial workflows, real prompts and real tools. No technical background required. No leaving without concrete workflows.